53 Things to Do Before Summer Ends: My Checklist

August 26, 2020

Last Updated: September 27, 2022

With 30 days of summer left, I’m starting to feel like I’m running out of time to experience all the summer stuff I love. But I feel like this every year. Summer in Oregon is pretty much the best thing ever. So in making the best use of our thirteen official weeks of summer, here’s my list of things to do before summer ends.

My summer list is a little Portland-centric, so feel free to replace things with your local, summer fun time places and things.

Things to Do Before Summer Ends:

I’m bolding the stuff I still want to check off!

Go berry picking – do trailside blackberries count?
Go to Sauvie Island
Camp in the backyard
Do a backyard campfire – s’mores
Invite people over for BBQ/picnic – (informal house warming)
Picnic at the park – done, a fancy picnic would also be fun
Go tubing / river float the Sandy
Day trip to the coast – Oswald West!
Go to the river – swam at the Clackamas River
Go kayaking or SUP camping – kayak camped on the Willamette River and kayaked on 4th of July
Swim every chance I get!
Have a big day of biking – birthday bike ride surprise! Pedalpalooza!
Mani/pedis – post-half marathon!
Wear all my summer dresses and clothes
Go out to breakfast on a weekday
Stay out late and have cocktails
Wear heels for a night out – this can happen after my half marathon!
Buy new sunnies
Road trip! – to Seattle (ferry to Victoria), and to Vancouver for SeaWheeze
Make morning mimosas or simple syrup cocktail
Go on a boat!
Drink rose – reminds me of southern France
Go to a neighborhood street fair – Last Thursday, Mississippi Street Fair
Go to a Beer Fest – or maybe Fresh Hop end of summer!
Visit every ice cream shop in Portland – my favorite is Ruby Jewel and Fifty Licks (no, not Salt & Straw, but they’re delicious too). Also: What’s the Scoop? Cool Moon, and Cloud City.
Go to patios or rooftops in PDX that I haven’t visited yet – Salty’s on the Columbia
Eat outside as much as possible – use my outdoor dining space!
Day trip to Hood River or wine country – did the valley fruit loop, I’d still like to do another summer Hood River visit or biking in wine country!
play in the ocean – Kailua, Hawaii! and Oregon coast
Declare my own summer song – Capital Cities – Safe and Sound has been on repeat.
Make tasty water like the hotel in Victoria, just because – mint water! blueberry mint water!
Smoothie making – try/invent a few new recipes
SUP on an Oregon lake (Standup paddle boarding, duh)
Wear a sundress more often
Bike everywhere for one+ week – post race
Go camping
Go backpacking – Mirror Lake!
Buy a new swimsuit
Go to movies in the park – Arbor Lodge
Go to a summer music festival or concert – SeaWheeze Sunset Festival – Capital Cities & The Colourists!
Buy a new hat – got a birthday hat!
Pretend I’m 15 and buy a new summer fragrance
New sunscreen – I need more California Baby
Try a new cocktail
Read a new book (for fun not “work”!)
Find my favorite summer seasonal beer – still testing…
Go to Edgefield or Kennedy School – soaking pool! or golf?
Roast corn – can’t wait to roast more from the garden
Harvest from the garden
In season cooking– make a meal with mostly home-grown (tomatoes and basil pasta!) blueberries for dessert.
Watch the stars – saw shooting stars at Oswald West
Savor sunsets – in progress
Start making a fall things list (and cry a little)