Summer is a time for baseball, cookouts, and seaside vacations. It’s also a great time for seniors to get out and enjoy some gorgeous weather and stretch their legs with friends and family.
Here are 8 wonderful ideas for summer activities for seniors…
1. Take a Dinner Cruise
Dinner cruises rank as one of the most relaxing summer activities for seniors. Just being on the water can bring your stress levels down.
Some dinner cruises provide climate-controlled atmospheres. There are cruises that consist of all-glass boats.
You can enjoy all there is to see without worrying about the weather. Others allow for indoor or outdoor dining, delivering the best of both climates as options for you.
One of the main draws of a dinner cruise includes the surrounding area. For instance, a New York City tour will highlight the Statue of Liberty. Of course, stargazing is always an enjoyable feature and an integral part of a relaxing night.
2. Visit an Art Gallery
If you’re looking for a relaxing yet inspiring activity, you should consider visiting an art gallery. Although most people instantly think of the most famous art gallery in the United States, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, there are fantastic galleries in most cities across the country, which means there is one near you.
Many times, galleries host exhibitions that highlight a particular artist or a specific theme, such as Egyptian artifacts. Whatever your particular tastes, there is sure to be a gallery for you.
Additionally, if you have already enjoyed your local gallery, you may want to consider a university art gallery. They are typically free and open to the public. You can enjoy a variety of art from diverse collections, and you can get to meet up-and-coming artists.
3. Tour a Bit of History
If you love history, you should consider touring some of the many historic homes, buildings, and locations available across the United States and your local area.
The United States is replete with historical landmarks for you to visit. From the Gettysburg Battlefield to centuries-old mansions in Charleston South Carolina, you can glimpse some of the most important places to impact the history and development of the United States.
Fortunately, there are a variety of tour types to choose from. For instance, self-guided tours allow you to visit each place at your own pace, enjoying each historic building, home, or town at your leisure.
Other tours are guided, providing you with a wealth of information and an opportunity to make friends. Guided tours can require walking, or they might involve transportation. Some involve a combination of both.
4. Try an Outdoor Concert or Movie
Some of the best summer activities for seniors include outdoor concerts or movies. There is nothing like enjoying beautiful music in the open air on a lovely summer night.
From classical music to jazz, you can find a concert to enjoy. Both relaxing and potentially romantic, music is always an enjoyable activity.
For those who enjoy activities imbued with nostalgia, you can hearken back to the good old days when drive-in movies were the norm.
There is nothing like watching a movie amidst the breeze of a warm, summer night surrounded by millions of stars twinkling above.
Regardless of which you prefer, concerts or movies, there is nothing better than getting out of the house and enjoying the outdoors while appreciating a favorite activity in a new setting.
5. Give “Glamping” a Shot
Of the many summer activities for seniors to enjoy, glamping is perhaps one of the more unique ones to consider. If you have always wanted to camp but were deterred by the idea of roughing it, you should consider glamping.
Glamping combines all the fun of camping, such as hiking, campfires, and stargazing, with luxurious accommodations and amenities, such as queen-size beds and air-conditioning.
Although glamping is relatively new, this type of camping is continuing to grow in popularity, so a multitude of sites are now available across the country.
Of course, all glamping sites provide accommodations beyond the typical tent or pup-tent. However, not all sites are the same.
For instance, some sites provide you with an upscale tent that contains a typical bed while others provide additional luxuries that might include comfortable chairs, ceiling fans, and throw rugs. In fact, many accommodations resemble hotel rooms.
Whatever accommodation you choose, there is nothing better than enjoying the comforts of home while partaking in all the fun the great outdoors provides.
6. Start a Regular Walking Routine
There is nothing like a leisurely, morning walk before the heat of the day takes over. Walking is not just an excellent and safe exercise, it is a great way for you to enjoy the company of your significant other or enjoy the peace and quiet of your own thoughts.
There’s nothing to distract you from one another or your thoughts, allowing you to really connect or relax. Because it is so calm and peaceful, it is truly one of the best ways to start your day.
An evening stroll is just as wonderful. You can enjoy a beautiful sunset while watching the stars slowly reveal themselves.
Finally, you can walk just about anywhere. Many people love to walk through their neighborhood, enjoying all the beautifully landscaped yards.
Others prefer to walk in a local park. If you live by the water, you can walk on the shoreline and enjoy the peaceful sounds of the water lapping on the shore.
7. Take Up Gardening
Gardening is a great summer activity for seniors. From water gardens to vegetable gardens, the numerous varieties of garden types to choose from ensures you will find one to bring you joy.
If you like to be active on a daily basis, you could choose a garden that requires your continued attention, such as a vegetable garden. However, if you would like a garden that allows you to sit back and relax, perhaps a butterfly garden would bring you daily joy.
If you enjoy learning new skills, you may want to choose a rose garden. Roses are beautiful, and they smell amazing. However, they do require you to care for them in a very specific manner. In fact, because rose gardens require a specific skill set, classes exist on how to care for them.
8. Enjoy Some Stargazing
Meteor showers, comets, and planets are all awesome sights for you to experience while stargazing. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways for you to enjoy this celestial, summer activity.
Depending on the light pollution in your area, you may be able to enjoy stargazing from the comfort of your backyard. You can either sit out in your yard and look up at the stars, or you can use a telescope to enjoy the many wonders the night sky provides.
Because so many towns and cities are filled with light pollution, there are a variety of awesome places that provide amazing stargazing experiences. For instance, several observatories are open to the public and offer guided tours of the night sky.
You can peer through high-powered telescopes and witness awe-inspiring events, such as meteor showers, an experience you will not soon forget.
Other excellent stargazing options can actually be experienced on the side of a road or within a national park. These are typically self-guided, but just as amazing.