College Life Made Easy is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Learn more.
Ideas to Help You Build Your Own Ultimate College Summer Bucket List
Ready or not, Summer is almost here. It’s a time of year that I always look forward to and so do many other people!
As a college student or a 20 something:
In that you have plans for things you want to do and these warmer months hold so much potential. Your summer bucket list is practically begging you to check more things off it.
Plus:
The perfect way to celebrate surviving another semester of school is by having a kick-ass summer filled with TONS of enjoyable activities.
But:
Even if you do end up working or plan on attending college classes, there’s still room to make this summer memorable. After all, life is short and you’re only young once! Balancing your studies with some fun is the best way to stay sane during your college years.
Don’t let the good times pass you by:
It’s finally time togo on new adventures, visit large bodies of water with friends and eat a lot of good food. Whatever you end up doing, don’t forget to take some pictures!
Here are 60+ possible ideas for your summer bucket list in college.
→ Grab the college bucket list PDF in 3 versions at the end of this post!←
Summer Bucket List Ideas for College Students
Use these though starters to make your own tame or crazy summer bucket list.
❑ Go to a big water park and spend alllllll day there.
❑ Go to a drive-in theater.
As of 2023, there are about 325 drive-ins still operating!
❑ Visit a National Park.
See the FREE entrance days for this year here.
❑ Go hiking.
❑ Summit a mountain.
Take that hiking a step further!
❑ Make s’mores over a campfire.
❑ Go through all your clothes and donate what you don’t wear.
❑ Build a great sandcastle.
❑ Drink sangria by a pool.
❑ Run a 5K at the end of the summer.
Use an app like Couch to 5K to motivate and train you.
❑ Have a paintball fight with friends.
Or a less expensive option is a –
❑ Water balloon fight!
❑ Catch fireflies.
This one is always a nostalgic summer time activity for me.
❑ Take a trip to the beach.
Beach trips and summer bucket lists just go together!
❑ Swim in the ocean.
Have you been in the both the Atlantic and the Pacific? There’s a big temperature difference…
❑ Try skydiving.
It’s actuallymore affordable than you might think.
❑ Go to a bonfire party or host one yourself.
❑ Spend a day at an amusem*nt park.
Roller coaster, elephant ears, caricature drawing, the works!
❑ Take a road trip and sleep in your car or camp. No hotels!
❑ Attend a live music concert.
When was the last timeyou saw your favorite band in person?
❑ Go white water rafting with a group of friends.
I LOVE white water rafting, so much fun!
❑ Give kayaking a try.
❑ Attend a local baseball game.
A college or big league game would be fun to attend.
❑ Take some bike rides.
❑ Have a picnic at a park.
❑ Spend the day at the lake.
Swimming, paddle boarding, eating hot dogs, etc.
❑ Make dinner with items only purchased at your local Farmer’s Market.
❑ Try food at a new food truck.
The food truck food in my area is AH-mazing!
❑ Participate in a Tough Mudder.
❑ Make a trip to the zoo or to a drive through wildlife safari.
❑ Go to a music festival with friends.
Fun, sun & music.❤
❑ Marathon movies for a day in your COMFIEST outfit with your best friends.
❑ Read that book you never got around to reading.
Save your spot with free printable bookmarks.
Or read some new books, like these must read books for freshmen.
❑ Get REALLY good at braiding.
Fishtail braids are super cute, but also kind of hard to get the hang of.
❑ Take your pup to a dog park or dog beach.
Have you ever been to one? LOADS of fun!
❑ Find a new favorite recipe to cook on a regular basis.
❑ Make the ultimate blanket fort.
Yes, blanket forts are still fun as an adult and worthy of a spot on your college bucket list.
❑ Fill a truck bed with blankets & pillows, and then go stargazing where there are no city lights.
❑ Take a pottery class.
Or some other skill based class you have an interest in.
❑ Slip & Slide.
Or even a PAINT slip & slide if you don’t mind getting really messy!
❑ Attend a floating lantern festival.
This is the stuff dreams are made of. Tangled anyone??
❑ Go skinny dipping.
Cause you’ve got to try it AT LEAST once!
❑ Have a spa day out on the town or create one at home.
Treat yo’ self! Self love is SO in.
❑ Eat a funnel cake.
❑ Go to karaoke night at a bar.
Let yourself get loose and have fun with it!
❑ Pay for the order behind you at the drive-thru.
Put good vibes out into the universe.
❑ Spend an evening at a hot spring.
There’s nothing like a good soak to rejuvenateyourself.
❑ Go to an art gallery.
❑ Make the PERFECT summer playlist.
And then listen to it on your road trips!
❑ Do all the touristy things in your town.
❑ Land a sweet internship.
Gotta think ahead, it’s a great way to cap off your summer.
❑ Make a time capsule.
❑ Become conversational in a new language.
Learn for free with an app like Duolingo.
❑ Visit your grandparents.
They LOVE that sh*t, plus old people can be pretty cool. Ask them about stories from their youth!
❑ Start a smash book journal.
❑ Eat at as many different restaurants as you can.
Resist the urge to revert back to your usual eats hang outs.
❑ Visit a friend at a different college.
Different campus, new things to see!
❑ Pull an all-nighter and watch the sun rise.
❑ Try geocaching.
Prepare to think outside of the box! All you need is an app for your smartphone.
❑ Create your own drinking game and try it with friends.
Or maybe just play CharDee MacDennis (for you It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fans).
❑ Get ice cream from an ice cream truck.
Chase the music!
❑ Go to the state fair.
❑ Make alcoholic popsicles.
❑ Get a real looking temporary tattooor get a sun tattoo.
❑ Give your dog the best day ever.
They deserveit!
❑ Make ice cream in a bag.
A reminder of childhood.
❑ Spend a day thrift shopping with a budget of $50.
Or less, or more. It’s up to you, just get creative with what you’ve got!
❑ Take a belly dancing class.
Because why not?!
❑ Eat the freshest sushi you can.
The closer to the ocean, the better!
❑ Take a camping trip.
❑ Draw with sidewalk chalk.
❑ Go see a waterfall.
Maybe even Niagara.
Crazy summer bucket list idea: go cliff jumping!
❑ Make or have some really delicious lemonade.
❑ Do some volunteer work.
Giving back to your community is never a bad idea.
❑ Completely disconnect from social media for a day.
❑ Visit an amusem*nt park.
If you need some extra spending cash, these easy ways to make money should help!
❑ Go boating/tubing.
But don’t forget to apply sunscreen throughout your day on the lake!
❑ Eat snow cones.
What’s your fave food to include on a summer bucket list for college students?
❑ Get in some night swimming.
❑ Conquer a fear.
Do something that scares you, don’t let a fear hold you back in life.
❑ Watch fireworks or set some off.
Responsibly, don’t start at wildfire please!
❑ Hit up karaoke night at a bar.
❑ Go fishing.
Catch and release if you don’t plan to eat the fish. ❤️
❑ Feed ducks and geese.
But not bread, choose one of these duck-friendly foods instead.
❑ Pick berries.
Black berries are native to my area and the wild bushes are plentiful!
❑ Grow a summer plant.
Like sunflowers or watermelon.
❑ Get brunch with friends.
Bring on the mimosas!
Read Next: 121 Insanely Fun Things to Do With Friends in the Summer
❑ Do yoga in the sunshine.
❑ Start a fitness routine.
Develop a new one or try a challenge over the summer.
❑ Take a stroll through a botanical garden.
❑ Find the perfect swimsuit.
Spend the day store hopping and trying on different styles with friends.
❑ Go on a wine tasting tour at a vineyard.
Check Groupon to save a few bucks.
❑ See a movie at the theater.
→ Printable versions of the Summer bucket list for college students ←
Summer Magic
Palm Frond
Classic
Everyone’s personal list of things to do in college is going to be a little different. and those are just some ideas.
There are countless more activities you can do this year!
So:
How many of these activities are on your summer bucket list? Are there any other things that you think I should add to this post?
More ideas for things to do:
- 40 Fun fall activities to add to your bucket list
- The best bucket list of things to do before college graduation
- Ultimate list ideas for what to do this winter
- All of the best new year’s resolution ideas
Pin it for later 📌:
