The best part about summer is there are no "have to's" appointments, meetings and the schedule is super laid back. I love surprising my kids with days where we do spontaneous outings, serve them have ice cream for breakfast, and have all-nighters watching movies. Some of the best memories are made in this sweet season.
Here's a list of OVER 101 Summer Bucket list ideas to make this summer a ton of fun! Some of them are our family favorites.
- Go paint at Sawdust Factory in Upland
- Grab Ice Cream at Brusters Ice Cream or Handel's Homemade Ice Cream in Rancho Cucamonga
- Go to the a $2 Summer Movie matinee at Regal Cinema in Ontario or Upland! Click here for dates & movie list.
- Take a boat ride in Orange County
- Learn how to make lemonade from scratch
- Go Bowling FOR FREE at Big Al's all summer long! Grab a shoe & family pass for even more savings!
- Try a new restaurant at Haven City Market
- Rent a bounce house or waterside for the backyard
- Grab a Family Adventure Book and create memories not just for the summer, but the rest of the year with mystery scratch-off family dates!
- Have a beach day - stay late and roast smores at Huntington Beach fire pits!
- Get up early and to garage sales
- Have your own garage sale
- Plan a backyard movie night
- Take a trip to the mountains
- Stay up all night
- Make scoopable, edible playdough
- Play flashlight tag at night
- Start a nature journal
- Do leaf rubbings
- Donate to the RC Animal Shelter
- Start a summer garden
- Make root beer floats
- Drive up the coast on Highway 1 and explore
- Have dessert for breakfast
- Make a foil pack dinner for the oven or bbq
- Watch YouTube videos and learn to build something useful
- Redecorate or paint a room in your house
- Book a paint night or Kids Paint at Purple Easel in Ontario
- Visit an Escape Room - we have several in Rancho Cucamonga
- Go clothes and shoe shopping at Ontario Mills
- Go climbing and bouldering at Hanger 18 in Rancho
- Visit Dave and Busters
- Play with bubbles
- Book a playdate a House of Play in Rancho Cucamonga
- Do a puzzle
- Play miniature golf at Family Fun Center in Upland
- Get the skydiving experience at iFly in Ontario
- Take the family to Immersive Game Box at Victoria Gardens for group gaming fun!
- Go fishing
- Have a cupcake wars showdown
- Make Tie-Dye T-shirts, socks, bags, dresses - the options are limitless
- Go on a picnic exploring a new park in Rancho each time
- Take an early morning or evening bike ride on the Pacific Electric Trail
- Watch Fireworks on the Fourth of July
- Go to Sonic for Happy Hour every day from 2-5 PM
- Ride the Choo-Choo Monga Express Train at Victoria Gardens
- Visit the LA Zoo, San Diego Zoo, Santa Ana Zoo or Hesperia Zoo
- Have a water balloon fight
- Have a nerf gun war
- Paint with water guns
- Make DIY jewelry -our local craft stores have a ton of fun items!
- Paint rocks for the Rock the Spot Community Garden at Central Park Community Center
- Visit CreatED Natural Play Space in Rancho Cucamonga
- Campout under the stars, even if it is your own backyard
- Clean out those closets and have a fashion show
- Visit the local botanic gardens
- Play retro games at Lost Levels Classic Arcade in Claremont
- Get your face painted or get face paints and learn to do it yourself
- Watch a summer sunrise and summer sunset
- Have random acts of kindness day! Pay for the person ahead of you, take popsicles to friends, deliver donuts to police and fire stations, write words of encouragement, and place them on people's cars.
- Play in the sprinklers or better yet, a slip and slide
- Paint a picture
- Take a hike to the waterfall at the Etiwanda Preserve
- Learn how to roller skate or rollerblade
- Make Ice Cream from scratch
- Freeze and eat frozen grapes
- Make homemade popsicles
- Go Horseback riding
- Make Sun Tea
- Take family pictures on the beach
- Make a fairy garden
- Play a board game
- Read a book - get some friends and start a book club (for adults and another book club for the kids)
- Plan a BBQ dinner where the kids cook everything themselves (with supervision)
- Introduce your kids to an "old movie" you loved when you were a kid
- Build a fort
- Create a summer song playlist and have a dance party
- Visit a splash park - a full list of local splash pads coming soon!
- Visit Laser Land in West Covina
- Go on a mystery picnic or adventure
- Plan a road trip
- Watch YES day on Netflix then surprise your kids with a YES day
- Plan a fun scavenger hunt day
- Fly a kite
- Play hopscotch
- Draw with sidewalk chalk
- Take a trip on the Metrolink - Downtown Upland, Claremont Village or visit Olivera Street in Los Angeles
- Create your own scratch art
- Teach your kids something from your childhood
- Have a backyard bonfire complete with smores
- Make Frozen Hot Chocolate
- Paint on the sidewalk with water
- Write and mail a letter to a friend
- Freeze toys in a block of ice and "dig" them out
- Create your own comic book
- Have a glow stick bubble bath
- Go around Rancho and pick up trash
- Create a summer scrapbook
- Set up a paint day outside on the fence
- Grab the camera and do a fun photoshoot outdoors
- Explore 123 Farms and walk in the Lavender Fields
- Have fun with shrinky dinks, yep they are still a thing
- Take a class at Pila's Pantry in Rancho Cucamonga and learn how to decorate cakes and cookies
- Grab your favorite pizza from 3-4 different local pizza places and find your family favorite
- Take a train ride at Irvine Park Railroad or Southern California Railways
- Be a tourist in LA! Go to the museums, see the walk of fame and visit Graumans Chinese Theatre
Keep checking back for more summer fun bucket list ideas!
