My Summer Bucket List
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What up peeps?!? We just got back from our (almost) free family trip to Jamaica, and I hate to brag, but it was Awwwesoooommmme!
Our winter wasn’t as bad as some other parts of the country, but after a cold last few months, it was amazeballs to sit on the beach and soak up some rays. The weather was beautiful. The hospitality was fantastic (more on that in the next few weeks). And, nothing beats spending days on end relaxing and playing with my family. It is honestly what I live for!
All of that fun in the sun gets me itching for summer! The backyard barbeques. The trips. The pool. I can’t wait. So, I thought you and I could share some of our summer bucket list items with each other. What do you say? I’ll go first!
Spend Countless Hours at the Pool
One of the things that I love most about our house is the neighborhood pool. Seriously, I never knew how much fun a pool could be. I was never much of a pool person growing up. Even in my college years, I didn’t spend much time there. Now that I have kids, it is one of my favorite places to be. I love spending hours each evening and weekend watching my girls splash around and enjoy their youth. Seeing the world through their innocent eyes is such an incredible joy, and it is a joy that I want to capture for as long as I possibly can. Every day, they continue to grow older, and I’m trying to savor every last drop. Now that I work at home, I’m so excited to be able to spend every weekend playing in the water with Holly and the kids!
Watch the Sunset Over the Pacific Ocean
For all of the traveling that we’ve done over the last few years, I have yet to see the Pacific Ocean. That’s about to change, and I’m def crossing it off my bucket list this summer. This summer, Holly and I are going to swing down the left coast for a few days. I can’t wait to sprint into the cool surf Hasselhoff style and take in a beautiful Southern California sunset with my bae. We’ll be staying in Laguna Beach, which should be pretty sick! Holly is hoping to meet up with Lauren Conrad at Pinkberry. I’m more of a Lo fan, myself. (If you need help with that reference, look that one up here.)
Playing in the World Series of Poker
Here in the Johnson household, we love ourselves some card games. We play all types of cards, from Crazy 8’s to Hand and Foot. Still, our favorite card game is poker. It can be a fun family game, although that’s not the case in our house. When it comes to Texas Hold’em, it is every man/woman/guest for themselves.
We’ve been playing all types of poker games for about 10 years or so. I’ve read all of the strategy books (yes, I’m a nerd) and I used to be quite good. Although my mad skillz have diminished some from playing less the past couple of years, entering a WSOP tournament has always been a dream of mine. As a stroke of sheer coincidence, Holly and I are traveling to Las Vegas in July…shortly after the World Series of Poker!!! I doubt I will play in any fancy or expensive tournaments, but I can probably talk Holly into letting me play a $50 buy-in tournament with some fun money. Maybe.
Take My Daughter Fishing
And, for my final summer bucket list trick…(drum roll)…I want to take my daughter fishing. She has been asking to go fishing for about a year, so that is definitely on the to do list this summer. Of course, she’s just turning 6, so it will probably only last about 10 minutes. Still, I think she’ll really enjoy it…especially if we catch anything. When we head to Minnesota, I know her grandpa and grandma will happily make sure this happens while we are there.
So there you have it, my summer bucket list for 2015! What’s on your bucket list this summer? I would love to hear about it. Let me know in the comments below! And if you need any frugal travel tips, be sure to check out our “Travel Rewards Advice” page to receive your personal plan!
What is your 2015 Summer Bucket List?
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We have a short trip to Vegas planned for mid-May and a four-day bike trip planned in July. We are only doing short trips this summer since our daughter will be staying with her grandparents and I am already nervous about it! They are great, but she is not quite a year yet. Sounds like you guys have a fun summer planned!
Awesome! That sounds like a ton of fun. Sending the baby off to grandmas for the first time can be nerve-wracking for sure. I’m sure you’ll have a great time though!
I have never had a summer bucket list, so I’m thinking that it’s maybe time to start one. Since I am retiring from the military in exactly a year and planning on moving to London (vice the U.S. with my near my family), I decided that I’m gonna hold off from travelling for now.
It was today while taking my daughter to a local trip to Legoland in Tokyo, Japan, that I decided that while in London, I will plan to travel every single school break with my daughter, since I promised my family she’ll be home in NJ every summer. I can’t wait.
My parents and all my siblings (a total of 6) were all born and raised in Jamaica so I am well aware of how much fun it can be…at least in the tourist area. Glad your enjoying your family and life. A blessing when you got your pocket change in order.
I agree with you! It is time to start a bucket list 🙂 Congrats on your retirement! I’m sure your family is very proud of you…and probably is looking forward to the change as well.
We haven’t come up with any summer plans yet, but reading about yours has spurred my interest. I’ll now have to site and think about the summer instead of doing my work!
Do it Jon! Summer will be here before you know it. (And who needs work anyway?)
Watching the california sunsets is one of my favorite things about living here. For just that moment you can forget about everything else in life. Ahhhh! I loved playing in the pool as a kid and I always wanted to go fishing with my dad, so I can see how your girls enjoy it so much. The midwest does have something over us: balmy summer nights (and fireflies).
Don’t forget less traffic, fewer earthquakes, and cheaper housing 😉
Seriously though. I can’t wait to see your beautiful state!
Glad you & the fam had a nice trip! We’re on our way out to SoCal ourselves in two weeks (from today in fact) as we’re going to San Diego. We have a few other trips planned for the summer, and after the cold weather here I can’t wait for some warmer weather.
Have a great time John! Let us know how it is.
I haven’t started our summer bucket list yet. We are headed to Jamaica and hope to do a couple of day trips.
Awesome! Which part of Jamaica are you going to?
Good luck on the poker game Greg! Playing in a WSOP tournament is also a dream of mine. I\’ve been thinking about entering some satellite tournaments to try and win a seat 🙂
Man, we used to play all the time. I’m not sure if I will get to play or not, but it is definitely something that is on the list. Hopefully, I can cross it off. I’m thinking about a small $1500 tournament or so.
Spending countless hours at the pool sounds right up my alley! I’m liking your summer bucket list idea, sounds like it’s going to be a great time 🙂
Oooooohhh! I can’t wait for it. Only a few more weeks until it opens.
Aw that’s so sweet. My dad used to take us fishing and I always remember it!
She’s really wanting to go. I’m sure it won’t last long, but I’d love to take her. I hope she remembers it too:)
The wife and I were just discussing something very similar to this. I was hoping to get a list of things to see and do in Chicago, sometimes we forget how good we have it with festivals and different activities in the city. List pending.
WSOP would be fantastic, maybe try a satellite tournament to get in, I know a charity I used to work with does a Casino night and Poker tourney where the winner gets a WSOP entry, it’s $150 I believe and it goes to charity.
Chicago is wonderful in the summertime. I love all the neighborhood festivals going on. I was downtown one weekend and stumbled onto a Puerto Rican festival. It was so much fun. There is another great festival in Lincoln Square that I used to go to. Love that city!
I don’t have a bucket list as such, but the only thing on tap right now is Barcelona at the end of the month, and maybe Dubai. I am a great procrastinator..Welcome back! And glad you had fun.
Thanks Kemmy! I’ve never been to Spain. I would love to see it, Barcelona in particular.
In June digging the basement for our new house and July……two weeks in Alaska……pure bliss!
Jealous! I want to go to Alaska!
Wow! Congratulations on the new house Kathy!!!
Alaska is definitely on my bucket list as well, just not for this summer. I hope you have a wonderful time!
Glad to hear you had a great trip! It’s still so cold here that I can’t really wrap my mind around summer quite yet… I have this vague memory of what warm weather feels like ;). I’m looking forward to going on long walks around town and hikes in the mountains–my two favorite things!
LOL! I’m sorry. Our winter wasn’t nearly as brutal as many places. It got cold, but we didn’t have near the snow we had last year.
Enjoy your walks once it thaws out!
What a fun idea – I’ve never made a Summer bucket list before. I won’t make one for this summer as all I want to do is stay alive with all the work and home improvement projects I’ve taken on lately. It should be a busy summer anyway.
Good luck with the projects! I’d say finishing those off would be a great way to make a list!
Love your bucket list! I’m excited for summer. I wish there was a pool near here that I could go to!
Yeah, but Colorado summers are wonderful. If you get a chance, head to Beaver Creek over 4th of July for a fun fireworks display 😉
I’m going to finally visit New England and then several countries in Europe. If there is any time left, j hope we can go camping. I love Sumer.
NICE! That sounds like a great summer.
I totally forgot to put camping on my list! Consider this my amendment: I’d also love to go camping a few times with my fam.
Great list, I would love to go camping with our little guy this summer.
Me too! Our youngest wasn’t really old enough last summer. This year, I think she’ll enjoy it.
So far I have two out of state trips planned this summer and general sight seeing throughout the state. I recently moved, so I’m looking forward to exploring a bit this summer!
Sweet! Do it to it!
No offense Greg, but I don’t think playing in a $50 tournament is the same as playing in a WSOP event 😉 But it’s interesting you bring it up. My friend and I have been wanting to play in the WSOP for about 10 years now, ever since our senior year of high school when we got really into poker. They have satellites at Canterbury that we’ll be playing in. $250 buy in and at least one WSOP seat guaranteed (main event!). So for every 53 players they give away the $10,000 seat + $1,500 for travel and accommodations. It’s probably my best shot of actually playing. Would be a dream come true.
I actually hate $50 sit-and-go’s. The blinds move way too fast, so it is far more luck dependent. I have no illusions of actually winning, but I think it would be a blast!
You have a great summer planned. I plan on visiting a couple new MLB stadiums. Other than that I will be paying off debt.
Nice! I love hitting up new baseball stadiums.
And good luck with that debt! Knock that s#it out of the park, Jason!