I love summer, don’t get me wrong, but it sucks. Unregulated free time for three months sounds fun on paper, but it can also get horribly boring. Therefore, here are some creative activities to make your summer more fulfilling.

Go to the mall

Lloyd Center or Clackamas Town Center are great places to pass the time. Both have Barnes and Nobles, so you can get books as well as clothes and much more. They have clothing stores such as Forever 21, Macy’s, Hot Topic, Spencers and Fuego, if you need more warm-weather clothes. 

At Lloyd Center, they have a Lego store where you can make yourself into a character. You can pass time shopping or just looking around the mall. As a bonus, both of them have air conditioning.

Go on a hike

Being out in nature is both a peaceful and fun experience. It is one of the best ways to spend the summer because of how beautiful our Oregon forests are. The websites Oregon Hikers and Travel Oregon  give plenty of easy hikes in Oregon and the Willamette area. 

If you are still lost and can’t decide, I recommend Mt. Tabor. The mountain has small trails and a park, so it’s really fun on a hot day.

Go to the movie theater

So many great movies like The Little Mermaid and Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse have already come out. That said, cinema being on a good streak isn’t going to end when school gets out.  Movies are a great way to spend time plus you can buy snacks and stay in an air conditioned area.

On June 16, Wes Anderson’s last film, Asteroid City is coming. On July 21, Barbie is coming to theaters. One that I’m really excited for is called Oppenheimer, about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the creator of the atomic bomb. This film will be coming to theaters on July 21. All these movies look very promising, and I’m especially excited to see Asteroid City because I love Wes Anderson. 

Go to the pool

This one’s obvious, because even if you don’t go to the pool, most people think about pools when they think of summer. It’s an easy place to meet up with your friends and keep cool!

One place is the Montavilla Community Center, which has an outdoor swimming pool. Montavilla is near McDaniel, and you can take the 12 Bus to get there. It opens June 21, and stays open all the way through August 27. For babies up to two swimming is free, but for 3-17 year olds, it’s two dollars and fifty cents, and for 18+ it costs four dollars.

 I know personally that I will be spending my time watching the new movies coming out, hiking and spending time with my friends around Portland. I hope these four things inspired you to have a more fulfilling summer!