Best Midweek Summer Activities

You can do this. Hide or unplug your phone, computer, tablet, video game, or TV.

Take a deep breath. Stare at something else that calms your eyes and heart: a sunrise, your dog’s face, your cat’s tail, a flower, clouds, a river, an ocean, a work of art, artists working, old people drinking cold drinks on a porch, babies gurgling in strollers, sprinklers in the sun.

At home on a weekday, you skip the rush for breakfast. You fit lunch into thirty minutes. You skip making dinner when you are tired after work.

Eat easy, tasty summer classics you make at home: ice cream, watermelon, hot dogs, burgers, chips with dip, s'mores, root beer floats, popsicles, corn on the cob, lemonade. Wash it all down with a White Claw Hard Seltzer.

Avoid cooking all day. No stoves or ovens allowed. Drink an ice-cold White Claw. Blast the A/C if you have one.Create something with a fan, ice, and a metal bowl.Run through sprinklers. Wear linen or cotton. Eat ice cream. Slather skin products you cooled in the refrigerator.

During the week, your pets are alone. They long for your snacks. Toss them chewed balls and catnip toys. Scratch their ears while they sit in a cardboard box.

It might be too hot to cuddle your pet, unless you have a snake. Spend extra time playing with your animals. Let them add more tooth marks to the chew toy. Walk together in the shade. Take out the boxes. Don't forget snacks and water for both of you.

No pet? Volunteer at or visit an animal shelter. You might bring home a new friend.

Find a pool, lake, sea, ocean, or river. Go wild in the water. Swim, surf, fish, sail, water ski, kayak, paddleboard, wakeboard, kneeboard, parasail, row, snorkel, dive, or just splash around.

No nearby water? Visit an aquarium or watch a Sharknado film. There are six.SharknadoThere are six Sharknado films.

Don't forget your White Claw chance to win a long weekend sailing the waves.

Your day off lets you take a summer online course. Learn how to take vacation photos with your phone, make homemade ice cream, or play pickleball.PickleballOr knit a bathing suit top.

Consider a topic that might raise your salary for more days off, like software engineering. Many public libraries offer free online courses through LinkedIn Learning.LinkedIn Learning.

Nurture your artistic feeling, keeping summer in mind. Paint a still life of sunflowers.Crochet a water bottle holder.Transform a drink can into a Star Wars lantern.Transform a drink can into a Star Wars lantern.Pen new lyrics to “Summer of ’69,” replacing “'69” with the current year.

Write a haiku about sunscreen:
Chalky white, goopy
Sticky but protects your skin
SPF saves lives

Many museums charge admission but offer a free day or days monthly, often during the week. Plan ahead so you can take the day off.Bad art., great art, trains, history, science, dinosaurs, astronauts, geography, minerals, waxed figures, or the summer condiment -Mustard..

Skip driving or paying for parking? Many museums show items online. You can see high culture from home.

Planting something in the ground or a pot and watching it grow feels relaxing. It is satisfying, nurturing, simple, and might give you lunch (vegetables, herbs, fruits) or flowers.

Not sure what grows near you? Check the US Department of Agriculture’s information if you are in the US.Plant Hardiness Zone MapUse the map to find your zone, then check anyUse this online guide to see what to plant.Find out what to plant in your zone.

Or purchase a cactus.

Amusement parks, large or small, lose their fun on summer weekends. Waiting in lines, the heat, and sharing space with crowds make it miserable.

Go on a weekday. You get space to escape the misery of hot, sticky crowds. Snow cones and cold drinks help.

Dusting, scrubbing, vacuuming, mopping, mowing, laundering—these chores sound like work. Finish them during the week, and the weekend is free for leisure.

Reward your hard work with a chilled drink, a frozen treat, or a long nap.

You pay for streaming services. Use them to catch up on classics and sequels/prequels. Watch lesser-known films from a franchise, likeBambi II; S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale; Jaws: The Revenge; 2010: The Year We Make Contact; Return to the Blue Lagoon; The Next Karate Kid; and Benji: Off the Leash!("Rules are made to be housebroken")