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Last modified May 31, 2022

15 Hot Weather Activities

When the sun is beating down outside, finding fun things to do outside can feel like a punishment. However, with these outdoor activities you’ll stay cool even in the hottest weather. 

Set up a Picnic

Picnics are an obvious summer activity that comes to mind. You may be thinking: “How can I stay cool at a picnic?” To start, find a shaded area. Pick a park near you that has some form of shade. This can come from the trees around you or strategically placed outdoor umbrellas. Have the fun of being outside, all while staying cool. This is a great activity because of how inexpensive it is. You can choose to pack whatever meal you’d like from the food you already have. This is a great activity for those looking for things to do with friends or family.

Go to an Outdoor Concert

Indoor concerts are great, but nothing says summer like an outdoor concert. Look at local concert venues around you to see if any outdoor concert arenas exist near you. This is a great way to enjoy the outside while also listening to your favorite band. There’s a great energy with outdoor concerts, more room to dance around, and more sunshine to get your mood up. The costs of concerts vary, so look out for one that matches your price point. This is a great activity to do with your partner or friend group. 

Attend a Live Music Event

Similar to the last activity, live music can be found everywhere in the summer. See if any coffee shops, bars, or restaurants near you are having any live small music concerts this summer. This is more relaxed than a traditional concert, allowing you to make it a fun family activity, friend outing, or a date night with your partner. Also, these live music events are typically free. Make sure to grab some food or a drink while you’re there.  

Go Paddle Boarding

With the amount of balance that this activity takes, you may end up cooling off by falling in the water! Look at water sport rental centers to rent a paddle board or see if a lake near you rents out paddle boards. It typically won’t cost you more than $20 to rent a paddle board for the day and you’ll have loads of fun. This is a great family activity if you have older kids or a great activity to do with friends or a partner. 

Bring Your Kids to a Splash Pad

If you’re looking for outdoor activities for kids, splash pads are a great way to stay cool in the summer. Often local community pools, zoos, and other public areas will have splash pads for kids to cool down in. These are included with admission into the zoo, pool, etc. so it’s no extra cost to you! If you have kids that complain about the heat constantly, splash pads are a must this summer.

Float the River

If there’s a river near you, take an inflatable raft with you and float down the river. This is completely free (in some areas) and only costs the price of an inflatable and the gas it takes to get there. Make sure you’re okay with walking all the way back up the river to get to your car. This is a great activity to do with friends or with adult/ older kid family members. Make sure that the current isn’t too strong when you go and you’ll be fine to float down nature’s lazy river. 

Note: There are also many river tubing companies that provide transportation to and from the river locations, as well as tube rental, for an affordable fee. Check your local area of a list of these options!

Go to a Water Park

Speaking of lazy rivers, cool off and have a bit of added thrill by going to a water park. Amusement parks can leave you hot and sweaty, but a water park is the perfect place to ensure that you stay cool all day. Find a park near you to go to with your friends or family. Go just once for typically around $50, depending on what park you go to or, opt for a season pass and attend the water park multiple times this summer. If you plan to go to the water park a lot this summer, a season pass is a better bang for your buck.

Have a Water Balloon Fight

Go to the Dollar Tree or shop online at Amazon, buy some balloons, and make water balloons using your outdoor hose. This is a way to have some competitive fun and cool off this summer with exploding water balloons. This is a great family activity or activity to do with a friend group. To mix it up, split your group in to two, pick out a team color for your side to wear, and whatever team is wetter from the fight at the end loses. This activity only costs a few dollars if you buy the balloons for cheap. 

Make Creative Popsicles

Get creative with your treats on hot summer days. Buy a mold to make popsicles in, or just use an ice cube tray and a toothpick as the stick. Put your favorite juice in the popsicle mold and add gummy bears, fruit, or other creative ingredients. You can also add a bit of alcohol to make adult popsicles. This is a great family activity or activity for your friends to indulge in. Nothing beats a popsicle in the summer!

Make Homemade Ice Cream

Along the same line as the popsicles, get creative and make homemade ice cream outside. Take a bag, put milk, sugar, and vanilla flavoring in it. Seal it up and put it in a bigger bag. Inside of that bigger bag, put ice in it and seal it all up. Then, shake the ice cream in the bag for a few minutes and before you know it, your liquid concoction will turn into ice cream. Add your own toppings and enjoy. This is a low-cost way of making ice cream from scratch, but you can also buy ice cream making machines. This is a great activity to do with kids. 

Go on a Nature Walk

Find a park near you with a ton of trees and shade. Embrace the summer and make sure to bring a hat and water with you. Go alone for calm, quiet vibes or go with friends or family for a great adventure. This activity is completely free and allows you to get moving and see the beautiful world around you. You can also choose how difficult you want your nature walk to be. Choose to stroll down a flat trail or hike up a mountain. Either way, you can’t go wrong. 

Make Snow Cones

Crush up some ice in a blender, add some snow cone syrup or natural juice to it, and enjoy it outside. This is a great way to cool off if you’re tired of plain water. Just like the homemade popsicles, you can add a bit of alcohol to make an adult version of this classic kid’s treat. This is fairly inexpensive and you may have some of the ingredients already at your house. 

Have an Outdoor Spa Day

Take some time to relax with an outdoor spa day. Have a refreshing peel-off mask to cool you off as you lay out in the summer heat. Even add cucumbers on your eyes to cool off even more. Get creative with your spa day in a way that keeps you feeling refreshed in the hot weather. 

Transform Your Backyard into a Water Park

Instead of going to an actual water park, make your own. Buy a kiddie pool, slip and slide, water toys, and other water activities and lay them out in the back. If you have a friend group doing this, the cost can get pretty low if everyone chips in. This is a great activity for any age. Even bring one of your homemade treats with you to your personal water park. 

Go to the Beach

Lastly, we have a classic. Any summer needs at least one beach trip. It doesn’t matter if it’s an ocean or a lake, find a body of water with sand and relax. Bring your own drinks and food in a cooler and make a day out of the excursion with your family and friends. 

Keep an Eye Out for Summer Activities

Check your local community’s listings online or through the newspaper to find out what activities are happening around you. Make up your own fun this summer or find the perfect activity around your neighborhood. Keep cool and have fun!