Summer vacation is for beach days, fun with friends, and a ton of free time. Put school on the back burner and focus on fun this summer! Make the most of your free time by bettering yourself, getting outside, making some new friends, and, most importantly, finding plenty of time to relax.

Part 1
Part 1 of 4:

Bettering Yourself

  1. This is the easiest way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your summer vacation. Your goals can be as lofty as learning a new skill or as simple as finishing that new Netflix series. Your list is entirely up to you, but it’s an easy way to keep yourself on track![1]
  2. Your school probably requires you to read a lot of books that aren’t necessarily at the top of your list. Take some time during the summer to read a novel that wasn’t assigned this past year! Maybe it’s a new bestseller or an old, obscure sci-fi novel. Head to your local library and check out their endcaps for some good summer recommendations.
  3. Keep track of any fun memories, songs, movies, books, or TV shows you experienced over the summer. It will be a blast rereading it during the school year and remembering the carefree times of summer vacation! If you’re more digitally inclined, check out some of these journaling apps:
    • One Day
    • Journey
    • Penzu
    • Diaro
    • Momento[2]
  4. While more schoolwork might be the last thing on your mind during summer vacation, taking a class online or in-person through your local community college can pay dividends later on! You could learn a new hobby, catch up on a subject you struggled with this past year, or try to get college credit for the future. Be sure to do some research before signing up for anything; there are a ton of online class opportunities.[3] A few popular options include:
    • Coursera
    • edX
    • Khan Academy
    • Duolingo
    • Udacity[4]
  5. Try cleaning out your closet or basement. You probably have way more toys and clothes from your childhood that you’ll never use again. Pick a weekend and be sure to advertise it with posters around town. If it all goes right, hopefully you’ll have some extra cash for fun summer activities![5]
  6. You’ll probably have way more free time during the summer than the school year. Why not get a job somewhere fun so you can have some spare cash for other fun summer activities? You might enjoy being a summer camp counselor or lifeguarding if being outdoors is your thing.[6]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 4:

Getting Active

  1. Summer is usually the best (and easiest) time to work up a sweat. Trying filling up some of those summer hours by signing up for a sport. Check with your local community center for any youth sports available during the summer. If you’re not into the traditional options, like baseball or soccer, you may be surprised by their other choices!
  2. Grab a pass to your community pool or hit up a friend who has one in their backyard. Chances are your local pool is only available from Memorial Day to Labor Day, so take advantage of it while you can! Don’t forget to bring a few extra bucks to spend at the snack bar.[7]
  3. Hit up some of your friends, bring the necessary equipment, and head to your local park. If the traditional summer sports (baseball, soccer, football) aren’t your cup of tea, try inventing a whole new game! And if all else fails, there’s no shame in resorting to a game of tag.
  4. Check out your community center or a chain gym nearby. Getting yourself out of the house to lift weights or run is way easier when it’s warm and you aren’t all tuckered out from a long day of school.[8]
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Part 3
Part 3 of 4:

Getting Social

  1. You might have to save up a little bit of money or ask your parents for help, but summer camp is a great way to meet people from other neighborhoods! These days there are camps for just about any kind of interest you can imagine, including:[9]
    • Music camps
    • Creative writing camps
    • Zoology camps
    • Filmmaking camps
    • Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) camps[10]
  2. There are endless volunteer opportunities available to teens during the summer. Whether it’s working at a summer camp or a soup kitchen, find something that fits your personality. Chances are you’ll meet some cool people in the process! Colleges love seeing volunteer work as an added bonus. Check out your community center or ask friends for some ideas on how to get involved.[11]
  3. Get a few friends together to hit up a concert this summer. No matter what kind of music you’re into, be sure to snag some tickets to a show early in the season. If a friend asks you to go see a band you’ve never heard of, it can’t hurt to give it a try. You may end up finding a new favorite artist. It’s even better if it’s an outdoor show! [12]
  4. You don’t need to live on the coast to have a solid beach day! Heading to a lake in your area can have the same effect. Grab some friends, a towel, a beach ball, and plenty of sunscreen and get ready to enjoy the weather. Don’t be afraid to mingle with the other teens at the beach too; you could end up making some new friends![13]
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Part 4
Part 4 of 4:

Relaxing and Enjoying Down Time

  1. Depending on where you live, summer may be the only time of year with warm weather. Don’t waste it! Even if you’re more of a homebody, try to get outside and catch some fresh air at least a few times this summer. You don’t need to go for a run or play a sport. Sometimes just sitting outside or taking a short walk can do wonders!
  2. Nothing beats an ice cream cone or popsicle on a hot summer day. Try to end a busy summer day with a nice cold confection. Whether it’s chasing down the ice cream truck or hitting up your local smoothie shop, you can’t go wrong with a little sweet treat.[14]
  3. Grab a sleeping bag and some bug spray and fall asleep under the stars! You don’t need to plan a whole camping trip; sometimes even just sleeping in your own backyard is a great change of pace.
  4. Summer is one of the few times of the year you’ll be able to spend an afternoon at the movie theater. It’s also usually when movie studios release some of their biggest hits. Get a group of friends together or even try going alone to a big summer blockbuster. If you go during the day, chances are they’ll have special matinee pricing as well![15]
  5. First and foremost, summer vacation is a time for relaxation. If going to the pool isn’t your thing, don’t be afraid to take some days to yourself just hanging out at home.[16]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I motivate myself to do a little of my holiday homework and not be in a bad mood about it?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Just try to do a little bit each day. Use a rewards system. Tell yourself that if you do 30 minutes of work, then you can go out somewhere/play a video game/eat a snack/etc. Remind yourself how much you don't want to be stuck doing all your work the last minute at the end of summer.
  • Question
    How can I enjoy summer if I am a preteen?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    I can totally relate, but you can basically do the same things. The only difference is that you may not have as much freedom to do all of the things teenagers can do.
  • Question
    What is the best thing to do at the beach?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    That really depends on what you like; swim, surf, tan, read, make sand castles, etc.
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Tips

  • Keep yourself busy! Don't spend your whole summer doing nothing. You only have summer vacation to do things you've always wanted to do while the weather is warm.
  • If it rains, just stay inside and watch some amazing, inspiring movies or go outside and enjoy a bath in the rain.
  • Don’t be afraid to meet new people. Summer is one of the few times you can meet people from other schools, so go make some new friends!
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Warnings

  • Take care of your skin. Summers can be trying, especially when you don't have to follow a school routine.
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About this article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 297,704 times.
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Co-authors: 63
Updated: October 11, 2022
Views: 297,704
Article SummaryX

Summer vacation is a great time for you to kick back, relax, and focus on things that you enjoy doing while you’re away from school. Consider signing up for a sport, like baseball or soccer, so you can stay active over the summer. You could also go swimming to have fun with friends and beat the summer heat. Summer is also a great opportunity to go places with your friends like a concert or the beach. If you’ve ever wanted to try volunteering at a charity, then summer is a good time for you to try it out and add it to your resume for potential colleges you apply to. Most importantly, make sure you spend time relaxing and enjoying some simple pleasures like eating a frozen treat in the summer weather. For tips about how to get a job that excites you to enjoy your summer as a teenager, keep reading!

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