31 BEST SUMMER Hygge Ideas to Nurture Yourself
31 Summer Hygge Ideas to Nurture Yourself will set you on the right path to embracing the cozy side of living – even in the heat of summer! A relaxed lifestyle doesn’t have to be something you enjoy only in winter.
The Best Summer Hygge Ideas
If you’re looking for more ideas on adding hygge to your life, What is Hygge? The Popular Danish Lifestyle Decoded and How to Hygge: 31 of the Best Cozy Ideas will help you on your journey.
“Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds.”
Regina Brett
Who said you could only hygge in the winter when summer has so many cozy elements to savor?
The summer months are when we can enjoy extended daylight, be outdoors more, dine alfresco on a cool summer night, and enjoy life’s simple things.
What is Hygge?
Hygge is a Danish word credited with making Danes the happiest people on earth. It’s a lifestyle that celebrates living in the moment, finding beauty in simplicity, and nurturing yourself and others with coziness.
Creating a Cozy Life Group
Since you found this article on Summer Hygge Ideas, I created a Facebook group called Creating a Cozy Life with over 185,000 like-minded souls.
It’s a group where we share recipes, pictures of things that leave you in awe, and ideas on how to make your life just a little bit more snug. Join here to be part of the virtual cozy cabin.
Here are the 31 Summer Hygge Ideas to Nurture Yourself:
This list of hygge summer ideas is only a suggestion. You don’t have to do all of them to have a great summer. Pick only the activities that you would like to do.
1. Make Jam
Summer means berry season. June through August, the berries are abundant and full of flavor.
Varieties of Berries
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Huckleberries
- Gooseberries
- Blackberries
- Boysenberries
- Tayberries
Preserving food used to be a necessity. Now, we can do it for pure pleasure.
There’s so much satisfaction in growing your food and then letting your harvest live on the rest of the year. To create a hygge moment, invite a few friends over to experience the simple joy of canning food with you.
Refrigerator jam is a simple thing to start with. You can try my Refrigerator Tomato Jam Recipe for the next charcuterie board you make.
2. Summer Battle Field
What type of battle, you ask? It’s an organized day where everyone comes bearing their choice of fun weapons like Nerf guns, buckets of water, whipped cream, silly string, water guns, or water balloons, and the war begins.
We could all use more laughter in our lives. Why not create a memorable annual event to enjoy life with family and friends?
3. Potluck Bonfire
My cousin and his wife have a standing Friday night tradition on their farm – a potluck bonfire.
They never know how many people will show up weekly, but they always know the summer night will be filled with love and laughter.
4. Hygge Summer Photographs
On the first day of summer, take a daily picture of a special moment celebrating this time of year.
Some ideas include lighthouses, a summer garden, birds, a farmer’s market, boats, sandcastles, county fairs, frozen hot chocolate, freshly painted toes in sandals, wildflowers, the 4th of July, and beach balls.
Create a photo diary of each day of this magical season. You can share daily photos on Instagram or keep them for yourself to remember.
5. Hammock Time!
When the warmer months start, it’s time to treat yourself to a lovely hammock set up in the corner of your yard.
Add a side table to hold your beverages, snacks, and a stack of books. It’s a great way to relax with a glass of wine and enjoy the fresh air.
6. Meteor Shower
The Perseid Meteor Shower takes place every August. It’s the perfect evening activity to be added to your summer bucket list.
A pickup truck outside the city offers a clear view of the starry sky. You can put an inflatable mattress in the back of the pickup and snuggle with a loved one under a cozy blanket to watch one of the most beautiful shows on earth.
Shooting stars streaking across the sky never ceases to be amazing.
7. Family Reunion
Start an annual tradition of getting together with your family during the summer to reconnect and enjoy hygge moments.
Whether you plan a large family reunion or a mini-reunion, it doesn’t matter.
Instead of one person being responsible for the get-together, why not select a place where you can all go and no one has to do the work?
Whether you rent a cabin or house or stay in a hotel, pick somewhere you will enjoy exploring together.
8. Hot Air Ballooning
If you haven’t taken a hot air balloon ride yet, what are you waiting for? Climbing to new heights will give you a different perspective on the world.
Make this outing an event by bringing a picnic you can nibble on after the big ride.
9. Homemade Ice Cream
It’s time to create your “flavor-of-the-year.” Start an annual tradition of making a new ice cream flavor with your family’s approval stamp. Try different flavors until everyone agrees on the best one.
Some fun ideas are to try flavors that mean something to your family. How about a combination of everyone’s favorite fruit?
Did you visit a county fair? If so, how about trying cotton candy flavored ice cream?
The possibilities are endless.
10. Outdoor Concert
There’s something magical about outdoor concerts. Whether you visit them during the day or night, each brings a special outing with friends or family.
I especially love the concertss where you can sit on the grass and bring your own food.
My friend just took her daughter to a U2 concert so she could experience her favorite band in person. Although her daughter wasn’t impressed with those “old guys,” they created a memory that would last a lifetime.
Make a date with at least one concert this summer for a memory that will last a lifetime.
11. Garden Tours
Check your local listings for garden tours. Small towns let you tour a handful of private gardens for a small fee to raise money for different organizations.
Garden tours are one of my favorite summer activities. I love seeing ideas of how people transform their outdoor space into an oasis.
Make sure you take pictures of all the ideas you like. Gardens are a simple pleasure that you can enjoy most of the year.
Frequently, garden owners love to share their knowledge on growing specialty plants, and they might even give you packets of seeds so you can turn your garden into a showpiece, too.
12. Lighthouse Lover
Take a trip once a year to see a lighthouse in person. There’s something so beautiful about lighthouses; they were a beacon of hope to guide loved ones home.
Some of the lighthouses you could put on your bucket list are:
- Portland Head Light, in Portland, Maine
- Big Sable Point Light is near Ludington, Michigan
- The Eldred Rock Light is a historic octagonal lighthouse located in the Haines Borough, Alaska
- Rose Island Light in Newport, Rhode Island
This list is just a small sample of the lighthouses you can explore.
13. Creating a Cozy Entrance
Make the entryway into your home something that will release all tension when you walk toward your front door.
Plant flowers that release their scent as you pass by, string fairy lights on your front porch, and add stepping stones that bring you to your destination.
14. Fountain Tour
Find out where all the public fountains are in your city and go on a fountain tour. Include local historic mansions, arboretums, and parks throughout the town.
Make a wish in every fountain by dropping a penny and taking a photo to document your outing.
15. Small Town Carnivals, Food Festivals, County Fairs, and Craft Shows
Summer is the time for all types of small-town special gatherings. Spending casual leisure time with your family is what hygge is all about.
Bring back the magic you experienced as a child by indulging in all your childhood favorite foods. Examples are deep-fried pickles or cheese curds. Rate your favorite foods at the local carnival or fair.
16. Cozy Picnics
Picnics and hygge go hand-in-hand. Why not make this summer the one where you experience one in all your special spots?
A picnic in the mountains, at the beach, on the front porch, in your favorite park, in a boat, or beside a river are just some ideas to choose from.
How about a sunrise breakfast? A happy hour appetizer basket with cocktails? A midnight feast for two?
You can make this a fun adventure by tapping into your creativity to find the best places to picnic near your home.
17. Fireflies Dotting the Night Sky
Fireflies are a beautiful gift from God. Finding the best place to look for fireflies, you’ll have a magical night that you’ll remember forever.
For the best places to find fireflies, check out the Firefly Conservation and Research website.
18. Fresh Herbs
Herbs are a bountiful summer gift. Make herbal iced tea, tie bouquets of herbs together and display in small vases. Simmer fresh herbs on the stove with fruit.
I’m officially obsessed with fresh herbs. I use them in cooking and making tea, and I love how they smell outside my backdoor. Once you start growing them, you’ll be obsessed, too.
19. Hygge Summer Rain
Watching a hygge summer rainstorm is the perfect way to let the world’s stress disappear.
The next gentle rain or even a thunderstorm is the perfect break to set aside some time for yourself and enjoy the show.
For thunderstorms, you can watch from the safety of your porch. But for gentle rain, you can always go out and dance.
20. Summer Means Flowers
The most inexpensive way to surround yourself with fresh flowers is to grow them.
If you look at how gorgeous each bloom is, your environment will be enhanced visually and by smell by making sure they dot your world.
Floating flowers in bowls of water, using them in your culinary recipes (including cocktails), and placing small bouquets in every room are just some ways to surround yourself with such beauty.
Check out this tutorial on how to make a flower crown by Eco Friendly Mama.
21. Make Sandcastles
Turn to your artistic side and challenge your family and friends to a sandcastle competition.
You can create an annual theme. Take pictures of all the entrants and compare your progress year after year.
If you don’t live near a beach, you could bring in the sand for your backyard.
A fun vacation might be to see an annual sandcastle tournament. There are several events across the country.
Here are two of the annual sandcastle competitions:
- Cannon Beach Oregon Sandcastle Contest in June every year
- Galveston, TX Sandcastle Competition is in August
22. Host a New England-Style Clambake
Who doesn’t love a good clambake? Make it a potluck clambake to make it easier on yourself.
Typically, a clambake includes lobster, fish, clams, mussels, corn, and potatoes. Whether you hold the clambake in your backyard or at the beach, you can turn it into a fun and memorable event.
23. Hygge Backyard Camping
Devout one weekend a year to backyard camping. Pitch tents, build a fire, and make s’mores.
You can also tell ghost stories and play flashlight tag.
24. Learn to Forage Food
There’s a food trend going on that isn’t slowing down. Going out into the wild and foraging for food is a fun adventure that’s good for the body and soul.
Not only do you nourish yourself with time in nature, but you also get to find edibles to use in your cooking.
Two Creating a Cozy Life group members recently went foraging for tea-making ingredients on a rainy day and returned with baskets full of them.
25. July 4th Celebration
Who doesn’t love the 4th of July? In my area, we celebrate the holiday in a big way.
I don’t even need to leave my house. The party comes to our neighborhood.
Why don’t you find a new way to celebrate this fun holiday this year? You can even plan a mini-vacation to experience the red, white, and blue in another neck of the woods.
July 4th celebrations are the perfect way to hygge in the summer with kids.
Tripsavvy listed the best 4th of July celebrations across the United States. You can find it here.
26. Summer Seasonal Vegetables
Celebrate each season by trying new recipes featuring vegetables at the peak of their flavor.
Vegetables that are at their peak in summer
- Arugula
- Beets
- Bell pepper
- Swiss chard
- Corn
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Green beans
- Lettuce
- Sunchokes
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
These are just a few of the shining stars of summer. Make summer vegetables the centerpiece of a meal and celebrate their arrival.
27. Summer Seasonal Fruits
Let’s not forget about using fruit in our cooking and recipes.
Fruit that are at their peak during summer
- Apricots
- Bananas
- Berries
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Melons
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Pineapple
- Plums
- Watermelon
Let your family enjoy the season’s bounties and taste these fruits in yummy desserts, sauces, and salads.
28. Come Sail Away
Whether you go on a rowboat, kayak, or canoe – summer and boating go perfectly together.
There’s something about being out in nature and on open water speaks to our souls.
Whether it’s a lake or the ocean, the water is calling, and you must go at least once.
29. July is National Pickle Month
Dust off Grandma’s old recipes, and let’s make a few batches of homemade dill pickles.
The fun doesn’t have to end there. Other pickles include sweet pickles, bread and butter pickles, and Gherkin.
I have a recipe for Bread and Butter Zucchini Pickles you can try. It’s a quick refrigerator pickle recipe, so it’s super easy. You can also make Quick Pickled Red Onions.
Massachusetts is home to the Boston Pickle Fair in June. You can find out more about it here.
30. Treasure Hunting
Flea markets are a treasure trove waiting to be discovered. Grab a few friends and hit the road for your area’s best flea markets and garage sales.
Give yourselves a $5 limit and see who can find the most creative “find” of the day. For lunch, treat yourself to lunch in a tea room.
If you want to strike gold, you could also plan a trip to one of the largest flea markets in the United States.
Here are some of the largest flea markets:
Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, California
Rose Bowl is not your ordinary flea market. On top of being loaded with fantastic items, you’re bound to run into a celebrity or two.
Whenever I went to this flea market when I lived in the area, I bumped into Diane Keaton. Every. Single. Time.
Rachel Ashwell, who created the Shabby Chic empire, is also always there.
Brimfield Anique Show in Brimfield, Massachusetts
Brimfield is the largest antique show in the United States. I’ve heard about this antique show for years. It’s on my bucket list.
Springfield Antique Show & Flea Market in Ohio
If you reside in the Midwest, this is the show for you. It has over 2,000 vendors to explore.
The flea market usually takes place in June and August.
31. Summer Memory Jar
Make this summer about creating memories with your family and friends by exploring the world around you.
Start a summer memory jar and place one small prized souvenir from each outing. By the end of the summer, your jar should be full.
We’ve reached the end of 31 Summer Hygge Ideas to Nurture Yourself. I hope you’ve enjoyed it!
Don’t forget to take a look at the Creating a Cozy Life Group. You’re not going to believe how amazing it is!
Let me know in the comments below what your favorite way to add hygge to your summer is.
I created a pin for your Pinterest board below to refer back to this article.
You can follow me here on PINTEREST. If you try any of these ideas, be sure to tag me here on INSTAGRAM.
Thanks for stopping by! I’m so happy you found us.
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- 31 Winter Hygge Ideas to Nurture Yourself
- 31 Spring Hygge Ideas to Rejuvenate Your Soul
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