Summer is such a short lived season here in Toronto that we owe it to ourselves to fully take advantage of EVERYTHING it has to offer. From bike rides and picnics, to camping and epic hiking adventures, it would be a shame not to embrace every opportunity to be out enjoying the weather. Plus, there’s nothing like that great feeling of knowing that you have experienced the season to its full potential.
If you need some ideas and some personal tips and recommendations on what to do before Summer ends, I’ve compiled a list of 13 things you should definitely do so you feel you have fully enjoyed it.
1. Braid Your Hair.
In my opinion, the best way to style your hair during the Summer is definitely with a cute braided style. Wouldn’t you agree that it’s the easiest and most stylish way to keep your hair up and off your face? If you need some inspiration and tutorials I have lots of them thanks to my friend Aylin who’s an expert! Here are 3 Braided hairstyles perfect for Summer!
2. Hit The Farmer’s Market
There’s nothing more fun than hitting a Farmer’s Market and getting inspired by the local and seasonal produce offered. It really sparks your culinary creativity and I always come back home with some delicious freshly baked goods.
3. Go Camping
Ever since the first time I set foot in Killarney for work (I wrote this piece), my friend Aylin and I have made it a tradition to go every year and camp for a few days. If you love the outdoors and completely removing yourself from civilization, there’s nothing what a good camping trip can’t do to help with that. We spend our days hiking, kayaking, running, cycling, admiring the views, having great conversations, lots of fun, and the best quality time together. If you’d like to read more about our most recent camping trip, I shared it right here.
4. Hit a Flower Market and Get Yourself Flowers
It’s no secret that I love flowers and as soon as Spring peeks in my heart starts to race as I love watching nature bloom and how the city transforms itself. Whether I’m buying flowers for myself or just stopping at the sight of them to admire their beauty, there’s no other pick-me-up that has the same effect as they do.
5. Go Hiking
I used to do lots of hiking back home in Venezuela and I’d take any opportunity to hit a mountain or do some trails with my travels as an expat, so one of the highlights of coming to Vancouver is definitely all the amazing hikes available. Every weekend brings a new adventure and all it takes is the willingness to get out there and embrace nature. If you need ideas on what to do in Vancouver on a weekend you can read this post where I shared some of my favourite things to do. I also have a couple more hiking ideas based on my latest adventures that I’ll share soon!
6. Enjoy Some Al Fresco Dining
Whether you decide to host an evening with friends or family or simply make use of your patio, balcony or backyard, make sure you take a few days to enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner outside. Here’s a post that might be useful if you’re planning an outdoor get together.
7. Go on a Kayak or Canoe
While I wouldn’t necessarily suggest wearing a leopard silk dress for an afternoon of canoeing, if the opportunity presents, I would definitely not use it as an excuse to stop you from having some fun. Last year my friend Victoria and I were not exactly dressed for the occasion but we couldn’t pass the opportunity to paddle around, especially because we were traveling and we wanted to make the most out of our trip. Whether you are out for a relaxing summertime float or a vigorous adventure, paddling on a lake is a great way to spend a few hours in the sun.
8. Explore Your Province
Sometimes there’s no need to get far away from home to have a great travel experience. I often think that we should become experts of the area we live in before going abroad. For those of you here in Canada, and particularly Ontario, here are six reasons to visit Ottawa, and a guide of things to do if you’re traveling with kids.
9. Eat ALL The Ice Cream
Given that there’s no other treat that can give us that cool and refreshing feeling on hot Summer days, there’s no better excuse to indulge in some (or lots of it!) than Summer itself. I have yet to write about my favourite Toronto places (Bang Bang is one of them!), but here’s a list of the best Ice cream in Ottawa.
10. Go on a Road Trip
There’s nothing like taking a scenery route to appreciate the freedom of open roads and beautiful landscapes, so whether you make your road trip a long or short one, packing some treats, enjoying your favourite tunes, and cruising away from home is a great Summer experience to have!
PS: here are some road trip essentials.
11. Enjoy a Picnic
Summer picnics, either planned or spontaneous, are one of my favourite activities of the season and a Sunny weekend or afternoon is the perfect excuse to pack a bag or basket with some snacks and treats, a blanket, a good book, and hit a nearby playground or park.
12. Wear Head-to-Toe White
Is there anything more refreshing than an all-white look on a hot Summer day? There’s no better time to bust out your whites than Summer so if you’re looking for some pieces to add to your wardrobe here’s a list of the best eyelet tops and three ways to wear eyelet this Summer. Plus, even though my jumpsuit is sold out (sadly!) here are a few similar options if you like the look: this lace jumpsuit, this super cute eyelet dress, this dress, this one for less than $50, and this one which I find absolutely gorgeous.
13. Go Cycling
There’s nothing I have fully embraced more this past year than jumping on city bikes and exploring around as much as possible. In Toronto I use bike share, in Vancouver Mobi bikes, and currently I’m taking advantage of Jump bikes here in Seattle. If you don’t own a cruiser, they are such a great way to get around, explore and have an amazing time out and about. One of our favourite things to do in Vancouver is hop on a bike and spend a couple of hours going from one place to another. We normally bike to a lunch spot, then to grab some coffee/tea, then off again for dessert or just to admire the views…it’s such a fun way to spend a few hours outside being active and exploring the city. I highly recommend it!
