March 14, 2020 was a day I will never forget. Not only was it the day I celebrated my 30th birthday, but it was the day Maryland announced it’s quarantine. Happy Birthday to me. Never in a million years, would I have thought that life would still be up in the air almost four months later. You might be wondering, how in the world can someone have a summer bucket list for 2020??
Here it is, July 9, 2020 and we are still unsure about the status of our future. Just think of all the summer plans that have been changed and altered thanks to Covid-19. It really is a shame.
Deciding to continue to make the best of the summer is something I plan on accomplishing. Every year I make a little summer bucket list of new things I want to try, along with fun places to visit with my loved ones.
Of course, there are some obvious bullet points on this checklist. Your typical: picnic, fireworks, cookouts – the normal summer favorites.
My summer bucket list is a bit more specific and tailored to me.
1. Visit National Parks
I have been planning multiple, epic, National Park trips. I still have dreams of checking Yellowstone & Grand National Tetons off my list in the next month or so. Wyoming sounds like an absolute dream and the ultimate destination for gorgeous views, dreamy glamping sites, dude ranch experiences, and photo opportunities for DAYS! I am hoping, with all my heart, to still check this dream trip off my list before the summer ends. Fingers Crossed!
2. Road Trips
While we’re on the topic of visiting National Parks, another bucket list dream is a road trip of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Site seeing from Shenandoah National Park to The Great Smokey Mountains National Park is another trip that constantly visits my dreams. Just imagine all the adorable cabins and pit stops along the way.
One I am most looking forward to is Field and Honey Farm. This tiny yet swoon worthy destination, tucked away in Green Mountain, North Carolina has been calling my name for months. We were supposed to visit back in March, but Covid-19 derailed my plans, so summer time into fall will have to do. Click here to make your own reservation to stay!
3. Rent an RV
Just to stay on theme, how cool would it be to do this trip in an RV? Some of you might think it’s lame, but THINK ABOUT IT! I am a major road trip lover. The only thing that could make me love road trips more, is more leg room. LOL An RV seems to check off that major box. Just imagine doing cross county from the backseat of a Honda Civic? The only time I wasn’t sitting in the backseat of this three person road trip, was when it was my turn to drive. Thanks a lot Dad, for permanently parking your body in the front seat.
4. Make S’mores
Lucky for me, this is one of the first things I’ve actually been able to check off my list, so far, this year. Sitting around a campfire with a select few favorites is one of my all time favorite places to be. Plus, have I shared with you my S’mores making tip. Replace the Hershey’s Bar with a Reese’s Cup. It’s life changing; trust me. Your taste buds will thank for me adding that dose of peanut butter to the mix.
5. Glamping, Camping, Backpacking
Slowly but surely checking these babies off my list. Our first glamping trip of the season was a major success. We were kindly gifted a visit to stay in the brand new tree house site at Airydale Retreat in Mill Creek, Pennsylvania. This is another MUST STAY spot if you’re local to the East Coast/Pennsylvania area. Honestly, it’s worth the drive from wherever you live. They even have two other private glamp sites on the property, just in case you are looking for something more cozy and romantic. Click Here to book your glamping or tree house experience.
6. Tubing, Lake Swimming, Kayaking
I am actually quite proud of myself for this one. As a long time Lyme Disease patient, I always steered away from outdoor activities, especially the water. Flash back to a year ago when I decided to conquer that fear and make an entire lifestyle and career change that landed me on hiking trails, daily. After seeing what the trails, forests, and woods did for my overall wellbeing, I figured it was time to knock the water fear off the list.
I am a Pisces, after all. Believe it or not, but I’ve lived just a few miles away from a local tubing spot. It only took thirty years to get here, but better late than never. Guess who is on the look out for her own tube? ME! I loved tubing so much, I can’t wait to go back. I plan on becoming a frequent flyer of the Gunpowder River in Monkton, Maryland.
7. Bike Ride
Sticking to the same area, something I’ve always wanted to do is bike the entire length of the Northern Central Railway which is also located near my hometown in Maryland. This 41 mile, one way, trail takes you twenty miles from Cockeysville, Maryland to the Pennsylvania state line. From there it extends another twenty one miles to York, Pennsylvania. Am I really up for 82 miles of bike riding? They don’t call it a bucket list for nothing.
8. Join a CSA, Weekly Farmers Market Trips, Homestead Day Dreams
Are you sick of hearing me talk about my homesteading fantasies? Hey, Cinderella once told me, “A dream is a wish your heart makes, when you’re fast asleep.” And if I’m being honest, I constantly dream about homesteading, farm life, and all the baby animals that will be in my care. Apartment living, for the time being, is putting a little damper on this dream, so I’ve decided to overcompensate in other ways. Joining a CSA was the first place I started.
Community Supported Agriculture is just one of the ways I can help my local community farmers while benefiting from a weekly supply of farm fresh produce. For a small fee, every week, a shipment of day-picked veggies make its way into my heart and kitchen. To learn all about my new obsession with CSA, fresh produce and Farmer’s Markets, click here.
9. Sunrise Yoga
This isn’t something I have planned for summer 2020, but it’s definitely something I will look into. Yoga and meditation are on my everyday list of things that I want to add to my morning routine. I have heard nothing but fabulous things and rave reviews on the benefits of yoga, so why not give it a try? I am open for any and all beginner tips and recommendations. Bonus points if you know of the perfect sunrise spot, in Maryland, for me to practice.
10. Hike New Places
Have you all been waiting for me to say this one? Obviously seeking out new hiking spots is Number One on my summer bucket list. I had to place it at the end of the list just to keep the suspense alive. Did it work? Anyways, after being featured on the AllTrails Instagram, I have made it my summer mission to research and seek out as many new trails as possible. I want to travel near and far to experience as many hikes as my body will allow.
As you all know, hiking has changed my life in so many ways; mind, body, spirit, etc. I spend hours, every single day, researching hiking destinations across the country and world. Bucket lists are meant for dreamers, and that’s exactly who I am. Where there is a trail, there is happiness for me.
That list of ten doesn’t even come close to express all of the things I want to accomplish this summer, this year, this lifetime.
Stick around for the journey as I check each task off, create new memories, and throw a recommendation or two your way.
And, while you’re at it, let me know what’s on your summer bucket list. I would love to hear. Comment below!
Happy Wandering!
