One thing that I love about where we live is that there are an incredible amount of things to do in the summertime – even without spending a lot of money. It’s a bit more difficult this year with gas prices being so high, but even so – there are many activities that I’m looking forward to doing with the girls. Here are 13 of the ones that I am the most excited about.

1. Beach

There are hardly any ‘good’ excuses for not going to the beach when you live in Michigan. Awesome beaches are everywhere – and we have a fun one within minutes of our house. I’m looking forward to seeing the girls have fun (safely!) in the sand and the water this year.

2. Zoo

We are lucky to have a zoo here in town, even if it’s a fairly small one. We’ve taken the girls at least once every year. This year I’m hoping to be able to find a way to get to one of the other zoos here in Michigan – either Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek or the Detroit Zoo as well. We haven’t been to either of those in a few years now.

3. Park

Although we’ve been to the park many times already so far this spring, it’s a fun (and free!) activity that we’ll be enjoying all summer long. We have a variety of parks nearby – and one thing that will really help save on gas money this summer is the new park that’s being built right in our neighborhood, within easy walking distance. I’m looking forward to meeting new neighbors and having the chance to walk or ride bikes to the park instead of having to drive every time.

4. Fireworks

Every year we go to fireworks with Kristi‘s family, and usually Mary’s as well, since she’s usually visiting here over July 4th. We’ve changed which ones we go to a few times, but we always all have a blast together.

5. Lake Michigan

This really is a category all its own, even though it generally includes the beach. There is just so much else to do as well – walking on the pier, watching all of the boats, going to various festivals, and of course, the sunsets. Due to gas prices and other circumstances, we didn’t make it over to the ‘Big Lake’ at all last year and I really missed it. I am determined to go this year!

6. Mall

I know – the play area at the mall is really a year-round activity. And someplace that we tend to spend a lot more time at in the winter than the summertime. But – on those hot, humid summer days when the kids are tired of being cooped in in the air conditioning at home, and it’s way too sticky to comfortably play outside, the mall is a great alternative. We have four within easy driving distance that all have play areas of various sorts, so it’s definitely an easy and inexpensive way to stay out of the sun and heat when we need to.

7. Walking

Whether it’s around the neighborhood or at any of the various parks and trails we have around town, it’s always fun to get out and just let the girls explore at their own pace.

8. Summer Celebration

This is held in Muskegon every year and includes ten days of concerts, a midway, arts and crafts show, community picnic, parade and more. We try to go to at least one or two of the events every year – not as easy since we moved away from there a few years ago, but we try. Mary and I go to the arts & crafts fair every year (as kid-free as we can manage – this year we’ll have baby Eric with us), and Ron and I like to take the girls if we can.

9. Water Park

The girls have been to a couple of the ‘splash’ parks around town before, but have been very timid about having water splashed or dumped on them. What I’d really like is to try to make it to the water park at Michigan’s Adventure, but I think that’ll be beyond our budget this year. So we’ll probably stick with the local splash parks and see if the girls get any more excited about the idea. And if nothing else, we’ll just buy another slip ‘n slide.

10. Children’s Museum

I know – it’s another year-round attraction, but we just don’t usually get a chance to go very often, and it seems like when we do, it’s always in the summertime. Probably since it’s another option where the kids can play and run off some energy in air-conditioned comfort. We have a nice Children’s Museum here and our girls go so infrequently that it seems like it’s always a new experience for them.

11. Children’s Garden

We have a wonderful resource here in the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Having said that, we’ve never really taken the girls there, other than to the annual butterfly exhibit once or twice. But they have an amazing Children’s Garden – and I’d love to find a way to take the girls there this summer to play.

12. Swimming Lessons
Every summer we put the girls in swimming lessons for at least one session. We feel very strongly about having them be able to swim – or at a minimum, be comfortable in the water. I think this will be the first year we’ll do lessons for Becca along with the ‘big girls’, although Becca will just be in the ‘parent/child’ class. Which means I’m going to have to be seen in a swimsuit. Yikes.

13. Backyard

One of the things that I love the most about summertime is just being able to spend time with the girls at home, doing the things that they love to do the most, whether swinging, hitting plastic baseballs around, riding scooters or bikes, blowing bubbles, playing in the wading pool, or just watching them run around and be goofy. This is what I look forward to every spring and miss during every winter.

And here’s a bonus #14 – sort of…

This summer we’ll have kittens to play with! Snuggly is due pretty much any day now, so we’re waiting to see when the babies arrive.

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