5 Great (and Practically Free) Ways to Soak Up the Last of Summer
August is here! With the year's warmest temperatures, lingering sunsets, and warm evenings, August feels like the heart of summer. And yet, ironically, it is also a reminder that summer will soon end. With shelves full of school supplies and inboxes inundated with announcements of fall events, we can't avoid the nagging prompt to make the most of the last few sun-kissed weeks of the season. How are you going to savor the flavor of summer?
Fresh out of ideas? As busy summer working bees, we at Camelot have a few tips to help you out. Don't wait for the perfect moment to slow down, relax, and soak in the season. Make it happen! Here are 5 suggestions for a simple, good time that require little to no budget:
1. Outdoor Dinner
Make the most of the long days and the warm evenings by moving the last meal of the day outdoors. Even leftovers feel special when you swap the kitchen table for a picnic blanket or a few folding chairs. Whether it's your building's rooftop, a picnic in the park, a quiet meal on your porch, or a large neighborhood gathering out back, conclude the day with fresh air, beautiful sunsets, and shining stars.
2. Group Movie Matinee
Admittedly, August afternoons can be a bit grueling. Make the most of matinee pricing, notoriously freezing movie theaters, and summer blockbusters by organizing a group trip to a matinee showing of a summer hit. Give it a theme, such as “Margarita Matinee” or “Costumes Required.” With the theater providing the entertainment, this is a relatively easy event to host. Keep it simple: impromptu invites and no RSVPs required. With an early movie time, there will be plenty of time to hit the community pool after the show.
**Camelot Trivia: This tip comes to us from my early truck-driving days with one of my oldest friends and codriver, Rick. On one sweltering, humid summer day between deliveries back east, we discovered everything we needed at a nearby mall: ample truck parking, low matinee prices, and air-conditioning included with the movie! It certainly beat spending the afternoon in the cab of my 18-wheeler!
3. Sunset Chasing
Jump in the car 30 minutes before sunset—also known as the golden hour—and head west or uphill. Roll the windows down, cue up your favorite playlist, and soak up the day's last golden rays.
4. Summer-Complementing Treats
Homemade ice cream is easier than you may think, even without a machine! (Check out a recipe here.) Go gourmet with a creative flavor, or go simple with vanilla ice cream and invite guests to bring their favorite topping for a potluck ice cream bar. My latest topping of choice? A bottle of root beer to transform my wife's homemade vanilla ice cream into an incredible root beer float!
5. Idle
That's right. Do nothing. No phone. No chores. Just a chair, a view, and some deep breaths for 30 minutes or so. It's shockingly restorative—and totally free.
As summer concludes, don't forget to make time for the simple pleasures of the season so you can soak it all in. And if your summer includes a move or projects around the house, Camelot can help you free up time for more memory-making moments before the season turns with our moving and storage services.
Whatever your end-of-summer plans include, here's to stretching out the summer, your way.