- Take a nap in a hammock.
- Dine al fresco at the Crab Shack in Newport News, overlooking the James River. (More outdoor dining venues on p. 22)
- Watch a July 4 fireworks display.
- Pick your own fruit. (p. 44.)
- Use sunscreen! (p. 12)
- Attend an outdoor festival (p. 55)
- Experience the wonderful world of butterflies in “Butterflies Live!” at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Exhibit is open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Oct. 14. lewisginter.org.
- Visit the Japanese Gardens at Maymont. The spectacular gardens turn 100 this year. Maymont.org
- Get a close look at the body’s inner workings at Body Worlds & The Brain, on exhibit at the Science Museum of Virginia through Sept. 23. (Note: Recommended for children 8 years of age and older.) smv.org
- Bike under the stars August 4 during the Anthem Moonlight Ride, a family-friendly bike event presented by Sports Backers and Anthem. Choose from a 17- or 8-mile course. Both rides start at 8 p.m., at Sports Backers Stadium in Richmond. SportsBackers.org
- Take a tour of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia Beach.
- Pack a picnic and spend a day swimming with the family at Lake Sherando. (Details on p. 27)
- Groove to music at an outdoor concert, like those held at Innsbrook.
- Attend a summer wine tasting on the Monticello Wine trail. MonticelloWineTrail.com
- Chase an ice cream truck with your kids.
- Jump off a diving board.
- Bury your feet in the sand.
- Do a huge chalk drawing in your driveway, including a quote that inspires you. If you can, climb a ladder and take an aerial photo.
- Help your kids set up a lemonade or cookie stand, and consider donating the money to charity. (Anthem’s LemonAid happens locally July 20–22. AnthemLemonaid.com)
- Try at least one new exercise class, and don’t give up after just one session. If you hate it after the second, you can switch gears.
- Two words: Grill it! Just be sure to clean the grate often to eliminate burned bits of food (charred food contains carcinogens).
- Try your luck at catching some fish.
- Visit a local farmers’ market. (p. 25)
- Stage your own Top Chef-themed cooking competition with friends or family.
- Tour a local winery or brewery.
- Build a sand castle. (p. 20)
- Take a walk on the Noland Trail in Newport News. If it’s not too hot or buggy, pack a picnic lunch to eat at the Lion’s Bridge along the way.
- See “Lost & Found,” on exhibit through Aug. 25 at the Library of Virginia—a look at the constantly changing fabric of our world. LVA.Virginia.gov
- Volunteer! If you live in Richmond, try HandsOnRVA.org for opportunities; Hampton Roads residents can visit VolunteerHR.org for ideas.
- Do something that scares you. Whatever it is—getting on a new ride at Busch Gardens or Kings Dominion, hosting a dinner party or asking someone out on a date—don’t procrastinate.
- Be a tourist for a day! Visit Jamestown Island or walk through the gardens and mazes behind the Governor’s Palace in Colonial Williamsburg.
- Visit Yorktown Beach. It’s small, but the Yorktown Pub is a tasty and unique lunch spot—and there’s an ice cream shop, too.
- Don’t scratch your mosquito bites!
- Rent a paddleboat.
- Explore a state park. VirginiaStateParks.gov
- Ride the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry from Jamestown to Surry.
- Play bocce ball in your backyard.
- Score tickets to a Richmond Flying Squirrels game. MILB.com
- Go on a dolphin watch at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach.
- Run through a sprinkler.
- Spend a day at the Virginia Living Museum.
- Take in a matinee, enjoying the air conditioning. Or, see a midnight screening of a summer blockbuster, like The Dark Knight Rises.
- Ride a carousel.
- Take a scuba lesson from the Dive Shop in Richmond.
- Read a book in the shade.
- Make an epic summer soundtrack: Billboard just released its “Top 30 Summer Songs of All Time.” billboard.com/features
- Buy clothing with built-in sun protection. (Find this and other gear on p. 28)
- Pack a picnic.
- Bite into local BBQ.
- Buy a pair of sunglasses that will protect your eyes from UV rays. (p. 50)
- Take a scenic drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains, preferably in a convertible.
- Bonfire of the Vanities: Get out the marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate.
- Talk to a neighbor.
- Run a 5K!
- Get to know your local history.
- Enjoy a scoop of homemade ice cream from a local shop. (p. 42)
- Visit a botanical garden.
- Sip on a cold glass of sangria.
- Take a staycation—gas prices shouldn’t spoil your summer.
- Camp out at the Chicahominy Riverfont Park and use the swimming pool for a day.
- Take a “beach vacation” on the Colonial Parkway or at Texas Beach on Belle Isle—pack a cooler, and don’t forget the insect repellant.
- Pitch a tent in your own backyard.
- Visit another state.
- Start a small backyard garden, or join a CSA through a local farmer.
- Stay hydrated! If it helps, invest in a good water bottle.
- See a movie at the Goochland drive-in theater.
- Fly a kite atop Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach, or at Jockey’s Ridge in the Outer Banks.
- Start a water balloon fight.
- Try paddleboarding! Tula Adventure Sports in Virginia Beach and Eco Discovery Park in Williamsburg offer lessons and rentals.
- Go museum hopping, or visit the National Zoo, in Washington, D.C. (p. 19)
- Lie under the stars and watch the Perseids meteor shower August 12-13.
- Leave your cell phone at home for a day.
- Search for that “summer love.”
- Play a game of CanJam or Cornhole.
- Take a day trip to Chincoteague’s wild life preserve and see the wild ponies.
- Catch a “Family Film by the Fountain” in Oyster Point’s City Center on Saturday nights in August.
- Stroll the First Fridays Art Walk on Adams and Broad Street in Richmond, more than 20 participating galleries and venues!
- Slice up an heirloom tomato.
- Eat soft-shell crabs.
- Spend a day at Water Country USA or Ocean Breeze (Wild Water Rapids, for you old-schoolers).
- Invest in a good pair of flip-flops. (p. 48)
- Put in a canoe at Dutch Gap and paddle the James.
- Watch the sun rise on the Eastern Shore.
- Play outside during a rainstorm, or listen to a thunderstorm.
- Watch a spectacular sunset.