75 ideas for summer fun

Seriously, we will have a summer. OK, we can’t guarantee any warm weather – who would these days – but the kids will be out of school. Here are 75 ideas – one for just about every day of summer vacation – to get more fun out of summer.

ASTRONOMY

Make the most of the June solstice. June 21 will be the longest day of the year, giving us 15 hours, 56 minutes and 3 seconds from sunrise to sunset, according to www.timeanddate.com. Add dawn and dusk and that’s plenty of time to play.

Enjoy the Perseids meteor shower the night of Aug. 12-13. A full moon could make it harder to see some of the fainter meteors. That makes it important to find as dark a viewing spot as possible, with clear views to the northeast.

Attend the Tacoma Astronomical Society’s Astronomy Fair VIII on Aug. 27. Events will be held during the day with sky observing at night. www.tas-online.org.

BE ACTIVE

Tacoma’s Edgeworks ($15 for a day pass, $9 for gear rental) and Olympia’s Warehouse Rock Gym ($12, $8) are good places to hone your skills, learn to climb or just get a good workout. Edgeworksclimbing.com or Warehouserockgym.com.

Take part in the inaugural Summit Plummet July 17. Race from Crystal Mountain down 7,000 vertical feet and cover 50 miles to Enumclaw. There is a triathlon and duathlon. summitplummet.com.

Climb to the crater rim of Mount St. Helens. Permits are $22 and should be reserved online. Most weekends are already sold out, but there are plenty of weekday openings. mshinstitute.org.

Tale advantage of weekend mornings at Point Defiance Park when Five Mile Drive is reserved for skateboarders, cyclists, runners and others not using motorized transportation. metroparkstacoma.org.

Take a guided horseback ride in Elbe State Forest ($35 per hour) or along the Nisqually River ($45 per hour) with Jeff Celski of E Z Times Trail Rides. eztimeshorserides.com.

Enjoy the outdoors with your dog, but check the rules before you go. Dogs are allowed on most trails in national forests but hardly any place outside the parking lot at national parks. www.fs.fed.us.

BOATING/PADDLING

Try stand-up paddle boarding on Puget Sound. West Bay Paddleboards of Olympia offers lessons ($40) and rentals (starting at $20). westbaypaddleboards.com.

Visit one of the South Sound’s three tiny moorage-only state-owned islands to avoid crowds. You can’t dock or camp on Cutts, Eagle or McMicken islands but they are great places to picnic. Each island has mooring buoys. Cutts can be reached with some ease by kayak from Kopachuck State Park. parks.wa.gov.

Rent a kayak and explore on your own. Among the options are Gig Harbor Rent-a-Boat (253-858-7341, www.gigharborrentaboat.com), Foss Harbor Marina, Tacoma (253-272-4404, www.fossharbormarina.com), Boston Harbor Marina, Olympia (360-357-5670, www.bostonharbormarina.com) or North Bay Kayak, Allyn (360-535-2198, www.allynkayak.com).

Go for a sailing excursion on Puget Sound. Try Puget Sound Sailing Institute in Tacoma (253-383-1774, www.pugetsoundsailing.com), Gig Harbor Sailing Club and School (253-858-3626, www.gigharborsailing.com) or Sailing Northwest in Olympia (360-556-7085 , www.sailingnorthwest.com).

CAMPING

Pitch a tent at a national or state park, national or state forest, or in your backyard. The seventh annual Great American Backyard Campout will be June 25. The National Wildlife Federation’s event encourages parents and kids to trade screen time for green time by spending a night under the stars. Remember to pack the s’more fixin’s.

Combine camping with learning at S’mores and Snores Family Camp at Northwest Trek. Six dates in July and August. $55 or $50 for members, includes breakfast, park admission and tram tour. www.nwtrek.org.

CYCLING

Kids ages 11-17 can learn about mountain bike trail riding in Capitol State Forest with Tumwater Parks and Recreation and Trips for Kids. The trip will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 16 and cost $30 a child. All equipment will be supplied. 360-754-4160, www.ci.tumwater.wa.us.

Check out – or, better yet, enter – one of the Tuesday night bike races at Pacific Raceways in Auburn. The entry fee is $15 for men and $10 for women and juniors. $5 clinics for beginners are offered June 14 and July 5. buduracing.com.

Challenge yourself and raise money to fight child abuse by riding over three mountain passes in the Courage Classic. No typical bike ride, rest stops include banana splits and baked potatoes. multicare.org/home/courage-classic.

Work on your skills at Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park in Issaquah. The park offers everything from jumps to single track for experts, beginners and everybody in between. Evergreenmtb.org.

Ride the Tour de Pierce (12, 30 or 50 miles) on June 26. The ride starts at the Puyallup Fairgrounds gold parking lot. www.piercecountywa.org/pc/services/recreate/tourdprc.htm.

Local bicycle clubs offer rides most days during the summer. Just make sure you pick one going at a pace you can handle. twbc.org and capitalbicycleclub.org.

Tour the Puget Sound area by bike in the 170-mile RAPSody Ride. The rides is Aug. 27-28 and starts and ends in Tacoma. www.rapsodybikeride.com.

EDUCATION

Explore the tide pools at Hole in the Wall on Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park. Meet the ranger who will be on the beach from 7:30-9:30 a.m. July 1. The ranger will leave from the Rialto Beach parking lot at 6:30 a.m. 360-374-5460.

Kids ages 11-15 can learn more about fish by attending the Youth Fisheries Academy on July 8. Activities at the day camp include radio telemetry hide and seek, fish dissections, stream sampling and beach seining. 360-753-8380, visit www.olympiawa.gov/experienceit.

Attend the Summer Lecture Series at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. “In Touch With Nature” will feature talks on environmental topics. Held every Wednesday in July and the first four Wednesdays in August. 360-753-9467.

A visit to the Ocean Shores Interpretive Center is a good option, especially if the sunshine is damp. Exhibits cover topics including area marine and wild life and the shipping history of the area. www.oceanshoresinterpretivecenter.com.

Learn about marine life in the Gig Harbor area by attending a “Get Your Feet Wet” program led by Harbor Wildwatch. Events held throughout the summer at beaches including Kopachuck and Penrose Point state parks. harborwildwatch.org.

Check out the family programs at Olympic Park Institute (www.naturebridge.org/olympic-park) and North Cascades Institute (www.ncascades.org). They offer overnight adventures full of fun and learning.

EXPLORE

Grab a good flashlight (and extra batteries) and explore the bowels of Mount St. Helens. The Ape Cave is a 2.25-mile lava tube created more than 2,000 years ago. It may or may not be the home of Big Foot. 360-247-3900.

Take advantage of the new Mount Rainier Gondola at Crystal Mountain. For $20 the gondola will whisk you to the top of the mountain for a breathtaking view of Rainier and access to restaurant, trails and, conditions permitting, skiing. crystalmountainresort.com.

The South Sound has numerous multiuse paved trails that can be explored by bike, inline skates or on foot. Some of the best are the Foothills Trail between Puyallup and South Prairie, the Milton Interurban Trail, the Chehalis Western Trail between Rainier and Lacey and the Yelm-Tenino Trail. piercecountytrails.org and co.thurston.wa.us16.

Stretch your imagination at Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve south of Olympia. It’s unknown how the mounds were formed. Some say Ice Age glaciers and others say aliens. The hike is a 2.5-mile loop. dnr.wa.gov, 360-596-5144.

Layser Cave near Randle in Gifford Pinchot National Forest can be a fun stop for young kids. The hike in to the small cave that was discovered by a ranger in 1980s is short. 360-497-1100.

Spend some time soaking in Goldmyer Hot Spring, but call ahead for reservations and road conditions. Entry is $15 for adults, but children are free. goldmyer.org.

FAMILY FUN

Take part in Play Tacoma. Held Friday nights 5-8 p.m. starting July 1 at different parks. Families can bring a picnic then take part in the activities. www.metroparkstacoma.org.

Play on the beach at Priest Point Park and learn about the critters that live there. A South Sound Estuary Association beach naturalist will answer questions 1-3 p.m. Saturday; 12:45-2:45 p.m. July 2; 12:30-2:30 p.m. July 16 and noon-2 p.m. Aug. 13. 360-753-8380. www.olympiawa.gov/experienceit.

Float the Nisqually River with Lacey Parks and Recreation and Wildwater River Tours. The trip for people 6 years to adult will take place Aug. 14. Price is $75 a person and includes all equipment. 360-491-0857, www.ci.lacey.wa.us.

Take the family backpacking on the relatively flat 9-mile roundtrip trail to Packwood Lake in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. 360-497-1100.

Tour the Aberdeen-based Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain tall ships or sign up to sail on the ships as they make several stops around Puget Sound. The ships plan to visit Westport (June 24-26), Aberdeen (June 30-July 4), Brownsville (Aug. 16-21), Port Orchard (Aug. 23-24), Tacoma (Aug. 26-28), Gig Harbor (Aug. 30-Sept. 1), Olympia (Sept. 2-5). historicalseaport.org.

Visit the San Juan Islands to hike, bike, camp, kayak and whale watch. sanjuanisland.org.

See what creatures swim in Puget Sound at night during a Pier Peer July 16 at Hood Canal Marina. Contact People for Puget Sound at 360-754-9177 to reserve a space.

FESTIVALS

Check out the sand sculptures during the Sand & Sawdust Festival June 24-26 at Ocean Shores. You can watch the pros compete or take park in a families and kids event. 360-289-3797, www.oceanshoresact.com.

Stop and smell the flowers and much more during the 15th Lavender Festival in Sequim July 15-17. Free. www.lavenderfestival.com.

Take in the 39th annual Whaling Days in Silverdale, July 29-31. Events include the Tour de Kitsap bike ride, canoe races and run. www.visitkitsap.com/kitsap.asp.

Go to the Washington State International Kite Festival in Long Beach on Aug. 15-21. You can test your own skills or marvel at the pros. kitefestival.com/kite-festival.

Wrap up your summer fun by hitting the Packwood Labor Day Flea Market on Sept. 2-5. Booths line both sides of U.S. 12 offering kitsch and goodies. www.destinationpackwood.com/home.

FISHING

People ages 16 to adult can learn to fly fish. Erik Skoog, an experienced Northwest fly fishing guide and outfitter, will lead the class at a private fishery. All skill levels welcome. $75 a person; 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, July 23 or Aug. 27. 360-491-0857, www.ci.lacey.wa.us.

Fish in the seventh annual Salmon Derby on Aug. 6, headquartered at Point Defiance Marina, 5912 N. Waterfront Dr., Tacoma. The South King County chapter of Puget Sound Anglers will hold derby the same day. The Gig Harbor chapter will hold its derby Aug. 13. 253-591-5325.

Try your luck fishing for pink salmon in Puget Sound and in the Green and Puyallup rivers. Fishery managers are predicting another big run. The fish should reach the area by early August. wdfw.wa.gov.

GET SOME AIR

Launch yourself off Tiger Mountain as part as a paragliding drop. Seattle Paragliding offers tandem flights for $175 on weekdays and $195 on weekends. seattleparagliding.com.

Take flight above Commencement Bay. Pacific Parasail flies daily from the dock near the Ram Restaurant and Brewery on Ruston Way. Flights start at $70 per person ($60 for students and military members). pacificparasail.net.

HIKING/WALKING

Go for a hike up 6,562-foot Pinnacle Peak at Mount Rainier National Park with Lacey Parks and Recreation. For people 18 and older, the trip will be 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Aug. 7. $35 a person. 360-491-0857, www.ci.lacey.wa.us.

Avoid the heat of summer with a cool summer evening hike along the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk trail at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. It’s 4 miles roundtrip from the visitor center. www.fws.gov/nisqually.

Try a volksmarch, an organized walking event. Many clubs have established routes walkers can use any time of year. Walk for free or $3 if you wish to earn credits toward volksports patches. ava.org.

Hike the Mount Ellinor Trail along Hood Canal. The trail to the 5,944-foot summit is a good trek for most folks. It also is one of more than 30 hikes on the Mason County Hikes & Walks Map. Download a copy at www.explorehoodcanal.com.

Take the kids on a classic hike, such as the 3.2-mile trip to High Rock near Ashford. The hike climbs about 1,400 feet, but the payoff is an epic view of Mount Rainier from an old lookout perched on the edge of a cliff. fs.usda.gov/giffordpinchot.

PARKS

Check out the new amphitheater and movie at Johnston Ridge Observatory at Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. It is scheduled to open sometime this summer. www.fs.usda.gov/mountsthelens.

Visit your favorite national park for free on June 21. The National Park Service timed the fee free day to coincide with the longest day of summer. Visitors to Mount Rainier and Olympic national parks will not have to pay the $15 entrance fee this date. It will be the only fee free day of the summer. www.nps.gov.

Learn about the people who helped make Mount Rainier National Park what it is during Shadows of the Past. Actors portray historic figures during nighttime walk along a trail at Longmire. The performances will be held the nights of Aug. 13 and 27. www.nps.gov/mora.

Get your new Discover Pass to access state recreation lands. You will need one beginning July 1. $10 per day or $30 per year. Get them at fishing license vendors, online via http:wdfw.wa.gov or when you renew your car tabs beginning in October.

The old barracks of Fort Worden in Port Townsend might be the best place in the state for a game of hide and seek. parks.wa.gov/fortworden.

The snow will probably be melting a little late this year, but when it does, a trip to Mount Rainier to see the wildflowers at Paradise or Sunrise will be well worth the drive. www.nps.gov/mora.

Get away from it all, or at least most of it, by visiting Stehekin at the head of Lake Chelan. You get there by hiking, flying or ferry boat. www.nps.gov/noca.

SPEND THE NIGHT

Not everyone wants to spend a night in a tent. Paradise Inn and National Park Inn are options at Mount Rainier National Park (www.mtrainierguestservices.com, 360-569-2275). There are four options within or near Olympic National Park. Check out Log Cabin Resort, Lake Crescent Lodge, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, Kalaloch Lodge and Lake Quinault (www.olympicnationalparks.com, 1-888-896-3818).

Rent a cabin in Olympic National Forest. The cabins are $50-$60 per night and have room for four to six people. www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/recreation-nu/cabins_1.shtml.

VOLUNTEER

Help the staff at Mount Rainier National Park spread the word about the dangers of feeding the wildlife during Keep Wildlife Wild Day Aug. 6. If you have questions or would like to volunteer, contact Sarah Yates at 360-569-6774, Sarah_Yates@nps.gov.

Join the Washington Trails Association on one of its trail work parties or a volunteer vacation. The group has work projects planned around the Puget Sound region and beyond. Get details at www.wta.org.

WATER FUN

Learn to SCUBA dive and get an entirely new perspective of Puget Sound. A couple of options for lessons are Olympia’s Capital Divers and Tacoma’s Lighthouse Diving Center. Capitaldivers.com and lighthousediving.com/Tacoma.htm.

Go for a swim in the spring-fed limestone quarry pool in Tenino starting July 4. Pool entry is $4. 360-264-2368.

Head to Forks for a peaceful float down one of the rivers with Rainforest Paddlers. If you’re looking for something scarier, don’t bother looking for vampires and werewolves. Instead, try shooting the rapids on the Hoh River. rainforestpaddlers.com.

Westport is Washington’s most popular surfing spot. Steepwater Surf Shop offers lessons while The Surf Shop directs customers to locals who teach lessons. There is also good surfing around Forks. Westportsurfshop.com, steepwatersurfshop.com and westendsurf.com.

Rent a kayak and tour the Puget Sound. Olympia’s Alpine Experience rents kayaks for as little as $35 per day. At Gig Harbor Rent-A-Boat, rentals start at $16 per hour. alpinex.com or gigharborrentaboat.com.

Try skimboarding. You’re likely to take a tumble or two if you are just learning. Check out the scene at places such as Dash Point State Park or along Chambers Creek Road. Sporting goods stores sell skimboards for as little as $50.

Washington has more than 1,500 waterfalls. Some are easy to get to, others take some work. Find one that’s perfect for you at waterfallsnorthwest.com.

Visit Anderson Island and take a dip in the Ol’ Swimming Hole at Lowell Johnson Park on Florence Lake. The swimming hole has a float, a dock, two slides and is a short bike ride from the ferry landing.