Sizzling summer is a short time of about two and a half months, yet sometimes it can feel like ages; to help kill the time, here’s for a list of fun things to do.

Vacation and road trips are the common things that define this season. Because summer is long, it is the best time to take a trip with family and/or friends to virtually anywhere. If you already have a vacation planned, then you’re good to go, but for those who don’t, there are numerous places that you can take day trips to. In the state of Colorado, there are awesome locations to visit, especially naturally occurring ones. If you’re curious about any of the potential spots, just visit this article by Jenny Beth Maynard, Colorado’s Best Kept Secrets.

If you’re up for a longer road trip, then you can additionally drive to many places in the surrounding area, including attractions in Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, and others. A great trip to take with family is along the Grand Circle. This “circle” is composed of the awesome national parks in an area with beautiful lakes, rocks, canyons, rivers, and other natural features that were formed many years ago on the Colorado Plateau. It includes parts of Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado, and encompasses the national parks Mesa Verde, The Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Zion, and Arches (Moab). You can stop at some, or all of them, additionally checking out other parks and places along the way.

Additionally, California is a great state to visit for road trips; you can check out a string of cities and towns all up and down the state, like Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, Monterey, and San Francisco, just to name a few. Other significant cities or towns worth visiting would definitely be Santa Fe and Taos in New Mexico, Phoenix in Arizona, and Las Vegas in Nevada. Each trip is characterized by different aspects, and if you have an interest in any of the places, it’s worth doing some more in-depth research.

Closer to the Colorado Springs area, there are numerous activities that occur throughout the summer nearby. It’s a great time to go to a concert, go shopping, check out nearby museums, hang out at the pool, and go biking, running, or hiking. Additionally, there are theme parks, festivals, and various other events in our relative area that will make for some distinct memories.

There are lots of concerts that will come up during these months at Red Rocks, The Pepsi Center, and other locations. If you can afford tickets, you should definitely go to one, especially with friends, for a fun-filled day complete with screaming and dancing.

In the Springs, there are typical stores, but also unique shops; it’s an area full of variety that fits all types of shoppers. In Manitou Springs and Old Colorado City specifically, there are lots of cool “artsy” shops that will create a great “day on the town.” Also, if you want to check out specific shops, go check out the article Unique Colorado Stores by Madison Flicker

Some nearby museums that are interesting to visit include The Mining Museum, The Pioneer Museum, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and many more. There are also multiple pools in the area, and if you’re looking for a day-trip in the water, you could even go to Water World (only a water park-as evident from the name) or Elitch Gardens (theme and water park) in Denver.

Some interesting events coming up during the summer season include the Slide the City, where a giant Slip n’ Slide will be set up (see more by reading Carys Jacob’s article Slip N’ Slide Into Summer), and festivals and fairs that will occur, like the Bands in the Backyard Festival, The Telluride Bluegrass Festival, or the Colorado State Fair (see websites http://www.coloradoinfo.com/festivals-fairs and http://www.colorado.com/articles/12-quintessential-colorado-summer-festivals for more information).

Summer is a good time to take up a new skill, to work a job, or to even try something new. Take a dance class, an art class, or even learn a new sport. Apply for a job early, if you’re looking to make money, and research volunteer opportunities if that’s what interests you. Change up your hair, your wardrobe, or even your attitude if you desire it. Go with the flow, or keep busy if you want to. But most of all, relax and have fun, while making the most of that short period we all call summer vacation!