The cool air is there in the early morning hours and evening when the sun goes down, and while summer is coming to a close, there are some little things you can do to squeeze every ounce of fun out of it! I don’t want to get pessimistic on you, but whether we like it or not the seasons are trudging onward, and soon the leaves will be changing and we’ll be downing our pumpkin spice lattes like they are going out of style. While fall is my favourite time for dressing (hello layers and cozy blankets), I’m not ready to throw in the towel just yet. If you feel like summer is slipping through your fingers, you’re not the only one. To make the most of these last few weeks of summer, we’ve rounded up a list of fun—and most importantly, safe—ways to enjoy these final summer days.

1. Get Outside

This weather is arguably the most tolerable of the whole year! Use it to your advantage, and stroll the city, visit a local festival or market, go for a hike, enjoy a meal or two outdoors while you still can. Some other ideas are sipping a cool drink or coffee at a local cafe or eating on the patio of your favourite restaurant for "happy hour".

2. Go To The Beach

Enjoy the warmer temperatures of the water. Read a book, kick off your shoes and enjoy the feel of the sand between your toes. Take off your watch and don't worry about what time it is. Have a nap and let the day get away from you. You don't have to be anywhere so it's nice to not have a schedule. I typically go over to Vancouver Island on one of our BC Ferries or the Sunshine Coast to Gibsons or Sechelt for a walk on the beach (Davis Bay) is one of my favorites.

3. Go Berry Picking or To a Farmers Market

The warm summer weather is great for berry picking. They are sweet, juicy and ready to be picked for fruit salad or baking! Freezing them for use in the winter or just smoothies works too. Locally there are some go-to berry farms about a 25-minute drive from me. One is Krause Berry Farms where they have a store full of pies, berries, jams and jellies as well as an onsite cafe where they serve freshly made waffles with fresh-picked berries on top and whip cream.

Another nearby fruit farm would be Driediger Farms where they have an assortment of delicious BC Strawberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries and Red Currants since the early 1960’s available for U-Pick or purchase in their onsite market.

Farmers Markets are a nice way to spend time outdoors, walking around and browsing local products in your neighbourhood or perhaps close by in another. The current global pandemic has only increased the need for fresh and nutritious food, and our local food system and farmers are in need of support.

4. Play A Tourist In Your Own City

Whether you can’t travel right now because of Covid-19, your job, you’re dealing with a personal issue that requires you to stay home, or you just can’t afford to travel at this moment there are some other ways to enjoy the feeling of getting away but staying local.

Tons of museums and destinations across the globe offer virtual tours, whether it’s on their official website or on Google Arts & Culture online platform. This is a great way to explore a faraway place if you can't travel there in person.

5. Enjoy A Picnic

I feel very lucky to live in a city that has no shortage of outdoor spaces. Summers are glorious on the West Coast, with clear skies and bright days for us to soak enough vitamin D to store before our gloomy and rainy season. Whether you go by the water, to the nearest park, or even on a rooftop, I hope you feel inspired to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy as many moments outdoors as you possibly can, it is good for the soul. Put some food in a basket or a cooler, go find a grassy spot somewhere, plop down, and have a meal. Take your friends or your family along and make an experience that you’ll remember. It seems a little old-fashioned, but a picnic can still be a lot of fun.

6. Go To An Outdoor Movie, Drive-In Or Play

Outdoor movies on a warm summer evening are very relaxing. At each outdoor movie, location spectators are encouraged to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs, plus snacks and picnics for those that want them. The exception is any drive-in movies, where the organizers might want people to stay in their vehicles.

7. Unplug and go connect with your real-life friends

Everyone is on the Internet these days. Some people will keep their faces pointed directly at their phones even when they’re outside. Sometime this summer, make sure you set the phone down, step away from the computer, and experience life without the Internet. Make sure you stop by and see your friends. Catch up; do things that you used to do before the Internet became a dominant force in our lives. Your brain will thank you because sometimes, you just have to get away from the web.

There are many things to do over the summer, but the important thing is that you enjoy yourself while you can. Soon the rain or snow will be back, flu season will be in full effect, and you’ll be craving that strawberry daiquiri or firing up the grill. As the old saying goes, "enjoy it while it's here because it will be gone before you know it".

7 Ways You Can Make The Most Of Summer Before It Ends