End Of Summer Bucket List

It’s the last day of July. How the heck did we get here so quickly?! Our summer so far has been dominated by the homebuying/moving process, which makes it feel like we haven’t had much time for our favorite warm weather activities. Now that the craziness is finally starting to die down a bit I’m determined to make the most of August.

We’ll check quite a few things off our summer bucket list over the next few days. We’re road tripping south with my family to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins for a week. They live in Arkansas and own an amazing houseboat business on Lake Ouachita. We’ll spend a few nights on the boat and almost all of our time on the water. After a crazy summer, it’s just what we need!

Here some other things I want to do before the summer’s over:

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1. Take advantage of Tiki Tuesday. 

Every Tuesday during the summer the amazing bartenders at Cardinal Spirits serve up some impressive beach-themed drinks. Just sipping them makes you feel like you’re on vacation. We went to Tiki Tuesday a lot last summer, but somehow we haven’t made it once this year. That needs to change!

2. SUP at Lake Monroe.

I haven’t been standup paddle boarding in a while and I’m dying to rent a board for an afternoon out at Lake Monroe.

3. Attend Cork & Fork.

I’ve only made it out to Oliver Winery once this summer and I want to make a return trip to hear some live music during their Cork & Fork series. The event is actually at their Creekbend Vineyard in Ellettsville, which I’ve never visited.

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4. Hike at McCormick’s Creek. 

I absolutely love McCormick’s Creek State Park. It’s a short drive from Bloomington and offers great hiking trails and camping. We rented a cabin there with some friends last summer and had a blast.

5. Go camping. 

I have no idea how we’ve gone so long without doing this, but we have to take advantage of all the amazing camping spots near us! In addition to McCormick’s Creek and Lake Monroe, we’re a short drive from the beautiful Brown County State Park.

6. Participate in Tour de Upland.

We’ve talked about signing up for this event ever since we moved to Bloomington but have always had other plans. This year we’re free! Tour de Upland is a weekend of cycling, beer and camping. Does it get much better? There are several different routes to choose from based on your cycling level. If we’re going up and down Brown County hills, I think we’ll go for one of the shorter rides!

7. Plan a picnic. 

We’re lucky enough to live within walking distance of several great city parks at our new place. I’d love to throw together an easy picnic and walk down to one of them for dinner one night. There’s something about eating outside that’s just so relaxing and enjoyable — at least when there isn’t 90 percent humidity.

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8. Bike to the Scenic View.

The Scenic View is a great restaurant that overlooks Lake Monroe. I’ve been wanting to bike out there forever and a summer evening is the perfect time to do so. You can’t beat the view or the food!

9. See a drive-in movie. 

When I was a kid my parents would take us to a drive-in movie theater about 30 minutes away from my hometown and it’s an experience I still absolutely love. We have yet to go to the Starlite Drive-In in Bloomington, so I’m keeping my eyes on their schedule over the next few weeks.

10. Host a cookout. 

We don’t have a grill, which means we only cookout when we’re at a friend’s house or visiting my parents. But we’re not going to let that stop us! I think it would be a blast to get a group together at a local park that’s equipped with grills and throw an end-of-summer cookout. You can’t beat hot dogs and s’mores.

What’s on your summer bucket list? Chime in by posting a comment below!

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