When summer in the DMV (D.C, Maryland, and Virginia) area comes along, I always want to get out and do things, but at the same time I feel like there is so little that I can do without spending so much and going over my monthly budget. This summer, I’ve really made it a point to maintain my high savings practice, without missing out on the fun with friends. I think I’ve managed to find fun, and cheap things to do with friends. And I have to say, that being a newish born again Christian, living the Christian lifestyle, it has also made it easier for me to enjoy the simplicities of life.
Since I began pursuing sobriety (or at least in the context of needing to drink to have fun- because let’s be real, I still have a glass of wine during those special occasions) I have found that it’s also so possible to enjoy life in its purest context without it hindering your wallet or your friends! If you’re like me and you like to spend time with your friends, but you’re also just not sure what to do, I hope I can give you a new perspective just based on some of the things I’ve done this past year. Listed in no particular order, here is a list of some of the activities that you may want to try out with your friends!
1. Visit the Museum of natural history!
One of the biggest perks of living in the DMV is having so many free museums just a short metro ride, or car ride away. One of those free museums includes the Museum of Natural History. They have exhibits that include, Skeletons, the Fossils, Gems and Rocks, an in-depth look at different species like butterflies, and so much more. If you are a nature lover- and even if you’re not- you are bound to find something that interests you, and at the same time something that you can learn about!
Check out their website, and you can even plan and try to see if there are any special events and special events going on the mall before you go. On another note, if you want to make your DC trip even more affordable, you may even want to pack a snack (or two) and water bottle. D.C can get expensive, and buying food at a restaurant can easily tap your budget for the month. So, I would plan to take enough food so that you’re not hungry and spending more than you need to.
Unfortunately, you can’t eat your bagged lunch or snacks inside the museum, but you’re always able to exit the museum and have a nice picnic on the National Mall, which is only across the street from where the museum is located. The museum walk through may take 1 hour- 2 hours (depending on how in detail you want to view each exhibit and hot busy it is) so I would recommend that you store your lunch in a safe container that will keep your lunch/snacks fresh. I
In case you are in the market for a nice lunch container. here are some of my random favorites:
Whether you’re more of a fan of air and space, art, or American history, you can also visit a bunch of other museums that cater more specifically to what you and your friends enjoy learning about. Visit the Smithsonian website to get the full list of museums that you you’re able to visit- FOR FREEE!
2. Go on a run and make your finish line an ice cream shop!
When I think about running, I usually associate it with a workout where I’m fully focused on reaching my fitness goals, and I’m relying heavily on mind over body. My running routine has always been one that is a little bit more structured, especially since I have had to teach myself to enjoy running. Until this past year, running was something that I did alone, without friends. During one of the churches meet ups, the activity was to run a loop around the capitol dome in DC with a group of over 15 people. It was my first time, ever, running with other people, and I got to say I think I really enjoyed it and I even reached a Personal Record on my 5k pace.
I was feeling a sense of accountability that no running app could ever give me (sorry Strava). When you run with friends, you are there in person challenging each other, and you can motivate each other, “keep going- we’re almost done-awesome job.” When you add a treat to the end of your work out, that makes the entire experience even better! It may seem counterintuitive to go on a run and then eat ice cream- but going on a run is not always about losing weight- it can also just be a challenge that gets you and your friends outside of the house, enjoying the city, the warm nights, and creating a new memory together.
Here are some local ice cream shops that you can consider finding a route to run to with a few of your friends this summer:
- Dolci Gelati
Address: 1420 8th St NW
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Average rating of 4.6, based on over 300 reviews
- Dolecazza Gelato & Coffee
Address: 904 Palmer Alley NW, Washington DC 2001
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Average rating of 4.5, based on over 1,400 reviews
- Ice Cream Jubilee
Address: 301 Water St SE #105
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Average rating of 4.4, based on over 700 reviews
Shoutout to my church friends for inspiring this great summer activity with friends. 🙂
3. Go on a nature walk!
One of the most relaxing things that a person can do, is to be immersed in nature and disconnect themselves from city. Even though Washington D.C is a smaller city in comparison to places like New York City – where are all you see and hear is concrete and the bustle of people’s busy lives- it can still be overwhelming. Especially if you’re constantly stuck in traffic during the work week, or just don’t have time to get into some of the local parks to enjoy being present.
Being in nature has been proven to have many health benefits related to things like decreased stress hormone levels and can even bring out the creativity in a person. A nature walk is nice to do alone but is even better with some friends. As humans made in the image of God, we also know that we are made to be in community and we benefit greatly from that.
If you’ve never been on an intentional nature walk before, as a Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide, I can give you some tips on how you and your friends can approach this walk. Instead of approaching the walk as an exercise, or as a journey to get from point A to point B, approach the walk as a meditative practice where you’re able to wander together.
Once you are both in the same mind set of being present and only approaching this walk to enjoy the surroundings along the trail, set some boundaries of not being rushed, or even spending time on your phone scrolling (I know the temptation may come :P).
While you’re on the trail walking, take moments to look at your surroundings and observe what is around you. Maybe it’s a plant or a flower that caught your attention, and you find it beautiful. Or perhaps it’s a tree with interesting root shapes. Share those observations with one another, and you’ll be able to see so much more than if you were walking alone.
This type of nature walk is one where you and your friends can really take your time being in nature and just soaking in all that is around you without rushing. The DMV has many beautiful and accessible city parks that are only a short drive from one another.
Here are some ideas of places that you may have never explored and are ideal for spending time with a friend exploring in nature:
- RockCreek Park , Washington D.C and Maryland
- Brookside Garden, Maryland
- Woodend Sanctuary, Chevy Chase, Maryland
- Dumbarton Oaks Park, Washington D.C
- Difficult run trail, Great Falls VA
- Piscataway Park, Fort Washington, Maryland
4. Make a collage of some of your favorite memories together!
Taking pictures with your friends has become one of the easiest and most common things to do in this century, especially with how many smart phones are around, and how great their picture taking capabilities are. We usually pose, look cute, maybe even add a funny filter, just to post our pictures with our friends on social media and never to be touched again. What ever happened to printing pictures and make albums?
Seems like that is a dead art, and virtually every picture lives online now and is stored in some folder in your computers drive. I don’t know about you but looking back at photo albums is such a heartwarming thing that I always love doing randomly. It’s so special to hold a memory in a tangible way.
So, for this summer, when its’ a little bit too hot to be outside, or if the air is too smoky- gather a selection of your top memories with your friends and make collages together!
You can upload your pictures to the CVS website or photo printing shop (that is if you don’t have a printer at home, which many people don’t) and they can print them even on the same day. CVS for example, will print for same day pick up and each print costs around 29 cents. Once you have gathered your favorite pictures of you and your friends, then comes the fun artistic part!
Gather some from your favorite magazines that you no longer care about and cut out some images that can make cute accessories around that pictures theme. If you have a little wiggle room in your budget to splurge, you can even go to an arts and crafts store and purchase some stickers or patterned paper that can make your collage standout and add interest to the overall page. This can obviously add up, so you’ll want to be strategic.
The Basic materials that you will need are:
- A journal or large collage book for your base
- Glue
- Printed pictures
- Scissors
- Magazines
- Writing utensils (great way to personalize the page with markers pens, paint, etc.)
Some ideas for additional materials to make your collage for artistic and stand out can include:
- Stickers
- Background paper
- Laminations
- A binder
- and maybe even some snacks so that you and your friend can enjoy while you’re working on your art project (I’m always thinking about food).
Hot Tip *If you’re going to Michaels for a quick round to art supplies, make sure to check their website for a discount coupon. A lot of the times they can give you a 20%- 30% discount if you’re shopping for the first time or have just signed up to be on their mailing list.
A link pop up should come up with “20% off”. You just have to give them your email address, and then you should receive and email with the digital coupon which you can redeem in store. Let me know if you have any questions.
5. Have a smoothie- or Juice night!
Smoothies and fresh fruit juice are one of the most refreshing things that your body can drink during the hot summer months. These are great to incorporate into your weekly routine and have been known to have many benefits in doing so. Not only that, but they also taste so good- and I love that for you and for your friends! Being hands on with your friends and making something, is such a great way to learn something new, and create lasting memories that you’ll be able to remember. Plus, you can walk away from hanging out with something yummy- a fruit smoothie or juice!
Invite some friends over and bring your favorite blenders or juice extractors together, plus your favorite fruits or vegetables. You may want to plan out which fruits you will each bring and decide on specific recipes, or you can make it extra exciting and bring your ingredients without letting the other know. Of course, the downside to that is that you may end up bring the same fruits which in that case would not give you much else to work with. Either way, you all can
juice whatever you please and then pack them in mason jars so that you can taste test while you’re together and then take home the rest in cute little jars.
Not sure where to start? You can also check out our previous article all about green juice and this Pineapple beet smoothie, for more inspiration on getting started. These are both perfecting throughout the year- but especially refreshing to drink during the summer months.
What cheap/ inexpensive things do you do with your friends?
Spending time with community is so important, and even though life can get expensive, it doesn’t have to be a reason to not hangout. Let me know in the comments below if you tried one of these activities with your friends. Would also love to hear about any new activities that you may have in mind.
