18 Free Activities to Try This Summer
4. Borrow a Dog
Canine-commitment-phobes, rejoice: Even if you don't have the time (or the energy) to own a pet, you can still hang with a hound thanks to Rover.com, the largest network of dog-sitters nationwide. Sign up to pet-sit in your area for as long (or as short) as you'd like.
5. Sit by the Fire
Pinterest star Angela Burgin Logan explains how to light up an evening outdoors:
Illustration: Kate Francis, Brown Bird Design
Canine-commitment-phobes, rejoice: Even if you don't have the time (or the energy) to own a pet, you can still hang with a hound thanks to Rover.com, the largest network of dog-sitters nationwide. Sign up to pet-sit in your area for as long (or as short) as you'd like.
5. Sit by the Fire
Pinterest star Angela Burgin Logan explains how to light up an evening outdoors:
Illustration: Kate Francis, Brown Bird Design
- Gather supplies from your local hardware store: You'll need a slate plate, ten to 13 rocks, gravel, and a small Sterno.
- Place the rocks around the outer rim of the slate plate and fill the middle with the gravel, leaving a hole for the Sterno.
- Light the Sterno, and voilà! S'mores, s'merrier.
11. Trick Out Your Wine
For a twist on classic sangria, award-winning chef José Andrés, owner of Jaleo (famous for its version of the Spanish drink), suggests cooking up an intensely rich syrup of fruit juices and spices that you can use with red or sparkling white wine. By extracting the flavors of the aromatic ingredients—spicy cinnamon and cloves—at a high temp, the drink will taste more complex and layered than if you soaked fruit in wine. Added perk: The syrup will keep for up to three months in your fridge. For the recipe go to oprah.com/sangria.
12. Be Happy as a Clam
Reinvent a beachfront clambake with this hot-and-sour, sweet-and-spicy one-pot dinner by Michael Chernow, owner of Seamore's in New York City.
13. Get Crabby
Illustration: Kate Francis, Brown Bird Design
Before you roll up your sleeves and make a mess of a barrel of crabs, we want to let you in on a little secret: It's not ideal to just whack them with a mallet (even if your favorite crab shack gives you one). Better to show a little care, says chef David Lentz, owner of the Los Angeles–based seafood mecca the Hungry Cat: "Mallets pulverize the meat, and you'll probably end up with a big hunk of shell mixed in with the good stuff. The only thing you really need is a table knife. To clean a crab properly, flip it over, peel back the 'apron,' and dislodge the top shell. Remove the innards and lungs. Crack the crab in half. Then you can either quarter the crab and go to work, or remove the legs first. Use the knife handle to crack open the legs and the sharp end to scrape out every last bit of juicy meat."
For a twist on classic sangria, award-winning chef José Andrés, owner of Jaleo (famous for its version of the Spanish drink), suggests cooking up an intensely rich syrup of fruit juices and spices that you can use with red or sparkling white wine. By extracting the flavors of the aromatic ingredients—spicy cinnamon and cloves—at a high temp, the drink will taste more complex and layered than if you soaked fruit in wine. Added perk: The syrup will keep for up to three months in your fridge. For the recipe go to oprah.com/sangria.
12. Be Happy as a Clam
Reinvent a beachfront clambake with this hot-and-sour, sweet-and-spicy one-pot dinner by Michael Chernow, owner of Seamore's in New York City.
13. Get Crabby
Illustration: Kate Francis, Brown Bird Design
Before you roll up your sleeves and make a mess of a barrel of crabs, we want to let you in on a little secret: It's not ideal to just whack them with a mallet (even if your favorite crab shack gives you one). Better to show a little care, says chef David Lentz, owner of the Los Angeles–based seafood mecca the Hungry Cat: "Mallets pulverize the meat, and you'll probably end up with a big hunk of shell mixed in with the good stuff. The only thing you really need is a table knife. To clean a crab properly, flip it over, peel back the 'apron,' and dislodge the top shell. Remove the innards and lungs. Crack the crab in half. Then you can either quarter the crab and go to work, or remove the legs first. Use the knife handle to crack open the legs and the sharp end to scrape out every last bit of juicy meat."
14. Nice Ice, Baby
To add subtly fragrant notes to a cool glass of water or a champagne flute, freeze edible blooms—including violets, nasturtiums, calendulas, and roses—in an ice cube tray (preferably silicone, to avoid fractured florals). For the freshest flowers, go to your local farmers' market or your grocery store's produce section and avoid anything that's been sprayed with pesticides. Prefer a flora-free cocktail? A tray of chilly petals can beautify any ice bucket. Cheers!
15. Create Your Own Outdoor Movie Night
Illustration: Kate Francis, Brown Bird Design
Until drive-ins stage a comeback, make do with a simple DIY theater.
16. Stargaze
Linger a little longer on a clear, warm night and look up. Jacqueline Faherty, astronomer at the Carnegie Institution for Science, says the three easiest constellations to spot are Lyra, Aquila, and Cygnus. For mid-latitude observers, which means anyone in the contiguous U.S., they'll be straight overhead.
To add subtly fragrant notes to a cool glass of water or a champagne flute, freeze edible blooms—including violets, nasturtiums, calendulas, and roses—in an ice cube tray (preferably silicone, to avoid fractured florals). For the freshest flowers, go to your local farmers' market or your grocery store's produce section and avoid anything that's been sprayed with pesticides. Prefer a flora-free cocktail? A tray of chilly petals can beautify any ice bucket. Cheers!
15. Create Your Own Outdoor Movie Night
Illustration: Kate Francis, Brown Bird Design
Until drive-ins stage a comeback, make do with a simple DIY theater.
- Pick a projector with at least 2,000 lumens to match the brilliance of an LCD screen, says Dan Nuxoll of New York's Rooftop Films, which runs an outdoor movie series.
- Choose a neutral backdrop and skip surround sound. Dark colors and textures can distort your image, while speakers placed by the screen will enhance listening quality.
- Provide proper seating. Floor pillows look charming, but your back will ache after the first hour. Home style expert Emily Henderson suggests beach chairs. Add some throws, and you're good to go.
16. Stargaze
Linger a little longer on a clear, warm night and look up. Jacqueline Faherty, astronomer at the Carnegie Institution for Science, says the three easiest constellations to spot are Lyra, Aquila, and Cygnus. For mid-latitude observers, which means anyone in the contiguous U.S., they'll be straight overhead.
