Summer 2017 is almost here! Wahoo! Longer, warmer nights to bring everyone's mood up a bit for the next few months. With more daylight hours means more time to check things off of your bucket list. So don't waste the summer away. If you get bored I have got you covered. Here are 10 things to add to your bucket list this summer. Relax, but also try something new. Hang out with friends, spend as much time outside as you can, and enjoy the summer for as long as you can. School will be back before you know it!

1. Visit a friend from a different state

Road trip to see a friend that lives far away. If they live close enough to drive make a weekend out of it. Why not? There are only so many weekends in the summer why not spend them with the people you have the most fun with? Even if they do live far away. Just another reason to explore a new city.

2. Visit a friend from a different neighborhood

In fact, visit friends that don’t live too far. Too many times so we say that we will hang out with our friends that live an hour away. Then the day comes and both of you are like, nah. But actually, do it. An hour is not long; drive, take the train. Show them that you care enough about the friendship to go out of your way to visit. A little effort means a lot to people.

3. Go kayaking

Personally, I live in Chicago so this is something I have wanted to do for a while now on the Chicago River. How cool would it be to go kayaking down a river in the middle of one of the prettiest parts of Chicago? If you don’t live near a city, just go kayaking near a local river or lake. It’s a fun way to spend the afternoon. It definitely beats just laying around watching TV all day.

4. Paddleboarding

On that note, try paddleboarding too. I haven’t done this but it looks fun. Definitely, something to add to the calendar. Anything outside is more fun than wasting the summer inside.

5. Hit up street festivals

Pretty much all towns have some type of festival during the summer. If you live near a big city then you have multiple going on pretty much every weekend. So why not drop by? Check out a new part of town and have lunch while you’re at it. Plus, they always have music, so how could it be bad?

6. Bar crawls

If you’re 21 then summer bar crawls are the place to be. Grab a bunch of friends and spend the day on a bar crawl. You never know who you might meet or run into on a bar crawl. They are a fun way to enjoy the summer since your outside half the time anyway.

7. Run a 5k, 10k, or half marathon

Get sporty and train to run a race. Train with a friend or decide to do it yourself. You don’t need more than yourself to run, so what’s holding you back? It’s good for you and you’ll have the satisfaction of completing a goal this summer.

8. Check out a baseball game

Get even sportier and actually catch a game. Grab some cheap tickets and go to a major league game or a little league game; your choice. Make it an outing with friends, siblings, or bring your dad. I know my dads always down to go to a baseball game in the summer.

9. Swing by the Zoo

Check out the new animals at a zoo near you. It's a chill way to spend the day and kids love it. If you have little siblings or babysit, take the kids on an adventure to the zoo. There is usually always something new to look at.

10. Movie in the Park

This might only be a city thing but where I live lots of parks put on a movie in the evening. Bring a blanket and snacks and enjoy a free movie night with your closest friends. Or bring a date. This would be a very low pressure, fun date to bring a girl or guy to.

Don't waste this summer. Work during the week and spend the weekends have fun and actually going out and doing things. There should never be a day in the summer that you are bored. It's too nice out to be mopping around. Have a fun summer and try something new every day!