55 must-do activities to include on your summer bucket list.
Written & Compiled By Karin Fabry-Cushenbery
It won’t take long before the kiddos start to say “I’m bored” this summer. But there’s no need to fret. Put down the phones and video game controllers and start planning your summer bucket list. We offer dozens of ways to stay busy and beat the summertime boredom.
1. Get Lost: The Ocala Escape offers a new room, The Basement, this summer for teens and adults. Have younger kids? Explore Mr. Elegoo’s Enchanted Emporium. theocalaescape.com
2: Love to Read: Visit library.marionfl.org for a list of child, teen and adult events at the Marion County Public Library.
3. Splash Around: Visit the Citizens’ Circle Splash Pad downtown or the Wilma Loar Splash Pad in Belleview to cool down this summer.
4. Visit Peppa’s Park: Have you taken your little ones to the Peppa Pig Theme Park in Winter Haven yet? legoland.com
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Alexander Springs photo courtesy of VisitFlorida.com
5. Swim At The Springs: We love Juniper Springs and Alexander Springs in the Ocala National Forest. A quick search of local springs will yield lots of options!
6. Hit The Mini Links: For a unique, interactive putting and dining experience that adults and kids will enjoy, visit one of the Tiger Woods-designed Popstroke locations in Orlando or Tampa. popstroke.com
7. Take A Dive: It’s scalloping season, and you can learn more by visiting floridatravellife.com and checking out their Guide to Scalloping in Florida.
8. Join The Circus: Stilts, unicycles, aerial trapeze, silks and more! Take a class at the Gainesville Circus Center. gainesvillecircus.com
9. Do Dinner & A Tour: Explore Ocala’s history and downtown flavor at the same time! Book a Brick City Food Tour at brickcityfoodtours.org.
10. Take In A Ball Game: Check out a Minor League Baseball game with the Daytona Tortugas. The schedule is on milb.com.
11. Go Gaming: Discover virtual reality games, video games and more at Dave & Busters in Celebration Point in Gainesville. daveandbusters.com
12. Take The Plunge: Slip and slide your way through 300 feet of translucent sea life cut-outs on the all-new Reef Plunge at Sea World’s Aquatica. aquatica.com
13. Visit The OSC: Learn how dogs see, hear and smell the world around them at the Orlando Science Center’s Dogs! A Science Tail exhibit through September 4. osc.org
14. Go Under The Sea: Visit the mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, and stay to play the day away at Bucaneer Bay. floridastateparks.org
15. Zip The Canyons: Soar through the skies at the Canyons Zip Line and Adventure Park. zipthecanyons.com
16. Head To The Coast: Lounge in the sand with a beach day or two. We love St. Augustine for a quick day trip.
17. Take Flight: Take the plunge with indoor skydiving at iFly in Orlando. iflyorld.com
18. Start A Fight: Schedule a paintball fight at Wayne’s World of Paintball. waynes-world.com
19. Pet A Pig: Have an animal encounter Saturdays and Sundays at Petting Zoo Ocala. pettingzooocala.com
20. Float Away: Canoe, paddleboard or kayak down the Silver River. Rentals are available. silversprings.com/paddling
21. Meet An Artist: Check out local artists’ work at the Magnolia Art Xchange, now open to the public Tuesdays-Fridays, from 9am-2pm by appointment. maxocala.org
22. Hit The Courts: Perfect your basketball shots on Thursdays between 2-4:30pm (kids ages 5-17) at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center. ocalafl.org
23. Be A Mermaid: Learn to swim with a mermaid tail at FAST. floridafast.com/programs
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Photo Courtesy of Eaton’s Beach Sandbar & Grill
24. Eat At Eatons: Spend the day relaxing at Lake Weir, eat lunch at Eaton’s Beach and rent a jet ski, paddleboat, pontoon boat or more! ebasfl.com
25. Have A Play Date: Explore My Little Town with your tike at the Paddock Mall. mylittletownkids.com
26. Catch A Wave: Take surfing lessons. Start at ronjonsurfschool.com or staugustinesurf.com.
27. Strap On Your Skates: Visit Skate-a-Way-South for an afternoon of skating. They offer learn-to-skate programs every Sunday (beginners to advanced), speed skating and more. Find them on Facebook.
28. Ready, Aim, Fire: Shoot an arrow during Funtastic Fridays at Easton Newberry Archery Center. eastonnewberryarcherycenter.org
29. Throw An Axe: Perfect your axe-throwing skills at Firehouse Urban Axe Throwing in the Paddock Mall. axethrowingocala.com
30. Get Artsy: Paint pottery or take a painting class at Picasso’s Palette. picassospalette.com
31. Visit The Appleton: Explore the exhibits and artwork at the Appleton Museum of Art for free the first Saturday of each month. appletonmuseum.org
32. Take In A Play: Enjoy the children’s performance of Peter Pan Jr. July 28-30 at the Ocala Civic Theatre. ocalacivictheatre.com
33. Seek Out A Thrill: Check out Busch Gardens’ newest thrill ride, Serengeti Flyer. buschgardens.com
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Photo Courtesy of Florida Museum of Natural History
34. Head To The Museum: See the world of spiders, scorpions and more at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. floridamuseum.ufl.edu
35. Whip It Up: Check out the Happy Pineapple food truck on Baseline Road for a Disney-inspired Dole Whip. Find them on Facebook.
36. Roar: The dinosaurs are back at Leu Gardens in Orlando through July 9. Visit leugardens.org.
37. Fore: Try your hand at stories-high golf at Top Golf in Orlando, Tampa or Lake Mary. topgolf.com
38. Make Muscle: Pump iron for free this summer at Planet Fitness if you’re between the ages of 14 and 19. planetfitness.com
39. Family Fun Day: Keep the kiddos busy with go-carts, video games, batting cages, mini golf and more at Easy Street. Find their page on Facebook.
40. Indulge In A Sweet Treat: Enjoy homemade chocolate or ice cream at Ocala Chocolate & Confections in downtown Ocala. ocalaschocolate.com
41. Horse Around: Cheer on your favorite during sunset polo at the Florida Horse Park on Saturdays at 6pm. Find Ocala Polo on Facebook for the schedule.
42. Sing Along: Bring your chair and blanket and watch Encanto at the Mary Sue Rich Community Center on July 14 from 7-9pm. ocalafl.org
43. Drive-In Date: Cool off for a double movie billing each weekend at the Ocala Drive-In. Visit ocaladrivein.info for the current schedule.
44. Feel The Beat: Head to Webb Field for the Levitt AMP Ocala Music Series on June 2, 9, 16 and 23 for live, local music and community camaraderie. The concert begins at 7pm. ocalafl.org/levittamp
45. Walk On The Wild Side: Tour the Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary (EARS) the first Saturday of every month at 10am to see lions, tigers, monkeys, leopards and more. earsin.net
46. Park It: Try your best trick moves at the Ocala Skate Park. Skateboards, in-line skates and freestyle bikes are welcome! Find info at ocalafl.org/recpark
47. Get Grossed Out: Learn what blood is made of, how loud a burp is and the identification of animals by the waste they leave behind. It’s on display at the Discovery Center through August 27! mydiscoverycenter.org
48. Reach New Heights: Strap in and fly high at Super Fun Bunjee Jump and Animal Rides at the Paddock Mall in front of JCP. paddockmall.com
49. Tube The River: Float lazily down the Rainbow River. visitrainbowsprings.com
50. Get Rowdy: Tickets to the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ soccer games are now available on rowdiessoccer.com.
51. Do Depot Park: Explore the Blue Grotto Splash Pad and the Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention. depotpark.org
52. Major Fun:Cheer on the Tampa Bay Rays during their summer home games. mlb.com/rays
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Photo courtesy of Sea World
53. Ride The Pipeline: Surf the new stand-up Pipeline coaster at Sea World—if you dare. seaworld.com
54. Take A Wild Ride: Find adventure on the water at Tom & Jerry’s Airboat Rides in Lake Panasoffkee. Private and night tours available, too! airboattoursorlando.com
55. Make It A Movie Day:Enjoy $5 movies for kids ages 12 and under at the Marion Theatre. Get the schedule at reillyartscenter.com.