Summertime is a great time to kickback and explore some budget friendly summer activities after what can be a stressful year at college. It can be disheartening if you realize that you can’t go on any grand adventures due to budget restrictions.
Don’t lose hope yet though! You can still have a great summer and make amazing memories. Whether you are headed home for the summer, or staying close to campus, I’ve got ideas for activities you are sure to love.
15 Budget Friendly Summer Activities For College Students
The following activities are either free or low cost ways you can bring the fun this summer. I’ve got things you can do solo, ideas for groups of friends, and more.
1) Have A Staycation
While you may not have the funds to do a big getaway, you can still go on a vacation. It will just be closer to home. Find a town or city close by that you want to explore and book an AirBnB for a few days. You’ll get the vacation vibes because it will be different scenery, but with the added benefit of saving money.
2) Be A Tourist In Your Own Town
This is a great idea if you are staying close to college. You’ll get to experience life outside of college season. Maybe you’ll even have the chance to get to know the locals more?
Find places and sights that you’d like to visit in town with the added benefit of it not being so crowded. If you haven’t had the chance to explore your college town yet, this is a must-do this summer.
3) Spend The Day By The Water (My Favorite Budget Friendly Summer Activity)
Being by the water is my favorite place to be in the summer. Whether you spend the day at the beach or lake, camp down by the river, or spend the day in the pool, you’ve got options. What you do depends on your location.
However, you will most likely be able to at least find a pool to relax by. If your town doesn’t have a community pool check with local hotels. Some of them offer day passes even if you aren’t staying there.
4) Get An Internship
This one may not be as fun as the other activities on the list, but it’s important to consider. It could even get you earning money if you are lucky enough to get a paid internship.
Internships are a great learning opportunity and a way to see how you feel about the field you’ve chosen. Doing one in the summer is beneficial because it frees up time for you to focus on your classes, organizations, and social life during the school year.
5) Take Up A New Hobby
The summer is the perfect time to try out new interests and hobbies. You may discover something that breathes a new passion into your life. There are a ton of different hobbies that you can pick up. If you don’t know where to start, just pick one and keep trying different ones until you find something you enjoy.
6) Host A Game Night As A Budget Friendly Summer Activity
Grab your friends and/or family and set up a game night this summer. Have each person bring their favorite game, make sure there are plenty of snacks and refreshments, and get ready to have some fun. It’s one of those activities that are simple to plan, but can make the best memories.
7) Take A Day Trip Somewhere
If you’re not feeling a staycation like I mentioned above, a day trip may be more your vibe. You’ll still get to experience some new scenery and activities, but you won’t have to spend money on an AirBnB.
You could do this throughout your summer and pick a new town each time. It would be a great way to have a little adventure in a budget friendly way.
8) Listen To Local Music
If your town has a local music scene, why not take advantage of it. Check out Facebook groups/events, community boards, and listen out for word of mouth to see what venues have live music during the summer. Then figure out if it’s something you need to buy a ticket for.
9) Have A Picnic As A Budget Friendly Summer Activity
Picnics are a fun, but relaxing activity to do anytime the weather is nice. What’s great is that you can do it solo or with a group. You don’t even need to leave the house either.
I’ve had many picnics in my front yard. I actually prefer this more because I feel more comfortable letting loose and being in the moment if I’m alone. Grab some food, a blanket, and something to do and head outside.
10) Go For A Hike
Another fun summer activity to do when the weather is nice is going for a hike. For the most part it is free too. If you don’t have proper hiking gear you’ll have to purchase some, other than that you’ve got a free summer activity.
11) Host A Movie Night
Movie nights make a fun budget friendly summer activity. You can really do it up and create a theme by having special decorations and food, or maybe making it a marathon. Or you can simply pop some popcorn and press play. The only difficult decision you might have is deciding what to watch.
12) Spend Time With Family
If you are back home for the summer, the best thing you can do is spend time with family. Whether it’s going shopping with your mom, or taking your little sister out for ice cream, both you and your family members will cherish these memories. This is especially important if you don’t get to go home for the shorter breaks during your school year.
13) Take A “Fun” Class As A Budget Friendly Summer Activity
Don’t freak out because I mentioned taking a class in the summer. I don’t mean the kind you take notes and have tests in. You’ve had enough of those. Instead find some fun classes to take over the summer.
This could align with the new hobby you are picking up, or something completely separate. You can do things like attend a cooking class, pottery class, line dancing class, and more. Find out which ones your town offers and have fun.
14) Have A Yard Sale
This next activity is fun, and can even earn you some money. Having a yard sale in the summer is a smart move for a variety of reasons. You save up for the next school year and you can get rid of things you no longer need – which means less things to pack back up come fall time. You could even have a big group yard sale and get your friends and/neighbors in on the action.
15) Volunteer
We’ve reached the end of the list of budget friendly activities for college students. This last one is an important one. While your school year is probably packed with classes, social life, and more, in the summer you have more free time.
Because of this you may want to consider finding a cause/organization that you care about and volunteer. It will make you feel good and it will also be a big help. You could even find something that will help you increase your skills/get experience in your chosen field.
Final Thoughts On College Student Summer Activities That Are Budget Friendly
I hope you have the best summer and make a ton of memories. What are you planning on doing this summer? Let me know in the comments.
About the Author
Kelly graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. Even though it took her a little while to find her career path, she was always meant to be in Communications. She remembers writing poems and songs when she was a little girl and pitching to my parents the reasons why I should have a cell phone when I was a teenager. She currently has a blog (budding-joy.com) where she talks about her weight-loss journey, mental health and personal development. Her hope is to encourage and inspire readers and let them know they are not alone. Reading blog posts like that are what helped her in tough times and she wants to pay it forward. She loves dance fitness, listening to music, and creating layouts in her bullet journal. She's a big fan of planning, especially when cute notebooks and pens are involved. Her dream job has changed so much over the years; right now she'd love to co-own a dance studio.
Website: budding-joy.com