One of our family favorite traditions it to make a big summer bucket list. We always have our seasonal favorites, such as berry picking and swimming at our favorite lakes, but we always throw in some new things to do too!

This summer will be a little different since it will be my first year working outside the house and not having as much flexibility as I’ve had in years past. It’s all good — I just know I will have to make sure to maximize our time together as much as possible!

Our list is always a little overly-ambitious, but that’s purposeful so we never have a time where we are scratching our heads trying to think of ideas 😉

Check out some of our plans, and make sure to share with us with what is on your list, too!

Our 2023 Summer Bucket List

INDOOR IDEAS

Participate in Kids Bowl FREE
Head rollerskating and/or ice skating
Visit the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History {Ann Arbor}
Visit a cat cafe {Ann Arbor, East Lansing and Ferndale have them}

OUTDOOR IDEAS

Swim at Spring Mill Pond at Island Lake State Rec {Brighton}
Tube the Ann Arbor Cascades
Visit Cranbrook Art Museum‘s revamped artist design putt-putt course {Bloomfiled Hills}
Go to CJ Barrymore’s to celebrate a great school year {Clinton Township}
Pick strawberries {Spicer’s in Fenton is where we usually go, but we may try Diederich’s in Webberville this year}
Pick blueberries {Hazen’s in Howell is our favorite}
Pick lavender {we are hoping to scope out Ocimea Lavender Farm in Webberville this year, or one of these}
Visit Greenfield Village {Dearborn}
Attend Balloonfest {Howell}
Head to a Detroit Tigers game
Take photos in a local sunflower field
Visit Belle Isle {Detroit}
Go to an outdoor concert

YUMMY IDEAS

Make homemade ice cream
Bike to a local ice cream spot
Have a bake-off with the kids
Make bonfire pizzas
Have an appetizer dinner
Visit an Ethnic food restaurant together as a family
Try rolled ice cream {we are eyeing Sweetings in Ann Arbor}

AT HOME/OTHER IDEAS

Raise butterflies from caterpillars
Enjoy a garage saling day
Have individual dates with each kid
Plan a YES day {here’s how we did it last summer}
Screen-free day {the kids did not choose this, but I think it would be a great challenge for us — myself included!}
Work on kids’ cooking skills

VACATION FUN

Visit Sleeping Bear Dunes
Go rock hunting along Lake Michigan and Lake Superior
Head to the Upper Peninsula and jump off the Black Rocks in Marquette {well, I plan to do this at least…We shall see what the kids decide!}

What fun things are on your bucket list?

I’ll be sharing all kinds of additional fun this summer, so be sure to follow along on my Facebook and Instagram.

See our summer bucket list posts from the past five years here:

A few things we’ve done and loved the past few summers:

Have an amazing summer, friends!