I’m writing this on 2 PM on a Saturday and I’m sitting on my couch, bored out of my mind.
How is this possible? I’m 30 years old! There are literally millions of books I haven’t read! The weather is absolutely perfect – 78 degrees, light breeze, not a cloud in the sky. I’ve been working like crazy, but somehow I feel like I haven’t actually enjoyed this beautiful weather at all.
Just work, scroll, sleep—no bueno!
If you live in other parts of the world, I’m sure there are times when the weather is perfect or you have more free time than usual.
Here are 17 things to do when it’s nice out and you have more free time than usual:
1. Nerd out on something completely random Last week I fell down a 3-hour YouTube rabbit hole about coffee. Now I own a scale that measures to 0.1 grams, a Chemex and Aeropress, and I’ve spent $127 on different coffee beans. My friends think I’ve lost it. But you know what? My morning coffee tastes incredible and I finally understand why Italian baristas look so serious. Also, I’m also obsessed with Claude Code recently, building static web pages, web apps, and random calculators.
2. Make homemade popsicles I bought these molds and have been experimenting with coconut water, fresh mango, and lime juice. Pro tip: add a tiny pinch of salt to amplify the flavors.
3. Get completely lost in nature with camping There’s something about sleeping under stars that resets your brain. Studies from Stanford found that 90-minute nature walks reduce activity in the brain’s subgenual prefrontal cortex (the part associated with depression). My dream USA spots:
- The Enchantments, Washington – alpine lakes, granite peaks, mountain goats, permit-required solitude
- Glacier National Park, Montana – glacial valleys, turquoise lakes, wildflower meadows, grizzly country
- Isle Royale, Michigan – boat-access only Lake Superior island with moose, wolves, total isolation
- North Cascades, Washington – jagged peaks, hanging glaciers, endless wilderness, few crowds
- Wind River Range, Wyoming – granite spires, alpine lakes, remote backcountry, Cirque of the Tower
4. Make fancy ice cubes I started freezing herbs and fruit in ice cube trays. Lime ice for sparkling water? Genius. Frozen coffee cubes for chocolate milk? Unbeatable.
5. Visit that museum you always walk past I can’t believe it took my 5 years of living in Philadelphia to visit the Barnes museum. What’s a museum you always walk by but never go to?
6. Host a random Tuesday night dinner Everyone always says “we should hang out more!” but nobody actually makes plans. Text your friend specifically what you are going to do and where, “Dinner, 7 pm, at Los Tacos, meet me there!”
7. Meet people outside at sunset There’s actual magic in summer evenings – research confirms that “golden hour” light increases positive social interactions by 23%. Something about that orange-pink light at sunset, and talking and laughing until it’s dark (but still warm outside) makes these nights feel magical.
8. Embrace summer mornings Summer mornings hit different – they’re warm enough that you don’t need seventeen layers, but cool enough that you’re not immediately drenched in sweat. Morning light exposure helps regulate circadian rhythms and improves mood all day. Started doing 20-minute walks at 6:30 AM. No podcasts, no music, just me and the empty streets.
9. Explore open water Blue spaces (oceans, lakes, rivers) reduce psychological stress even more than green spaces. One afternoon floating on my back, staring at clouds, did more for my mental health than one month of meditation apps.
10. Go to a minor league sports games Tickets were $15. Hot dogs were $3. Some guy in a giant pelican costume shot t-shirts into the crowd. Nobody cared about the score. Everyone was just happy to be outside on a Wednesday. Perfect evening.
11. Take random strolls with no destination Started doing this thing where I just walk out my door and turn whichever direction feels right. No Google Maps, no destination, no podcast. Just walking. If you are lucky enough to live in quite a safe place (I am) this is a grand thing to do.
12. Dress in actual summer clothes I finally bought real summer clothes – linen shirts, lightweight shorts that don’t look like I raided my dad’s closet. Getting “special” clothes for the season feels fun and fancy.
13. Travel in something open-air Do you have a car that has no roof? Are there boats around you that offer cheap trips? Any local biking trails? Something about happy music, nice temperatures, and open-roof travel is intoxicationg.
14. Get lost in a marathon My favorite kind of marathon is a book marathon, like the Harry Potter series, or trash non-fiction. I also like movies, recently I’ve been obsessed with watching everything Studio Ghibli.
15. Have a solo beach day Something about cold sea water, warm sand, and a hot sun is healing. I don’t have the medical science to back it up, but it’s healing, I just know it.
16. Learn three new songs on an instrument My guitar has been collecting dust since 2019. I relearned “Wonderwall” (obviously), some John Mayer song that makes me feel deep, and started the cool plucking in Stairway to Heaven. My fingers hurt but the callouses are cool
17. Organize specific friend activities outside (and actually follow through) I’m terrible at this, so I got specific: “Sunset picnic in the Park, Thursday 6 PM, bring one snack to share.” “Morning coffee and farmer’s market walk, Saturday 9 AM.” “Outdoor movie night on my roof, Friday 6:30 PM, I have the projector.” When you’re specific about what and when, and make it fun and chill, these can turn into some of the most fun evenings ever.
18. Get caught in a summer rain Don’t run from it. Let it soak you. Channel your inner movie protagonist. The shower and pajamas after will feel awesome.
19. Master one “useless” skill Learn to juggle. Learn to moonwalk. Learn card tricks or pen spinning. This isn’t about becoming a pro — it’s about play, flow state, and curiosity.
20. Start a tiny outdoor project Build a little raised bed garden, paint a chair, make your own herb box. The act of building in fresh air feels amazing — and research shows that working with your hands improves mental health and lowers anxiety.
21. Take pictures of friends with a Polaroid and get the film developed Something about old-fashioned cameras, the scrolling and clicking of getting to a new photo, the waiting for the development, just makes it such a tangible and enjoyable experience. Distribute these to two friends, give each other one month, then make an album you can all share together.
22. Write someone a letter and actually mail itLike with a stamp. A parent, an old friend, a mentor. Reflecting, expressing, and sending something physical feels timeless and weirdly powerful. Bonus: include a little photo, dried flower, or tea bag or something else woo woo.
23. Cook something from scratch Best options include pasta, bread, pizza, cookies, or anything else (and you may just never turn back).
The Bottom Line
Summer isn’t about doing the most impressive things or having the best Instagram feed. It’s about breaking out of the endless work-sleep-scroll cycle and actually doing something – anything – that makes you have fun and put the phone down. What would be fun?
Action item: What would be fun for you? Schedule it!
Pick one thing from this list and do it this week. Not next week. This week. Because before we know it, we’ll be complaining about pumpkin spice lattes and how early it gets dark.