The Canadian summer is something to be cherished. When it arrives, we love enjoying every single second that we can out in the sunshine and heat. Thankfully, there’s no better season for saving than summer. No matter where in the country you call home, there is no shortage of summer fun available at little to no cost. We’ve put together five ideas for your savvy summer.
Take a road day-trip
The destinations you can enjoy don’t need to be that far away. In fact, there are destinations in every province that could easily take no more than a day to drive to, check out, and drive back. Take an adventure with your friends and save some time and money!
Have you checked out Port Hope, ON, and its preserved main street from the early 1900s? Or Paris, ON, which is often voted as the prettiest small town in Canada? Across every province, there are neat small towns nearby worth a day trip adventure and can help scratch the road trip itch.
If you’re curious what might be near you, Google the towns near you and check out the TripAdvisor app for tips on what to check out in these towns. From our research, TripAdvisor seems to have the most recommendations for almost every small town you can think of. Trust us, if they have a full guide for somewhere like Tilt Cove, NL (with a population of four people), they’ll have info about the towns near you.
Better yet, take a staycation
We’ve talked about the benefits of a staycation before when we blogged about saving while travelling. Summer is probably the best time of year to take a staycation and explore the city you call home. If you live in a city like Toronto, Montreal or Edmonton, it seems like every week there’s another festival or art installation to spend your days off checking out.
How well do you know every neighbourhood around your town? Have you found all the hidden gems and local treasures? National Geographic did an entire article on how to be a tourist in your own hometown (which happens to be Toronto in this story), and there are plenty of tips to help you make the most of a staycation.
Get outside
Summer time is made for getting outside and filling your lungs with fresh air and having the sun shine on your skin. The best part about spending more time outside? It doesn’t actually cost any money. Park spaces are especially good for a perfect summer’s day.
Most municipal websites will list where to find local parks and playgrounds, including spray parks and wildlife preserves. These sites will also list operation hours and local bylaws to ensure that everyone in your community can enjoy the outdoor space.
From picnics to exploring foliage and even snapping some nature and landscape photos with your phone, outdoor spaces can easily satisfy your curiosity, creativity or social needs. Local park areas also often will host events or outdoor classes, so check with your community league or association to see what’s been planned for the summer.
Join a scavenger hunt
Remember how fun scavenger hunts were when you were a kid? You get a list of hints or specific things to find, you dig around your neighbourhood or a park to try to find everything on the list and some of the even craftier kids found ways to sabotage the other teams and rack up their own points. Even if you don’t have kids, scavenger hunts can be a lot of fun.
Have you ever tried a scavenger hunt bar crawl? Or a scavenger hunt road trip? There are tons of ways to make your scavenger hunt a lot more fun for grown-ups. Taking photos with your phone of everything on your scavenger list can help make sure you don’t need to spend any money while you and your friends make a summer day a little competitive and a lot more fun.
Find a beach
Finding a beach seems obvious if you live on the coast in a city like Vancouver or Halifax. But for those of us living in a landlocked province, finding a beach requires a little more research and planning. Even if you’re in Alberta or Ontario, there are plenty of lakes within driving distance that are calling out to you for a beach day.
Knowing exactly what you need for a beach day can help make sure you keep your spending in check while taking in some sun and sand. Towels, sun screen, snacks and water to drink are essential for beach trips. If you’re heading into a beach town, convenience stores often mark up the prices for these basic beach needs. Make sure you’re picking up everything you need for your day by the lake or the ocean before you head out of town to keep down your costs.
What are your summer plans? How do you plan to make the most of the warm weather while it’s here? Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter to let us know!