Yesterday’s comments echoing my thoughts about Fourth of July made me a little gleeful, to be honest. I really dislike this holiday. Mainly for the fireworks and the heat, but I can see how the patriotism aspect might leave you a little sour these days as well.
The other thing I hate about July Fourth is parades. We have been going to an Independence Day parade with Carla since she was a year old, and apparently we can’t stop. But I haaaaaate it. It’s always so hot. We have to arrive an hour early to get a decent spot in the shade, but no matter how we plan it, the shade has always deserted us by the time the parade is going on. There are too many people. The parking is terrible. We inevitably forget something critical, like water or snacks or a picnic blanket. Carla always gets too much candy. The parade itself drags on for days. I am a sweaty mess by the end. The only positives about the parade are getting to see a good friend of mine who brings her kids to the parade too, and Carla’s enjoyment (which is inextricably linked to the aforementioned candy). I wonder how old Carla will be before we decide to nip this tradition in the bud.
My curmudgeonly feelings about July Fourth and parades got me thinking about other summer “fun” that I also dislike. In Elisabethan Top Five/Bottom Five style, here are the summer activities I hate most.
- Water parks. This might be my least favorite thing ever. Too many people. Bathing suits. Water afloat with unmentionable horrors. Bathrooms where people feel comfortable not wearing shoes. I used to love going to pools and water parks when I was a kid. Now, I shudder at the thought.
- Amusement parks. Crowds. Germs everywhere. Rides of questionable safety. The possibility that someone could vomit at any moment. This is like all my anxieties going clubbing together.
- Beaches. Sand. Gets. Everywhere. (Plus, the ocean is an unfathomable abyss and I would prefer to stay far, far away.)
- Fishing. Everything about fishing gives me the squeams, from baiting the hook to catching the wriggling living creature. Also, it is kind of boring? And I live in constant terror that someone will cast the line and catch me or another human by the cheek with the hook.
- Camping. I am a terrible sleeper in the best of conditions. Put me in a tent surrounded by trees and apex predators and I will not sleep a wink. Poison ivy. Peeing in the grass. Hanging your food from a tree branch. Carrying your sleeping roll and food on your back. None of this appeals to me.
Despite my bad attitude about most summer activities, I do love some of things you can only do in summer.
- Boating on a lake. My parents’ house (well, their summer home, now!) is near a lake and I love tooling around the crystal clear water in their little motorboat. I would not like to be on a boat in the ocean, or on a boat in a larger lake (the Great Lakes might as well be oceans; I need to see both shores of a lake thank you very much). But their lake, the lake I grew up visiting in summer, is perfect.
- Waterskiing. This is, again, an activity for a very specific kind of mountain lake. But when the conditions are right, I love to waterski. There is something so thrilling about skidding over the surface of the water like a sea bird.
- Drinking iced coffee/tea. Okay, so technically you can do this in winter. But I prefer to save my iced drinks for summer. I love a tall glass of iced chai.
- Hiking. My feelings about bugs notwithstanding, I enjoy a good hike. I try to get outside every day to walk, and hiking is just walking with a pretty destination in mind. Bonus points if there’s a waterfall involved.
- Bike riding. I will admit that riding a bike still makes me a little nervous. But I do love finding a nice, car-free path to bike along with my family. It feels virtuous to be doing something active, and it feels wonderful to be doing something together.
What are your favorite / least favorite summertime activities?
Ha, WELL, living in Florida has changed my perspective of summer. Now, winter is our nice season and summer is hot and humid AF. All outdoor activities are to be avoided. When the kids were little, we did a lot of waterparks and beach days (since we had to do SOMETHING.) I don’t mind either of those places, but like everything else, it’s hard with kids. All the logistics, packing (snacks, water, towels, change of clothes, sand toys, ARRRRRG!) Yes, now I’m happy to do my hot sweaty run first thing in the morning and- hopefully- spend the rest of the day inside.
Yes, living in a hot-year-round place definitely changes the game!
Confidential information: I can’t swim. That means I dislike most water activities. I don’t like pools, water parks, or rides on pontoons. I worry too much that I’ll fall into deep water and drown. I also don’t care for simulated war, so water gun and balloon fights are this aunt’s least favorite part of summer. Basically, my least favorite things about summer are all water related.
Things I DO love: campfires, smores, daylight stretching out for hours after dinnertime, watching dogs drink together at the dog park, and the sounds of little kids having fun on playgrounds. (Okay, also, I like to see kids playing in sprinklers/hydrants, which is a water activity I DO enjoy.)
I am not a strong swimmer, although I can technically do it. But aside from my parents’ lake, I really dislike water. I am with you on water guns and water balloon fights, too.
From your dislike list – I share your hate for waterparks, amusement parks, and fishing. I love beaches dearly and I’ve never been camping but I’d like to do it once in my life. Specifically once our Boy Scout days are over the family owes me a camping trip.
On the like side – YES to boating, iced coffee/tea, hiking, and biking. I’m going to say no to waterskiing – I’ve never done it and I think my “talents” are better saved for a boat or maybe a jetski.
Summer in general – BIG YES!!!!
Seems like you have the ideal crew to go camping with! I am quite surprised to learn you’ve never done it. You are definitely owed a nice camping trip with all the fixings.
Ha: “Water afloat with unmentionable horrors. Bathrooms where people feel comfortable not wearing shoes.” Isn’t it funny how our perspective of the same situation can change completely as an adult. I wouldn’t have ever thought or been worried about what might be floating in the water as a kid.
You know I am HERE for Top Five/Bottom Five.
Top Five:
1. Not needing to wear layers. I love, love, love being able to just go outside easily.
2. Boating/swimming/lounging on my parents lake. I’ve visited this spot every single summer since I was born, so it’s a big deal for me.
3. Campfires.
4. Fresh fruit/summer foods. BBQ. U-Pick strawberries. Ice cream. POTATO SALAD.
5. Spontaneous adventures. We spend a lot of time finding unique places to visits/things to do.
Bottom Five:
1. Sand. I mostly enjoy the beach, but I hate dealing with sand.
2. Dealing with summer gear. On the same vein, I really dislike dealing with wet towels and all the picnic dishes etc. The events (beach, picnic) are fun, but I find it a drag to deal with all the paraphernalia.
3. Scheduling activities for my kids. They are high energy and I am not, so I find summer to be a lot of time to fill.
4. Sunscreen. I loathe sunscreen.
5. Bugs. Mosquitoes. Ticks. Ugh, ugh, ugh.
YES to fresh fruit and summer produce! Love love love the abundance of veggies and fruits.
I’m with you on fishing. Beth is the designated water park mom, but that’s only because the main water park the kids like is at the beach and the beach is my #1 summer (and fall and winter and spring) activity and I can’t see leaving the beach to go to one. If we’re at an amusement park on a hot day, I can appreciate a water park.
The way you describe your beach visits always makes me long to be a beach fan. You make it sound so peaceful and beautiful.
I love hiking and boating, but I also love beaches and waterparks. Beaches seem to be more of a winter thing for me though, as in a winter holiday somewhere tropical. However, I guess I will live near a beach in very short order, so that’s something. I also like amusement parks, or I did when the kids were little.
Last year M and I rode bikes from Canmore to Banff and back again – it’s called the Legacy Trail – and it was so much fun. I love biking, but not in the city. I’m more of a bike path kind of biker.
I’m definitely a summer girl and I love the ease of getting dressed in summer! So much easier than 500000 layers of clothes to go outside.
I agree with you — biking in the city is not for me. I am much too afraid I’ll get run over!
I hate the heat and I feel guilty wanting to be inside for the summer, so it is a fraught season for me. We don’t much see summer parades here in Canada (when we went to the Little League World Series and I posted pics of our first marching band parade all my American friend readers were like wtf). I hate waterparks. I like beaches if there’s a breeze and I love the ocean and I’m with people I like. I don’t love fishing, but I love how much my kids loved it when they were little. I love swimming/floating and kayaking/canoeing – I don’t really like motorboating, although I don’t hate it. Camping I have a love-hate relationship with since our friends inveigled us into going – hate being dirty and sweaty, love the campfire and walking around the roads with all the trees overhead and having dinner together every night and going to the beach together every day. Don’t really mind sleeping in the tent with my family once I’m settled, but hate getting ready and HATE getting off my air mattress in the morning.
I can’t swim and live in fear of drowning BUT, I dearly love the beach. The sand is a hassle but that doesn’t deter me. I would also be perfectly content to sit on the balcony with a book and a glass of wine and just listen to the waves and breathe in that salty air.
I also love sitting on my back porch in the evening and just watching the fireflies flit around.
Before it gets too hot, I also enjoy having a few friends over for a cookout and eating on the patio as the sun slowly sets.
Okay, this is technically a “spring” thing; but watching all the plants and trees come to life after a long winter makes me really happy.
Camping? No, thank you. Why in the world would someone CHOOSE to go out into the woods and sleep on the ground, pee in the woods, surrounded by mosquitoes, bugs and wildlife? That is just insanity.
I don’t love summer, either. Mostly because it’s too hot in GA. We always go to the beach in June, but I only _tolerate_ the long days in the sand, and I hate having to carry all the stuff, chairs, towels, snacks, books, sunscreen, etc. Luckily the water is usually very nice where we go, so I can cool off there, and we have a canopy so I just stay in the shade. But I would definitely prefer a lake house, I think.
We don’t even do much of the other stuff you mention, like fishing, camping, waterparks, waterskiing (I’m a “never again” waterskiier after a terrible rope burn once). I HATE summer’s mosquitos.
I do like outdoor BBQs if there’s shade/fans/breezes, I like swimming pools, fireflies, seeing the flowers in my garden, some thunderstorms, and yes, iced coffees!
I do like summer quite a bit but I don’t love when it’s super humid. I don’t love the messiness of sand but it entertains my kids so well that I will put up with it for the sake of giving myself a break from being the cruise director of their lives. I don’t fish and don’t have interest in it, but luckily their dad, brothers, and cousins will help out so it’s another activity I can send them off to do without being a participant! Although they have very limited attention spans for that activity at this age. The boys are too young for waterparks at their ages, but we go to a lot of wading pools and splashpads. I would say I prefer that to the beach since there is no sand involved. But they can be incredibly crowded! But again – it entertains them/gives me somewhat a break although Will wants me to “come wiff” and stand right next to him since he’s my velcro baby!
I cannot waterski! I have tried but I just can’t do it. But I enjoy watching others waterski. I loathe iced coffee! I don’t even like coffee flavored ice cream. I am cringing just thinking about cold coffee! Ha!
I need to do a post about this topic because I would get too verbose talking about my top/bottom 5. But what I like about summer is not having to cram my kids into allll the layers. Yes you have to put on sunscreen but I freaking hate all the cold weather clothes that are required to play outside in the winter. And they come in and make the hugest mess w/ snow and wet boots and such. And that is harder to clean up that sweeping up some sand – and I can make them take stuff off outside if they are really sandy, like swim suits, shoes, etc.
I like summer when it’s not too hot. It’s not humid here, which is a blessing, but it does get pretty hot sometimes.
Some thoughts….
I adore summer fruits and veggies (esp tomatoes and grapes and stone fruits)
Beach time – We don’t really do this, the beaches here are cold and foggy, and I am on medication that makes me very sensitive to the sun. A couple of years ago, we went to Maui, and my beach costume was ridiculous. Suit, shorts, swim shirt, big hat. If I’m in Hawaii, though, I LOVE swimming in the ocean and snorkeling. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
If I had access to a lake house like your parents, I would be all over that lake action. Swimming, boating, etc. I went fishing once, and the fish was amazing (salmon in Alaska) but the whole thing was depressing and sad. I guess I wouldn’t be a hunter either.
Glamping could be great. If I had a hotel room, with a shower and a bed, I love the daytime activities of camping. The hiking, the gorgeous scenery, the campfire. What I don’t like is sleeping on the ground. Uncomfortable at best.
Speaking of hiking, I’m all over that if the weather is right. If it’s not hot, and there is shade, I’m all in. If the sun is going to beat down on me, I’m not a fan.
I’m completely over amusement and water parks. Years ago even. I used to love them both. Now I’m afraid I would throw my neck out. Since my neck is still tweaked from when I was blow drying my hair a few weeks ago, this is not an unreasonable fear.
Ughhh summer. How I loathe thee. Living in Florida does not endear one to the season. It’s just too hot and too humid and the UV levels are dangerous. It is not my favorite!
I do enjoy water parks, although I haven’t been to one in YEARS so maybe my tune has changed. Amusement parks are fine in small doses and not with small children. I hate beaches but love pools, and if I can find a pool with a lazy river? EVEN BETTER.
POOL POOL POOL POOL POOL. Also ice cream. But otherwise, unless I am at the POOL or the beach (I only like the Caribbean for swimming— when we take the kids to the dirty old ocean, the beach is strictly for lounging), I really hate being hot.
Summer is my least favorite. Of course, if I lived in a northern climate, that would be a game changer. I’m not a fan of parades for the same reasons as you; always too hot and sunny.
I love swimming in the summer, though…and boating would be nice as long as there is access to cool water not full of sharks or jellyfish. 😜
I remember going to a water park years ago with my Girl Scout troop and seeing a tampon floating. We left about four minutes later. UGHHH..nasty AF.
I definitely have complicated feelings about 4th of July, and while I am a (dual) citizen, I don’t feel very patriotic about our country in many ways… and the 4th is usually just LOUD and obnoxious.
Summer activities are limited. I need to befriend someone with a pool – that would make the hot summers here more bearable. I do LOVE ice-cream and iced coffee/tea.
And I have never tried water-skiing. How did you get exposed to it?
Water parks and amusement parks are fun in theory, but I also HATE the crowds. So, no.
Ah, summer. So much to love, so much to dread…er, avoid.
I am with you on water parks and fishing. Amusement parks are okay but now that you have made me fear random vomit, well, that might be gone, too.
I grew up going “down the shore” for summer vacation. My parents love the beach, as does my brother. I love the heat. LOVE the heat. Hate the sand and how it gets everywhere.
I enjoy camping BUT have never managed to do it on my own. I’ve considered car camping, though. I might still try that although… yeah. It’s hard when you don’t know someone who knows what they’re doing.
Totally down with boating, iced drinks, and hiking. I’d do waterskiing (have never tried it) and would love to do biking again, but… too much risk of injury + two surgically repaired arms = my surgeon would kill me.