When summer rolls around, we all start wondering: what free and cheap summer activities are there for my family/friends and I? Well if you live in South Florida, you’ve come to the right place, my friend! Read on as we discuss free and cheap summer activities in South Florida (and beyond!).
Soak up the Sun
South Floridians are spoiled with our access to beautiful beaches. Once you pay for parking (I recommend either a beach pass to use for the entire season, or bringing multiple friends in one car so you can split the fee at the meter or in the lot) the opportunities are endless. Cottagecore beach picnic? Sounds delightful! A peaceful morning reading on the sand? Enjoying breakfast at sunrise with the beach basically to yourself? All possible! My personal favorites are any kind of beach picnic (with a speaker playing beachy tunes), or enjoying a good book.
If you’re gonna enjoy some time at the beach, don’t forget to bring water, sunglasses, a hat/visor, and sunscreen!! As a lifelong Floridian, I’ve gotten sunburnt enough times to make sure I follow that same checklist for every beach trip. No one enjoys being lobster red and in constant pain on contact with anything really. My go-to’s are this sunscreen for my face and this sunscreen for everywhere else. I recommend sticking to a cream sunscreen because it’s VERY easy to miss parts of your body with a spray kind.
My last recommendation would be to bring specifically an insulated water bottle. I use my favorite HydroFlask, but any insulated water bottle will do. Insulated water bottles (especially metal ones) will keep the ice/water cold all day long, even in the blazing Florida sun. That way you’re staying hydrated (click here for the common signs of dehydration) AND you’re helping to keep our oceans plastic-free.
Beat the Heat
One of my favorite cheap summer activities is making my own ice cream. I use this recipe for refreshing strawberry ice cream (which you need an ice cream maker for) and this recipe for toasted marshmallow ice cream (no machine required! Mix and freeze.). It’s a fun activity that makes you feel special when you tell others it’s made from scratch. If you’re interested in investing in an ice cream maker, I use this Kitchenaid attachment.
If you have access to a pool (either public or private) I HIGHLY recommend taking a dip in the pool whenever possible. Now that the days are much hotter, the pools are at their perfect temperature to help cool you off on hot South Florida days (and nights). If you don’t have access to a pool but you have access to a hose, a sprinkler attachment is just as fun to run through as it was when you were a kid.
Kick it Old School
Sometimes nothing beats the classics: a good board game or puzzle, or even just vibing with the radio on. There are SO many board games to choose from these days, with a variety of types depending on how many players you’ve got. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of us have rediscovered board games, from classics like Sorry! And Trouble to icons like Cards Against Humanity or even Dungeons and Dragons for those who want their games to be a little more interactive.
The key to keeping it free is using the games you already have at home. If you want, you can even make up your own rules for games involving just a deck of cards (that’s what got my roommates and I through the power outage after hurricane Hermine in 2016). If you’re looking for games you don’t have, but you don’t have a lot of money to spend- try looking at your local thrift stores or checking places like eBay for second-hand games. Better for your wallet as well as the environment, and your money is going to someone who’s trying to clean out their closets!
When all else fails, nothing beats the combination of food, friends, and music. Keep it chill with conversation or hold your own dance or lip sync battle from your living room! It’s free, fun, and makes for amazing memories.
Final Thoughts
There are free and cheap summer activities options from here to the ends of your imagination. Just remember, if you’re in the sun, stay protected and stay hydrated. If you’re headed to the ocean, check the local beach report ahead of time so you don’t run into bad conditions or man o war when you get there (also, if you suspect you’re caught in a rip current, swim sideways, not forwards).
For more summer activities or more geek lifestyle content, you can follow me @glamgeekguru on Instagram. Feel free to reach out to let me know your favorite budget-friendly summer activities!