End-of-Summer Bucket List Ideas for Seniors and Families

Whether you’re nine or ninety, there’s no denying that the summer season brings sunshine into our lives, in more ways than one! Summer memories have a special place in our hearts. It's the perfect time of year to slow down and enjoy a vacation with the family, sip lemonade on the front porch, hike into the great outdoors, or have a classic summer picnic. With more opportunities to take time off from work, kids home from school, and ideal traveling weather, summer is also a great time to coordinate family visits with older loved ones.

If you’re looking for a few fun activities for all ages before the season’s end, consider creating an end-of-summer bucket list. A bucket list is a fun way to remember favorite activities you’d like to try, places you’d like to visit, or memories you’d like to make. Essentially, it’s a list of things you would like to do within a set time frame. It can be a short list, or one that’s lengthy and complex, but it doesn’t have to be costly. Keeping activities simple and accessible for senior loved ones is the best approach.

From reading a new book to visiting a dream location or trying a new hobby, whatever the activity may be, remember that the value of a bucket list lies in carving out intentional time for meaningful experiences. These experiences, when shared together with senior loved ones and younger generations, are fantastic opportunities for connection. In this article, we’ll offer a few ideas to get your list started, with activities for all ages to enjoy both indoors and out, at home and beyond.

Summer Sun, Moon, and Sky

No summer bucket list would be complete without taking advantage of our planet’s dazzling skies. Whether you’re waking up early to catch the summer sunrise or heading out to an International Dark Sky Place for some showstopping stars, summer is the perfect time to do so.

Find an accessible location and plan a clear morning drive, hike, or walk to witness the sunrise over a scenic spot, such as a beach or a mountain. Chase down a few sunsets and enjoy their hazy hues before dusk settles in, seeing how many you can catch before the season’s end.

Night owls who love a starry sky can head to any of the National Park Service’s designated Dark Sky Parks for a fantastic view. Visit their site for tips on watching the night skies from your own backyard, around town, or in the wilderness. Challenge yourself or your loved ones to find as many constellations as possible, or find a telescope and enjoy a closer look at our neighboring planets or well-known stars.

For those wanting to stay awake a bit later, remember that summer is often a perfect time to spot several meteor showers. Some showers feature as many as 50 meteors per hour, provided there is favorable weather and an ideal viewing location.

Road Trips – Long, Short, or Sentimental

You don’t have to take a trip across the country to enjoy the benefits of road tripping with your loved ones. Every trip has the potential to be a memory maker, whether you’re packing the car with all the family, heading out with just the grandkids, or taking a quick trip with just you and your senior loved one. Taking a trip together is a great bucket list activity for all ages and can be easily structured or adjusted to support your loved one’s level of comfort and independence. Road trips also provide ideal opportunities for conversation and deepening connections with your loved one. Seeking some ideas for engaging and accessible destinations? Consider our list below:

• Fishing trips: Take a fishing trip to a local lake or inshore location with calm waters. Some charter companies are equipped to support older adults with accommodations for mobility issues and assistive devices, like walkers and wheelchairs.
• Beach trips: Plan a trip to the beach for a walk on the shore, a sunset, or a picnic. Avoid the crowds and head out in the late afternoon or evening for easier access to the best locations. No beach access? No worries! Find a local body of water with scenic views and a relaxing outdoor space.
• Ice cream road trip: Create a map of your favorite ice cream shops and schedule a road trip to visit every location within a few weeks.
• State parks trip: See how many state parks you can visit and cross off your list before the summer comes to a close.
• Classic road trip: No destination? No problem. Hop in the car, put on your favorite tunes, and enjoy a scenic ride to wherever you’d like. See what new things you can discover or encounter along the way.
• Sentimental trip: Consider taking a trip to a place that holds special meaning for you and/or your loved one, perhaps the home where you grew up, or a school or church you attended many years ago. Share your stories and memories with your loved one along the way and take a photo to document your journey.

Mobility challenges? Some older adults are hesitant to travel for various reasons, even for shorter trips. If that’s the case and your loved one has mobility concerns, consider checking out a virtual tour, offered by many museums and other places of interest. Search for experiences that can be easily adapted to meet the needs of your loved one. Think local whenever possible, and look for accessible parks, gardens, stadiums, sites with paved walkways, trolley tours, bus/boat tours, train rides, concerts, and other options. Scope out locations and accommodations in advance to plan accordingly.

Classic Summer Favorites

What comes to mind when you think about summer? Write down your favorite activity ideas and add them to your bucket list. Whether it’s a pool party, campfire, family picnic, water balloon fight, or s’mores station, schedule a few classic summer favorites for the whole family.

It’s not too late to fit in one last summer barbeque, a whiffle ball game, cornhole tournament, summer concert, bocce competition, croquet match, outdoor movie night, or even a miniature golf excursion. Is there a local fireworks show happening nearby? Don’t miss it! Whatever options help you stay active and well and give you the sweet sense of summer, add them to your bucket list.

Education and Exploration

Summer is a perfect time for learning something new. From summer semester classes to summer reading at your local library, museum exhibits, cultural events, music lessons, and more, there are endless opportunities for free and low-cost learning.

Caring for your cognitive health is vital at any age, and learning new things can inspire and motivate us to stay curious and keep the creativity flowing. Below are a few ways you and your senior loved ones can do so together:

• Check your local library for interesting summer programs and presentations.
• Consider signing up for a summer book club or starting your own.
• Register for the library’s summer reading program and add some friendly competition by offering a special challenge or prize to family members who participate.
• Nearby universities are worth exploring for summer classes or other special offerings.
• Some museums or events may offer free or discounted admission on specific days or during the summer season.
• Look for educational movies or documentaries that appeal to all ages, such as a feature on sea life, extreme weather, or prehistoric eras. These are often offered at local science centers, museums, or other venues with large IMAX theaters.
• If you share an interest with your loved one, take a class together. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy, multi-week course. Consider trying out a pickleball class, a watercolor class, or even a cooking class.

Harvest Season

The summer harvest is ripe with opportunities for enjoyment. From berry picking to farmers’ markets to community gardens, and more, take advantage of the harvest season’s bounty and dig into the benefits of gardening.

Whether you have a green thumb or not, setting up a container garden or tending to a plot in a community garden can be an enjoyable activity for seniors and their loved ones of all ages. It can be easily adapted to different skill and independence levels and made accessible for nearly everyone, especially for a loved one living with dementia. Even a simple package of seeds can bring delight as you watch the seedlings grow. Prefer to skip the dirty work? Look for opportunities to help with the harvest by picking fruit or vegetables at a family member’s garden or a farmers’ co-op.

There are numerous opportunities to pick your own produce throughout the summer months, particularly in August and September, when peaches, pears, squash, and various early-season apples are ripe. If venturing into the orchard in the late summer sun isn’t your style, you can track down a few local farm stands or an indoor or outdoor farmers’ market, ideally with plenty of shade. Many areas have set locations each week for local farmers and other vendors to sell produce, eggs, dairy products, meat, herbs, breads, honey, and more. Take a farmers’ market tour with your loved ones or plan a road trip to a well-known market outside your local area and cross two activities off your bucket list!

Summer and Senior Living

If your loved one resides in an assisted living or memory care community, take advantage of the family events, summer outings, educational programs, and full calendar of activities offered to residents. One of the many benefits of living in an assisted living community is access to activities that support residents’ independence at all levels. These provide dozens of summer bucket list opportunities for seniors and their loved ones.

Save some room on your bucket list for a community’s summer luau, all-ages bingo, cornhole competition, family barbecue, ice cream social, or block party. Many communities extend an open invitation to family members and friends for fun-filled community gatherings like these.

Family members can also consider meeting their loved ones at a local place of interest during a community outing, such as a lunch trip, an afternoon movie, a beach visit, or a museum tour. Since most communities provide transportation for regular resident outings, family members can arrange a meet-up with their loved one at the location of interest. This can be an unexpected and pleasant surprise.

Start Your List!

When planning your bucket list activities, stay informed about what's happening in the community by ensuring you receive all communication from the community’s team. Updates from the executive director, as well as monthly or weekly activity calendars, will include essential details so you won't miss out on any of the fun opportunities to connect with your loved one.

Learn more about how senior living communities can enrich your summer experience by providing meaningful opportunities to connect with family members and friends of all ages. Connect with a Stoney Brook senior living counselor today! Discover our valuable free resources by subscribing to our blog or scheduling a tour at one of our assisted living and memory care communities in Central Texas.