As the days grow shorter and the sun begins to set a little earlier, it’s easy to feel a bittersweet twinge in the air. Another summer is winding down, and with it comes the inevitable realization that perhaps we didn’t do everything we’d hoped. Maybe it’s time to consider our "Sand Bucket List"—those special moments and adventures we wanted to experience before summer slips through our fingers like the sand on a warm beach.
Every year, I dream of taking a trip to the Hamptons with my daughter, right before she heads off to preseason tennis. It's a tradition that, somehow, never seems to materialize. Instead, our days are often spent entertaining family and guests, hosting at beach home and lake which we love however, before I know it, the summer has flown by without that much-needed mother-daughter time. As she enters her junior year of high school, I’m acutely aware of how fleeting these opportunities are. If we don’t schedule them ahead of time, they simply don’t happen.
This has been my personal wake-up call: to carve out that precious time with my family before anyone else. We’re the only ones who can make it happen, and those special moments are worth the effort.
Now, let’s shift gears to the fun stuff. What’s still on your summer bucket list? What haven’t you done yet that truly makes you feel like it’s been summer? For me, it’s those little traditions that mark the season. I love doing a front and backflip in the water every year—whether it’s off a boat, dock, or even a paddle board. Playing pickle ball with friends, jumping into the country club pool, water skiing (though fitting that in this year has been a challenge), and paddle boarding all make my list. And then there are the long bike rides and hikes that allow me to soak in the beauty of nature.
The good news is that these activities don’t have to end with summer. Many of them can continue well into late fall, as the air cools but the sun still shines. I’m especially looking forward to a trip to the Finger Lakes with my high school girlfriends. We’ll be wine tasting, hiking, and reveling in the simple joy of being together. Thankfully, we’re all a fun and relatively athletic bunch, so I see this as another summer adventure to check off before the season fades away.
As we head into the final stretch of summer, let’s all take a moment to reflect on our own Sand Bucket List. What road trips have you missed? What people have you not visited? What did you want to do with your children that’s still undone? The time is now to seize these moments, to create those memories before the school year and daily routines take over again.
Let’s not let this summer slip away without a fight. There’s still time to dive into the water, hit the road, and make the most of these sunny days. What’s left on your Sand Bucket List?
