Woohoo, it’s Friday! And it is hot as heck over here! It really does feel like we’re in the thick of summer now…even though we’ve still got another week or so left til spring!
I’m linking up with the Friday Five hosted by Cynthia, Mar, and Courtney, and the Friday Favorites hosted by Heather. How appropriate that this week’s Friday Five theme is about fun in the summer!
[bctt tweet=”One of my favorite times of the year – My 5 Favorite Summer Activities! #fridayfive”]
5 Favorite Summer Activities
Bike Riding
Biking season is among us now and it’s been a blast! Philadelphia just recently kicked off its bike sharing program and I am a proud member! For $15/month I get unlimited one-hour rides throughout the city. Just in the past month or so I’ve gone for a ride nearly a dozen times: softball games, trips into Center City (downtown), and a group ride during Bike to Work week. It’s been a lot of fun! As summer progresses, I look forward to taking some longer bike rides out on the various trails in the city and suburbs! Forbidden Drive, Valley Forge, and back over to the New Hope/Lambertville area would be awesome!
Festivals and Outdoor Fun Around the City
Everything fun happens in the summer. I absolutely love it. Philadelphia has had an explosion of fun, creative activities all around the city. Spruce Street Harbor Park has become a hot spot, and this year they have opened up a roller skating rink! There are also food truck parties, outdoor movie viewings, free outdoor yoga, and Shakespeare in Clark Park (which I can’t wait to go see!), just to name a few. Maybe this year I’ll finally make it to the Bastille Day festivities at the Eastern State Penitentiary. And the Made in America Festival will be back to cause chaos in my neighborhood again, I’m sure!
Yoga on the Schulykill Banks, one of many free yoga opportunities- credit to PhillyMag.comGoing on Vacation
Summer means summer vacation and I am really looking forward to what I have on tap this year! Last year my sister and I went to Jamaica, which was so much fun. The year before that we had our first trip to London and Paris! This year I’m going on a weekend birthday celebration with girlfriends in Miami and a nice long (romantic) getaway to Charleson, South Carolina with Bret. Who knows, maybe I’ll even find a way to get to the Jersey Shore for the first time for a long weekend…and no, Atlantic City does NOT count! I’ve also got a Nebraska visit around Labor Day weekend, which I’m excited about because I’ll finally be there when it’s not 20 degrees outside!
Running…
Running can be really tough in the summer because hello heat!, but I do enjoy the challenge, no matter how sweaty I get! I just have to work harder at getting my runs in as early as possible. Since I’ve done most of my mid-week runs after work, I’m going to have to make some changes to my schedule and try to hit the trails before work whenever possible. It’s important to protect yourself from the heat this time of year – and don’t forget sunscreen!
I will be training this summer – my next race after 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut will be the Philly 10K on August 30, and hopefully I’ll have my fall lineup finalized soon! I really enjoyed training last summer for the Rock and Roll Philly, so I’ll have to get back into that groove. Did I mention I still miss winter training??
I’m also looking forward to mixing things up with my runs this summer because my current routes are boring me to death!! Hopefully, I’ll get out to more Group Runs with City Fit Girls. I had such a great time running over the Ben Franklin Bridge wit them last week. Sometimes in larger groups it’s hard for me to come out of my shell, but I’m not giving up! I’d really like to bond with more members of City Fit Girls.
Celebrating My Birthday!
I am a summer baby, so of course I love being able to celebrate my birthday! Last year I had a fun time rock wall climbing with a few of my friends. That was followed up by an awesome dinner at a local Greek restaurant and a party at my place. This year I’m celebrating my birthday down in Charleston, so I’ll be away from it all! Bret and I will be making the drive down and I still don’t know everything that we plan to do. I’m looking forward to good food and drinks, the BEACH, and being a tourist. But most of all I’m looking forward to the quality time we’ll spend together on a vacation that’s longer than a 3 day weekend! Oh, and I like birthday presents too…just putting that one out there!
What do you like the most about the summer?
Love you summer list! There are so many great things about this time of year. One of my favorites is gardening. Walking outside every day to see what new goodies are growing is such a treat! Happy Friday!!
I’m falling in love with gardening this summer! I’m just waiting to eat our treats…it is exciting to see the progress!
I love summer for all the reasons you mentioned, except my birthday is in Sept. But it’s my boys’ and husband’s birthdays and that’s always fun!
I don’t do a whole Birthday month celebration like some people do but it’s fun to have that special day where I can actually be out and about!
You look so happy in that vacation photo! I like cycling in the summer – and stopping for a frappucino on the way home. 😉
You know I’ve never had a frappucino? A crime I’m sure! I do need to get a new bike though…I’ll just rely on the bike share for now!
I like the concert series here in Tampa. They always have great bands that partner together for something called Rock Fest! As long as the weather stays nice, it’s one of the best shows of the year.
Free concerts are fun! I interned in Tampa 8(?!) years ago over a summer…wish I knew about that then!
I want to go bike riding! I just told my husband last weekend we need to buy new bikes, can’t wait to get out there on the canal! Happy Friday 🙂
Karen @karenlovestorun
Happy Friday to you! Riding is so much fun, it really makes me feel like a kid again haha.
Your summer activities sound like so much fun, especially the bike sharing program! And I’m from Jersey, so I know the shore can be beautiful if you know where to go. I agree Atlantic City doesn’t count, but the Point Pleasant/Belmar area can be nice.
See, I’ve never even heard of Point Pleasant…clearly I need to get out there! Thanks for the tip 🙂
Chicago is chock full of fests and outdoor concerts, too! I had that in my mind and then it slipped away! Chicago loves summer and there is so much to do. I haven’t been to Philly in ages. I love that they have bike share now, too! We have Divvy here.
I love the Philly Half (now RnR) – ran it in 2000 and 2001 when we lived there (The Husband went to Penn for B-school) but that is in (ack) fall.
I have never been to Chicago :(….it has been on my bucket list for far too long, it seems like it would be a lot of fun there! Oh, I’ve done the Rock and Roll a couple times but since they changed the date this year I’ll probably have to pass on it.
I love Summertime, and all the things it brings with it, including better traffic with schools being out! I was just talking to a friend the other day about getting our bikes out and trying some of the trails around us. Summer food truck rallies are the best!
Yes, food trucks!! I wish I could try them all, it just isn’t fair! Oh and good point…I can’t wait to have a shorter commute at work since so many people will be on vacation!
I’m sensing a theme here with outdoor movies and such. Makes me envious since Dallas gets soooo hot, I just don’t want to be outside, sweating during a movie.
Aw that stinks! I went to the Dallas area for a conference a month ago and it was SO hot…so I can imagine sitting around outdoors isn’t too popular lol.
I love all of the outdoor events you can find in the city during the summer! Your vacation plans sound like fun! I’m a summer birthday girl too – I like your plans…I need to start thinking about how to celebrate mine 😉
Yay to summer birthdays! Hope you plan something fun for yours!
Charleston is lovely and I hope to make my way back down there again soon. Have a great weekend!
You too Courtney! Any recommendations on great places to see/eat/run?? Lol!
Ask Abby at Back at Square Zero -she lives there!
I’m loving summer because I can get out in the sun and soak up vitamin d. We love to get out and take walks too.
Oh taking walks and exploring the city is awesome. Hopefully the weather here will get back closer to 80 instead of 90 so I can do the same!
I love the list! I live in summer year round, but I love the spirit of summer whenever I visit the states. My favorites are festivals and outdoor activities. Outdoor movies and plays have to be the best thing ever!
Agreed! I have missed Shakespeare in the Park so many times in Philly and I’m determined to make it this year!
Summer is not my favorite time of year, understandable since where I live it is really too hot to do anything outdoors unless you do it really early in the morning. Plus, all my clients leave, so a lot less income is coming in (while the air conditioning bill skyrocket). I do love summer vacation, though all we have on the schedule so far is a couple long weekends at the beach. Plus Blogfest is in July and I have my week long Fascial Stretch Therapy certification in August, so I guess summer’s not all that bad. Still, I’m happy when October rolls around.
Ahh…that’s totally understandable from a business point of view. I hope you enjoy BlogFest! I’ll have to start checking my budget farther in advance to try to attend these types of conferences.
Nice summer list! Yoga on the Schulykill Banks looks like alot of fun. It looks very similar to yoga events at Yards Park in DC.
Something about doing yoga outdoors just seems so much more fun to me!
yay to ALL of these and happy birthday this summer 🙂
Thanks Mar!
and um Atlantic City is totally a vacation spot for me! Honestly anything outside of the 5 boroughs is an adventure! I love your list!!
Oh no shade at all! For me going TO NYC would be a vacation! 🙂