Top 10: Guide to Having a Memorable Summer!
By Alexandra Lourenço, 15-years-old
Looking for something fun to do this summer? Check out our top 10 best things to do in Bergen County or at home to create a most memorable summer vacation with friends and family!
#1. Get your bake on! Buy cake mixes, frosting, and decorations to host a baking competition. Compete to make the best “celebrity-inspired” cake! This is a ton of fun and a great way to spend time with friends on a rainy day! (Get some inspiration from our Wonder Girls friends at The Cupcake Carriage.)
#2. Hike, bike or take a drive through the Palisades Interstate Park. There are so many trails for all levels, beautiful views to enjoy, picnic areas, and playgrounds scattered throughout the park. This is a great way to be active outside and in nature.
#3. Picnic in the park or your own backyard. Grab some friends, pick a theme to dress up, and pack a basket of all your favorite foods to share. This is a great way to spend time outside and in the sun with good food and better company!
#4. Check out Movies After Dark in Paramus! This outdoor movie theater shows free movies every Friday during a summer holiday. This is a fun and inexpensive way to spend time outdoors with friends and family.
#5. Water guns and tye dye! Who doesn’t love a good water gunfight?! Wear a white T-shirt or shorts and fill water guns with tye dye that you can buy from your local craft store. Grab some friends and divide up into teams. Make sure to wear goggles for safety and stay clear of anything that can be damaged. I highly recommend you do this in a park or open field.
#6. Visit the Crafty Kit in Westwood (a Wonder Girls favorite) to create terrariums, blankets, mosaic art, paintings, and so much more! These classes are a lot of fun and a great way to relax; perfect for a rainy summer day. Workshop costs vary from $30 to $85.
#7. Go to the State Fair Meadowlands in East Rutherford from June 22 to July 9. This is super fun! The fair has rides for everyone, a petting zoo, a hypnotist, racing pigs, a variety of shows, and tons of games to play. The Fun Pass costs $41.99 including fees and kids under 36 inches can go for free. This ticket is valid for only one day. The Fast Pass costs an additional $15 and is sold at the information booth at the front as an upgrade to the Fun Pass. Parking is free.
#8. Friday night pizza and a movie! Make homemade pizzas with your friends. The pizza can be made to look like fun characters and can have as many toppings as you want! If you want to take the night to the next level, you can also make it into a contest of who can make the best-tasting pizza. Once your pizzas are done, put on your favorite movie, and enjoy the night together! Check out two of my favorite recipes to follow: Recipe 1 and Recipe 2.
#9. Go thrifting with your friends and have a photoshoot wearing your new outfits! This is so much fun and definitely takes some time to do. Put everyone’s names in a hat, pick an outfit for the person you get, and get ready for fun and laughs! There are a lot of thrift stores in Bergen County, but here are 3 that I like: Thriftnicks in East Rutherford, American Thrift Store in Passaic, and Thrift Shop of Hope.
#10. Let’s get creative! Visit your closest craft store like Walmart, Michael’s, or The Dollar Tree to buy canvas tote bags or plain white shoes and some paint. For the shoes it is best if you purchase leather paint, but if they are canvas shoes acrylic works well. Invite your friends over, grab some snacks and goodies, and turn it into a painting party!
About Alexandra Lourenço:
Alexandra is a sophomore at Lyndhurst High School and part of the Wonder Girls chapter at her high school. A few things she loves to do include fencing, traveling, spending time with her friends, and attending games of her favorite sports teams.