Rain or shine, there are plenty of outdoor activities to keep you and the kids busy throughout the year. Take a look at this list of over 100 things to do outside to ensure you'll stay entertained no matter what. Most of these great ideas can be customized for adults, little kids, or for the family. Some of these are nature-based, while others are some of the best outdoor activities. 

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There are many fun things to do outside for all ages, from hosting an outdoor movie night to a water balloon fight in the local park.

Many of these activities for the great outdoors are free (outdoor dance party, scavenger hunt, etc.), but some require payment, such as miniature golfing. Many of these can be done with items you likely already have at home, like making DIY bubbles. See how many of these you can do in a day or during summer vacation.

100 Things to Do Outside 

1. Make an obstacle course in the backyard or front yard 
2. Spend the afternoon at an amusement park 
3. Make a fairy garden 
4. Play hide and seek 
5. Walk around to see how much street art and graffiti you can find
6. Do a nature scavenger hunt 
7. Plan an outdoor movie night (you can get an outdoor projector screen or simply watch it on your phone or laptop)
8. Make or play with slime outdoors
9. Go to a local outdoor concert 
10. When life hands you lemons, make a lemonade stand 
11. Head over to your local farmers market for fresh air and produce 
12. Calm down with outdoor yoga 
13. Visit a dog park 
14. Stroll your local botanic garden 
15. Go geocaching 
16. Play basketball 
17. Play tennis
18. Spend the afternoon cloud-watching
19. Go stargazing
20. Pull weeds from the backyard
21. Paint a shower curtain (try a clear shower curtain or liner for this)
22. Make a sensory bin
23. Play with Legos or blocks
24. Go horseback riding 
25. Get binoculars to go bird watching (you can get a bird watching book and binoculars to better spot the wildlife)
26. Take photos
27. Plan a trip to a national park 
28. Take a bike ride 
29. Attend a basketball or baseball game
30. Build an outdoor fort  
31. Find a quiet spot in a park to read a book or listen to a podcast 
32. Play frisbee golf 
33. Play freeze tag
34. Go to an outdoor ice skating rink 
35. Spend time at a state park 
36. Build a mud kitchen 
37. Get artistic and draw on the pavement with sidewalk chalk (buy sidewalk chalk online here)
38. Visit a pumpkin patch 
39. Play board games outside 
40. Go kayaking or conoeing
41. Run through the sprinklers on a hot day
42. Play or build a treehouse 
43. Paint pet rocks 
44. Do an outdoor workout
45. Create a playlist and listen to it outside 
46. Grill burgers or veggies outside
47. Get the whole family to do an outdoor dance party
48. Go on a walk to see if you can identify the nature around you (plants, flowers, trees, etc.)
49. Tie dye shirts or beach towels outside so you don't stain anything (you can get a tie dye kit and pick color themes like neon colors, etc) 
50. Get vitamin D and take a long walk on the beach 
51. Wash your car inside and out 
52. Hike local trails
53. Go to a water park
54. People watch outside
55. Go swimming at a local pool, lake, beach, etc.
56. Go surfing
57. Run through the sprinklers 
58. Cool off in the splash pad (there are splash pads for different ages, so you can keep this in mind)
59. Look for bugs
60. Watch the sunset or sunrise
61. Try your hand at paddle boarding
62. Try out your green thumb and plant a garden in your backyard 
63. Fly a kite 
64. Pitch a tent in the yard and camp there
65. Explore your local park, beach, or forest 
66. Write in your journal in a park (100+ Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery)
67. Go rock climbing
68. Play a game of tug of war 
69. Do a puzzle outside 
70. Eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner outside
71. Give your patio, balcony, or welcome mat a good wash 
72. Paint rocks in fun shapes like fruits or vegetables 
73. Hug a tree 
74. Make s'mores (there are electric flameless s'mores kits if you don't have access to a fire)
75. Go camping 
76. Have a picnic in nature 
77. Take an outdoor nap 
78. Go skiing or snowboarding
79. Check out a book from the local library and read it outside
80. Eat homemade popsicles in your backyard 
81. Hula hoop (buy hula hoops online or at the store)
82. Play hopscotch
83. Climb a tree
84. Make a bird feeder
85. Walk the dog
86. Lay in a hammock 
87. Play capture the flag 
88. Grab old magazine and make a collage outside
89. Meditate in the great outdoors
90. Play hopscotch 
91. Build a fairy garden
92. Head to a zoo or petting zoo
93. Play catch
94. Build an obstacle course
95. Make DIY chalk paint 
96. Make DIY bubbles (but you could go fancy with a bubble gun or bubble machine)
97. Feel the grass on your skin on a sunny day 
98. Attend an estate sale or garage sale
99. Host a garden party
100. Cool off with a water balloon fight (they also have reusable water balloons)
101. Play mini golf
102. Go fishing

There are many fun things to do in the great outdoors. If you can't think of anything, refer back to this list. This is a fantastic way for kids to stay occupied during school breaks or vacations. 

When you're trying to think of a fun way to spend the day outside, you have to figure out what type of activities you like to do first. Do you prefer being active, like doing outdoor yoga or a bike ride? Do you like leisure activities like bird watching or strolling around a garage sale? Do you just want to do something minimal and be outside, such as reading? Figuring this out will help you find your favorite things to do for yourself, your family, and your kids.

Find fresh, delicious food at The Desmond, which is part of Kimpton Alma in the Downtown San Diego Gaslamp District. The Gaslamp is known for its nightlife but has its fair share of other things to do, whether you're with kids, on a romantic trip, or stopping by with friends.

If you're staying in the Kimpton Alma, consider getting dinner at The Desmond, which is located on the mezzanine level. 

Where is The Desmond San Diego?

The address of The Desmond is 1047 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101. They invited me to have dinner, so I went with my family to see what goodies were on the menu. The menu centers around San Diego and California cuisine with options like seafood and pasta. 

Parking in Downtown San Diego

The hotel has valet parking, which is easier than circling the one-way streets of downtown San Diego in search of a spot. But if valet isn't your thing, you can drive further away to seek a place.

Food and Menu

If you enjoy bread, start with the roasted garlic and herb focaccia bread service. The menu seems to rotate through the seasons, so when I checked back about two months later, the items I got weren't on it. They have appetizers, entrees, desserts, and cocktails.

That said, I really enjoyed the fresh, housemade pasta. The ingredients and thoughtful presentations are focal points to ensure an experience unlike anything you'd get at an average restaurant. Each dish is carefully presented. 

It's a terrific spot to celebrate a birthday, retirement, or special occasion dining experience. The prices are above the standard burger joint but not as costly as you'd expect for a fine-dining restaurant. You can get a cocktail and entree for around $75-80, depending on your order. They also have a 3-course and 5-course menu but you can call ahead to inquire about this.

Desserts

The menu will vary, but you can expect incredible deliciously seasonal desserts. Don't leave without getting at least one. For example, they have a Wildflower Honey Coconut Tapioca that's made with mango custard, honey sweet mango, coconut geleé, and a bit of toasted coconut.

When I went, I had the Basque Cheesecake and Gianduia Chocolate Budino. Both were decadent and the perfect way to end the evening. Desserts cost $10-15, which is around the same price as a dessert at a pizza place in North County San Diego. 

Cocktails at The Desmond

The cocktails are well-crafted and balanced with a range of alcohols and flavors, like Stranahan’s Whiskey. This drink is shaken with cardamom tea and lemon.

Ambience 

I went earlier during dinner service and was among the first people there. During dinner, several other patrons filtered through, whether on a date or business trip. It was still quiet and spacious. The bathroom stalls are gender-neutral and in one open-concept bathroom area.

Visit The Desmond San Diego in Southern California if you want a night of high-quality food experience. They are only open for dinner, but it's a lovely spot for a meal, wine, or dessert.

Costco Wholesale has a bit of everything. If you've been interested in trying Costco coconut shrimp, they seem to have at least a couple of options: the Aqua Star Coconut Breaded Butterfly Shrimp, Clean Tail, 16-20 ct, 2.5 lbs, and then the Royal Asia Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, 2 lbs.

I purchased the Royal Asia Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce from Costco.

How to Cook the Frozen Coconut Shrimp

For best results, bake or air fry them. To bake, place the shrimp in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake at 400 degrees F for about 18 minutes or until golden brown. The directions say to flip them halfway through.

If you want to skip the oven, try the air fryer. To air fry the shrimp, heat them at 400 degrees F for about 8 minutes and flip them halfway through. 

The Taste of the Coconut Shrimp

The coconut is crispy and tasty. As the name of the frozen coconut shrimp would suggest, it has a deep coconut flavor with the texture of shredded coconut. The shrimp have tails which are easy to remove. The shrimp themselves seem small compared to the amount of coconut on them.

When you use the Thai chili sauce, there is quite a lot of sugar. I actually never ended up using this because the coconut shrimp had a lot of flavor on its own.

Nutrition Facts

The nutrition facts say that there are 8 servings, each 4 oz. This includes the Thai chili sauce, but there are no nutrition facts if you choose to skip the sauce.

Each serving is 390 calories and 24 grams of total fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 34 grams of carbs, 11 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 17 grams of sugar.

Final Thoughts - The coconut shrimp are tasty, but there's more coconut than shrimp

I found this in the frozen fish and seafood area of the store. It was on sale at the time, so I decided to buy it. I like the taste and texture; I just feel that the amount of coconut to shrimp is off. There seems to be a lot of coconut and small pieces of shrimp.

Costco has plenty of good deals, so this is already a good value and a delicious way to mix up how you eat shrimp. The shrimp are ready, so you don't have to clean, devein, or do anything other than pop them in the oven or air fryer.

Overall, I enjoyed the flavor, and it's a good item to have on rotation at home. I wouldn't stock it permanently, but it's nice to have when you want something different. These shrimp are fun to bring to a party or for a family dinner when you don't want to make everything from scratch.

Summer is around the corner, and Dutch Bros has some new drinks on the menu. The Mangonada Rebel returns for another year, while the Churro Freeze and Watermelon Fizz are both fresh additions. Find these available for a limited time at all Dutch Bros locations (all 850+ of them) now until June 30, 2024.

Churro Freeze Blended Caramel Coffee from Dutch Bros

The Churro Freeze uses blended caramel coffee, cinnamon sugar Soft Top, and churro bits for a chilly treat. The churro bits appear to be crunchy pieces of cinnamon sugar, so if you're expecting a dough-based churro, that's not the case. This is for the best since the sugar bits would get soggy in the drink while the cinnamon sugar bits remain crisp.  

The Churro Freeze mixes cinnamon and coffee for a blended but not-too-thick drink. It has the espresso factor if you want a coffee drink, but it's too hot for a warm beverage. It's a cold drink, but the cinnamon aspect almost seems as though it would be suited for fall. 

If you want a little bit of autumn in the summertime the Churro Freeze is a delicious way to get that feeling in a cup. Cinnamon is considered one of the warming spices you often see paired with ginger, cardamom, etc.

The blended Churro Freeze seasonal drink is quite cold, so if you have teeth sensitivities, this is something to consider. I don’t, but it was still very cold on the teeth.

Watermelon Fizz from Dutch Bros

The cold beverage definitely has the tell-tale signs of summer. It almost tastes like a fruit 7-Up or a spin on a Jolly Rancher. It’s very carbonated and sweet but not too cloying. There is a lot of ice, so drink it sooner rather than later because the ice melts and waters down the potency of the Watermelon Fizz.

Mangonada Rebel

The Mangonada Rebel is the Dutch Bros version of the Mexican drink. This rendition has Rebel, which is Dutch Bros' exclusive energy drink as well as and mangonada flavor. It's topped with strawberries and Tajín® (made of mild natural chili peppers, lime, and sea salt).

Dutch Bros Seasonal Drinks Prices

At my local Dutch Bros in the San Diego area, the small Watermelon Fizz and small Churro Freeze seasonal drinks totaled $12.02. Given the state of inflation across all industries, the price is pretty decent. They are standard as far as specialty drinks, like Dutch Bros frozen coffee, go. Whether that’s a price you want to pay or not, it’s up to you.