The Aha! Connection Summer Bucket List

by Audra H. Anders for The Aha! Connection

Feel free to comment if you have additional bucket list items to suggest or additional places/information within each of our categories!

Visit the Zoo

Take a trip with family or friends and visit the Atlanta Zoo to see the new baby sloth born on Father’s Day.

See a Baseball Game

Head to Truist Park to see the first place team in the major league…our hometown Atlanta Braves or to Coolray field to see the Triple A Gwinnett Stripers…or run over to Brookhaven to catch a Bucks game!

Take in an Outdoor Movie

Combine nice weather with entertainment and head to a local outdoor movie venue such as Dunwoody’s Pics in the Park, Town Brookhaven’s Movies on the Town, Movie Mondays in Norcross, or Flicks on the Green in PT Corners.

Go to the Beach and build a sandcastle!

As far as I’m concerned any beach will do but here’s a good list of the beaches closest to Atlanta.

Sleep in a Tent

Grab your flashlights and set up camp. You don’t even have to leave the backyard!  My boys even set up a tent in our FRONT yard one year. But here’s a list of tent campsites nearest Atlanta if you want to getaway!

Make Homemade Ice Cream

Here’s my fave recipe…or simply just go out for ice-cream somewhere yummy and local! Here are some ideas: Gelato at Novo Cucina, Jeni’s at Ashford Lane, Bruster’s in Dunwoody Village, custard at Village Burger, Morelli’s inside Farm Burger, or my all time fave…The Frosty Caboose in Chamblee!

Hike Stone Mountain

Take the 1.3 mile hike to the top of Stone Mountain…Sunrise is the best! Not “up” for an uphill hike…stick to nearby walking trails such as the Brook Run Park loop, Blue Heron Nature Preserve, Dunwoody Nature Center, Island Ford Park, Murphey Candler Park, Vickery Creek at Roswell Mill, Big Trees Forest Preserve, East Palisades, Sope Creek, and Morgan Falls Overlook…there are many more in and around Atlanta…here’s a good source.

Shoot the Hooch

Can you believe I’ve NEVER done this!? Well…I’ve done the milder version from Helen which was a blast and the more intense rapid version in Columbus…also a blast!  2023 may be the Summer I get to Shoot the Hooch closer to home!

Attend an Outdoor Concert

Sit outside and jam…lots of summer concerts are even free!  There’s always music at Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays, Friday nights at Avalon Nights Live, Chamblee Summer Concerts, Groovin’ on the Green in Dunwoody, and Concerts by the Springs just to name a few.

Go to the pool

Swim and tennis memberships are plentiful in our community but there are also public pools nearby! The ones I know of can be found here.

Pick Peaches

Since we live in the “Peach” state shouldn’t every Georgian do this at least once? Here’s where we like to go: Jaemor Farms or Southern Belle Farm.  

Beer Garden

There’s no better way to celebrate summer than enjoying a crisp pint of beer at a local beer garden such as the new Blue Moon Beer Garden at The Battery, The Tucker Brewing Company,  New Realm Brewing, and Chamblee’s Contrast Artisan Ales.  

Lemonade Stand

Help your kids set one up and sell or stop and purchase a cool glass of lemonade from a stand in your neighborhood! For the best lemonade in the universe you must travel to Toomer’s Drugs in Auburn, Alabama and order a vanilla lemonade. Trust me.

Dine al fresco

Set up a picnic outside in your yard, at a nearby park, or head to one of many local eateries with patio seating!  Some of my personal favorite outdoor eating spots are…Novo Cucina, the roof at the Fox’s Marquee Club, The Mill Kitchen and Bar, Dunwoody’s Taqueria Los Hermanos, the side patio at Marlow’s Tavern, Flower Child, Six Feet Under, Canoe, Restaurant Holmes, Blue Top, Gypsy Kitchen, and on my personal “bucket list for the summer”….Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall on the Beltline.

Six Flags over Georgia

Are you ever too old for amusement parks? Well, maybe, but they sure are fun!!!   I grew up about 110 miles from Six Flags Over Georgia and always dreamt of living in metro Atlanta and being the proud owner of a Season Pass…do your kids need one?!  Maybe Six Flags White Water is more your speed and less hot!!

Lightning Bugs

Maybe you call them fireflies? Either way…go outside and catch some…then release them :).  Here are 6 things I bet you didn’t know about Lightning Bugs.

Farmer’s Market

Get local fresh food at one of metro Atlanta’s MANY summer markets:  Dunwoody Farmers Market, Sandy Springs Farmers Market, Brookhaven Farmers Market, Ponce City Farmer’s Market, Peachtree Road Farmer’s Market and worth the drive…the Serenbe Farmer’s Market.

Books

Commit to read a certain amount of books this summer. My goal is 2/month!  Click here to see a list of recently recommended books.

Games

Learn to play a new game with your friends or family. I recently found a beautiful old croquet set for $12 at a thrift store. Here’s one for sale on Amazon. My youngest and I set it up in the front yard and have been playing a ton. We watched a YouTube video to understand the rules and how to get started and have been having so much fun!  Other suggestions….badminton, spike ball, or giant Jenga.

Parade

Go to the Dunwoody 4th of July Parade and celebrate 50 years of Wildcat Pride!

 

 

Have more ideas?  Email me or leave a comment on this post!