Published: June 14, 2021

The sun is shining, the weather is warmer and that can only mean one thing: summer is finally here! Whether you’re around Boulder or back home, there are lots of things you can do to keep adventuring. Here are some ways to enjoy summer.

Wherever you are, be sure to follow local health and safety orders and guidelines in your community.

Enjoy the outdoors

Hit the trails. Summer is the perfect time to explore your surroundings. Think about lakes or other areas in your town you’ve been wanting to explore. Whether you’re going on a bike ride, a walk or hitting your local trails, find ways to reconnect with nature. 

Have a picnic. Nothing is better than some fresh fruit and cold drinks on a hot summer day. Plan a picnic day with your roommates, neighbors or family. You can pack snacks, lunch, a frisbee or lawn games. The important thing is to enjoy a nice day with people you care about. 

Grow a garden. Imagine you wake up and head over to your garden to harvest some tomatoes for a delicious tomato omelette. Sounds pretty good, right? Gardening can be a great way to spend your time, learn something new and eat healthy this summer. To get started, learn how to set up a vegetable garden no matter where you live.   

Host a cookout. Fire up the grill and get out the cornhole, ladderball, volleyball net or whatever outdoor games you have—summer is the time to be outside. Invite some close friends to stop by and enjoy some quality time together. 

Visit places

Buy local at a farmers market. A farmers market can be your summer’s main attraction. Support your local community by buying fruits, veggies and other food delicacies that are locally grown and taste delicious! 

Attend local concerts. Maybe it’s live music in the park or a larger concert venue, but summer is a great time to enjoy performances from musicians while dancing under the stars. 

Attend a sports event. Between amateur and professional leagues, sports games are bound to be a good time. Whether it’s baseball, soccer or anything else, going to a game can lighten up the activities during summer time. 

Visit a museum. It can be really fun to spend some time at a museum. Learn about history, science, art or how your town came to be—whatever your interests are, museums are a great place to spend your summer days.

Things to do with friends

Join a book club. Visit your local library or bookstore and ask if they have a book club you can join. If not, grab a friend or two, pick a book and have weekly get-togethers to talk about what you are liking, what you don’t like and what you think is going to happen.

Join a rec league. Have you been wanting to join a volleyball team, play softball or try your leg strength at kickball? Check out recreation leagues in your area to see if there is a sport you want to try. Most leagues tend to have different levels available so don’t worry if you’ve never tried the sport—it’s all about having fun.

Try new things. Summer is a great time to start a new hobby or try new things. Perhaps you want to try to play the piano or want to start making your own clothes. It can be hard to start on your own, so ask a friend to do it with you. It might help with keeping each other accountable and reaching your goals!

Volunteer. If you’ve got some extra time to spare, you can give back to your community. Whether you are helping build homes, delivering food or taking care of animals, there are different ways you can volunteer and make a difference. Check out some local organizations or connect with the Volunteer Resource Center to discover how you can help.

Activities in Boulder

Vist the Buff Pool. CU Boulder’s Buff Pool is open for business! Go refresh, relax and enjoy the Buff Pool with friends. From lounge chairs, jetted area, gas grills and more, the pool is a great day to spend the day. Call 303-492-6880 to check availability or make reservations after 7 p.m.. The Outdoor Buff Pool is open seasonally and may close due to inclement weather.

Go tubing down the Boulder Creek. There’s no better way to enjoy a hot summer day than by heading down the infamous Boulder Creek. No tube? No problem, you make a reservation to rent any outdoor gear you may need through the CU Rec Center. Learn more about outdoor equipment rentals. 

Challenge your friends to a game of bowling. Head to The Connection to enjoy some bowling with friends! Apart from bowling,you’ll find yourself coming back to play ping pong, billiards and more. Even though walk-ins are accepted, reservations for single lane bowling, billiards and ping pong tables are highly encouraged. Be sure to make your reservations to guarantee your spot!

For more events and resources visit the Student Affairs website and be sure to follow @CUBoulderLife on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!