How to Enjoy the Summer with Mini Adventures

By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

We all need rest and enjoyment to balance our busy lives. The old proverb: “All work and no play made Jack a dull boy” is true for Jill too! Special time to restore us isn’t limited to summer vacations but a time of planned and purposeful joy. With a little creativity, we don’t need to travel far to reap the advantages.

A summer without a vacation has been termed a staycation, and I’m guilty of using the term. But the more I think about it, a staycation might communicate more of a boring and settle-for-less time. Let’s spice up our designated rest and enjoyment.

How to Enjoy the Summer with Mini Adventures

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Below are five ways plus a bonus to expect an adventure not only during the summer but throughout the year.

  1. Create Mini Adventures Nearby
  • Plan day trips to parks, lakes/rivers/beaches, historical sites, museums, cultural areas, a zoo, or an amusement park. Others may enjoy county or state fairs, riding stables, fishing, hiking, and so many other memory makers.
  • When was the last time a new coffee shop or a bookstore captured your attention? This is one reason why I love visiting Barnes and Noble; I can drink my favorite coffee and pick out new books.
  • A scenic trip through the countryside always relaxes me. Don’t fully schedule your time while away from home, so you can stop and enjoy special spots and take pics.

Tip: Make a list of mini adventures with a “Tour Your Own Town” day.

  1. Plan a Mini Adventure at Home 
  • Prepare a meal from a dream travel location. We did this for our grandkids by planning a special dinner with music, decorations, swag, and enjoyed dessert while watching a movie depicting the destination.
  • When was the last time you made homemade ice cream and set out every imaginable type of topping? What about a contest to see whose ice cream topping is the most creative?
  • Consider a reading nook for your mini adventure. Set up an outside reading spot; add character and decorate to your style. Your reading nook can be under a covered patio (excellent when the weather doesn’t want to cooperate) or a hammock where you can top off your mini adventure with a nap.

Tip: Your mini adventure at home is NOT to clean the garage, clear out closets, power wash your house, or any of the myriad chores. That, my friend, is work.

  1. Relive Childhood Days 
  • Early morning or late evening walks. The early mornings will serenade the walker with bird songs and fresh dew on plants and flowers. Evening times are perfect for star gazing. When was the last time you caught fireflies in a jar?
  • Remember picnic fun? If you’re not in the mood to prepare and pack a meal, choose take-out on the way to your destination.
  • Attend a baseball game, soccer, or swim meet. You might recall when you played those sports.

Tip: Tap into what you enjoyed the most as a kid. Building sandcastles at the beach or a bike ride around the neighborhood or countryside can be a treat!

  1. Unplug with a Digital Retreat 
  • Take a deep breath and refrain from touching your electronics.
  • No work or even thoughts about work. (I know that’s hard.)
  • Spend time with a hobby or establish one you’ve been dreaming about.

Tip: Read online the benefits of taking a break from digital devices. SummaCare has a powerful article on the health benefits of unplugging.

  1. Summer Bucket List Adventure—No Travel Required
  • Plant an herb or flower garden. Be creative whether your garden is at your kitchen sink, outside, or someplace unexpected.
  • Start a gratitude journal. This is a huge emotional boost to our personal, emotional, and mental lives.
  • Establish a fun project, plan the items needed, and celebrate every step of the way.

Tip: Make the bucket list project uniquely yours. Talk to your family about what sounds exciting to them.

Bonus! Spiritual Mini Adventure
  • Establishing a spiritual journal is a sacred adventure.
  • Take a daily walk and listen to the Bible. Pairing nature and God’s Word is rest for the soul.
  • Join a Bible Study group. Make new friends who share in your love for God.

Tip: The closer we grow to God, the more we are blessed with peace of mind both in the fun aspects of life and in the ordinary.

Friends, summer vacations aren’t about how far we travel, how long we are away from home, the souvenirs, or bragging points. Instead, embrace the memory makers and choose joy in every season. 

What ideas can you share for a mini adventure?

Comments 21

  1. A little late to the party but I loved this line: Your mini adventure at home is NOT to clean the garage, clear out closets, power wash your house, or any of the myriad chores. That, my friend, is work.

    I’ve been gone every week since May 6th and have one more to go. Family needs, church needs, and did get to BRMCWC this year so that was fun. I’m home after next week and staying there for a few weeks! Enough living out of a suitcase. The staycation sounds great!

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  2. The grandchildren come visit, and we turn our home into a summer camp. We take them to golf camp at the country club, to nearby farms, kayaking and fishing in the river, shooting and horseback riding. We take them to museums and teach them their family heritage. None of that they can do at their home.

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    1. Thanks, Philip, before our grandkids got older, we’d do the same thing. It was as much fun for us as it was for them! Every grandparent needs to plan mini adventures with their grandkids!

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  3. Hello, DiAnn, thank you for writing this post on creating summer mini adventures. I’m printing it to put in my journal. It gives me ideas for planning adventures for myself this summer.

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  4. I loved this post! Our family recently went to an orchard where they also grew blackberries. We picked a bucket full! My father took me berry picking when I was a child.

    My daughter and I have been planting various flowering plants and my father also was a big gardener.

    I have many happy memories of my father and mother.

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  5. I do enjoy caring for our flowers and looking each day for their progress. I even got close to our neighbor’s cat – so wonderful to hear a cat purr!

    We went berry picking and then made some cobbler and a smoothie. Such great family time.

    Thanks for the article about unplugging! It helps our souls I think.

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  6. DiAnn, thank you for these amazing tips! I face big challenges when it comes to traveling due to sciatica pain. Re-defining a vacation with your suggestions is much more realistic and enjoyable.

    One of the challenges I currently face is heat intolerance. As a result, I tend to hibernate during the summer months, only going out for necessities. I miss being out in nature, so I am continually looking for ways to bring the outdoors in. Any suggestions would be welcome!

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    1. Hi Cindy, we are so different. I crave the heat. Have you been to the butterfly museum? That’s a mix of bringing the outdoors inside and beautiful. Do you have a sunporch or enclosed patio?

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      1. I love the butterfly museum! I haven’t been to ours in quite a while, but I recently visited the one in Branson. It was great, but butterflies don’t like air conditioning. I did bring back a butterfly windshield that I plan to hang in my office.

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    2. Oh, me too. The heat intolerance is brutal. I get overheated so easily, and then I feel nauseous and have to lie down under a bunch of fans. I love spring and fall, but summer can be rough.

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  8. Less is so much more!
    DiAnn- I love your creative suggestions.
    God gives us a special treat daily if we stop, look and listen. Nature is a bounty of beauty that we only have to look outside our back door. No admission ticket required.
    Enjoy!!
    Thank you- you open eyes and hearts.

    Reply

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