150+ Ways to Move Your Body This Summer (Without Making It All About Food)
- Gennifer Strobo
- Jul 8
- 6 min read
Let’s be real: If you’re like most women, summer rolls around and suddenly every social plan involves sitting, sipping, and snacking. Brunches. Drinks. “Quick” coffee catch-ups that turn into pastries and gossip. Dinner with friends. Repeat.
And hey—I love a good meal, a strong iced coffee, and patio moment just as much as the next woman. But if every summer hangout turns into another dinner, brunch, or “snack + scroll” situation, it’s no wonder your energy, mood, and blood sugar start to crash harder than your kid after too many otter pops. If we’re constantly using food as the main event, guess what we’re not doing? Moving our bodies.
Getting sunshine. Supporting our blood sugar. Feeling strong.
This summer, let’s make the main event movement—not margaritas.
What if the plan was movement—with food as the bonus, not the star?
This post is your go-to guide for fun, creative, realistic ways to move your body daily—outside, inside, solo, with friends, for free, or for a few bucks.
You ready? Let’s go.
Here are 150+ ways to get off your butt and move your body this summer, even if you hate exercise, love A/C, or just need a nudge to make your plans something more than “what restaurant should we hit next? Inside or out, solo or social, free or with a little investment. No gym memberships, no 2-hour workouts, no “shoulds.” Just daily movement that feels good, helps regulate blood sugar, reduces insulin resistance, and keeps you living your life outside the kitchen.
Free & Outdoor Movement Ideas
These are the easiest, most budget-friendly ways to get active—and yes, they count as movement.
Walk your neighborhood
Walk someone else’s neighborhood for a change of scenery
Walk your dog (or borrow one!)
Power walk with a friend while venting
Bike ride around your block or a trail
Hit a hiking trail with a podcast
Explore a botanical garden
Find a free outdoor fitness class (check city parks)
Do yoga in your backyard
Walk barefoot in the grass—hello, grounding
Try geocaching (nerdy, fun, still counts)
Run through sprinklers (no age limit here)
Pull weeds (great glute workout, weirdly)
Mow the lawn yourself
Wash your car by hand
Walk to your errands
Go to an outdoor concert and dance
Pick wildflowers
Go kayaking
Paddleboard on a calm lake
Swim laps or just tread water
Toss a frisbee
Play catch with your kid
Jump rope in your driveway
Go rollerblading
Play tennis (or try pickleball!)
Shoot hoops at a local court
Join a rec sports team
Host a backyard dance party
Fly a kite (legit cardio in the wind)
Do sidewalk chalk art with your kids
Rake leaves or sweep the porch
Set up a mini obstacle course for fun
Volunteer for a park clean-up
Explore a nearby nature preserve
Window shop through a quaint town
Walk a local farmers market
Attend an art walk
Go to a “movies in the park” night
Play cornhole, bocce ball, or horseshoes
Go on a photo scavenger hunt
Take a day trip to a new town and explore on foot
Tour a historical site nearby
Visit a lighthouse, beach path, or scenic overlook
Walk the grounds of a local college
Go golfing (pull the cart for bonus steps)
Hit up a local flea market or craft fair
Chase your kid at the playground (they will win)
Volunteer to walk dogs at the shelter
Paint a mural, wall, or fence (surprisingly sweaty)
Indoor Movement Ideas for When It’s Hot As Heck
Florida humidity? Midday meltdown? These ideas keep you moving with A/C and sanity intact.
Dance in your kitchen (playlist = therapy)
Clean like you mean it—vacuum cardio is real
Do YouTube workouts (strength, yoga, Pilates)
Try an online mobility flow
Walk inside a mall before stores open
Walk laps at Target without buying stuff (good luck)
Try rebounding (mini trampoline = lymph magic)
Follow an Instagram fitness challenge
Move during commercials—planks, squats, anything
Play Wii Fit or Just Dance
Rearrange your furniture (hello, squats + lifting!)
Vacuum + lunge. I dare you.
Play hide and seek indoors (yes, adults too)
Create a step challenge with friends
Do a bodyweight circuit with laundry baskets
Recreate old PE drills in your hallway
Try a hula hoop
Go bowling
Hit up an escape room—so much walking + brain use
Play laser tag (underrated cardio!)
Try indoor mini golf
Visit an indoor trampoline park
Take an aerial or pole fitness class
Try indoor bouldering or climbing
Take a dance class (hip hop, salsa, whatever)
Visit an aquarium or museum and walk the whole thing
Explore IKEA without buying a single thing (torture = steps)
Visit an indoor farmers market or expo
Try indoor roller skating
Take an indoor golf lesson
Social Activities That Aren’t Just Meals
You can be social without sitting down with fries. Here’s how:
Invite a friend for a walk and coffee
Start a walking book club
Plan a hike or park date
Take a painting class that includes movement breaks
Plan a beach or pool hangout with games
Host a “walk and wine” night (yes, both)
Go thrifting together
Stroll an antique mall
Walk a garden center or plant shop
Try a pole fitness class with friends
Hit the dance floor (weddings count!)
Sign up for a 5K together
Do a scavenger hunt around town
Try goat yoga or puppy yoga
Volunteer together—animal shelters, food banks, events
Take a fitness class then brunch (see, both)
Visit a trampoline park just to be ridiculous
Rent bikes in a nearby city
Try partner acro yoga (yes, it’s a thing)
Walk laps around your local outlet mall
Movement-Focused Road Trips & Day Trips
Make the destination more than just a photo op.
Road trip to a town with great walking trails
Plan a scenic hike and picnic
Explore a botanical garden or arboretum
Visit a zoo or animal sanctuary
Spend a day exploring a downtown area
Go horseback riding
Take a historical walking tour
Visit a lighthouse and climb it
Head to the coast and walk the beach
Book a cabin or Airbnb with built-in hiking
Tour a vineyard or farm on foot
Do a museum crawl in a nearby city
Hit a fair or carnival—tons of walking
Attend a cultural or music festival
Go on a mural or street art scavenger hunt
Plan a waterfall or river trail day
Explore state parks or nature preserves nearby
Visit a wildlife refuge
Try paddleboarding on vacation
Book a walking ghost tour in a historic town
30 More Fun & Functional Ways to Move Your Body
Have a water balloon fight
Walk to get ice cream instead of driving
Play tag or “the floor is lava” with your kids
Visit an amusement park or zoo and skip the tram
Turn grocery shopping into a walking challenge
Organize a neighborhood kickball game
Practice your golf swing in the yard
Build a fort with your kids—then crawl in and out 10 times
Use a standing desk and do calf raises while working
Walk around while on Zoom or phone calls
Do a morning stretch flow in your PJs
Practice balance drills while brushing your teeth
Try frisbee golf at a local park
Set a timer to get up every hour and do 10 squats
Try a TikTok dance (even if it’s awkward)
Skip the elevator and take the stairs every chance you get
Challenge yourself to 5 pushups every time you scroll
Walk your trash and recycling to the bins one at a time
Join a movement-based charity event (walk for a cause)
Try hula hooping during your favorite show
Wash windows or wipe down baseboards (sneaky cardio)
Practice shadow boxing in your living room
Do calf raises while waiting for your coffee to brew
Park at the far end of every lot and walk in
Create a daily “movement jar” with random active challenges
Learn a TikTok or YouTube choreography
Try playing hopscotch—yep, really
Do a sidewalk or driveway chalk art workout circuit
Pick blueberries, peaches, or flowers at a local farm
Host a “movement night” with friends—games, dance, anything but sitting
How to Actually Find Activities Near You
Don’t say “there’s nothing to do.” There is—you just need to look in the right places:
1. Facebook Events & Local Groups
Search “free events near me” or join local moms, wellness, or walking groups. People love to share hikes, classes, and meetups.
2. AllTrails App
Plug in your location to find walking, biking, and hiking trails nearby. Filter by easy, dog-friendly, or distance.
3. MeetUp.com
This site has everything from walking and yoga groups to outdoor fitness meetups, hiking crews, and pickleball leagues.
4. Google + Your Town
Search:
“Free fitness classes in [your city]”
“Outdoor yoga near me”
“Summer events + [your area]”
You’ll be shocked how much pops up.
5. Local Rec Centers & City Parks Websites
Check your city’s parks department—they often offer free or low-cost fitness, dance, or water aerobics classes.
6. Library or Community Bulletin Boards
Old school? Yes. But still golden. Events, walking groups, volunteer days, even movie nights are often posted there.
7. Tourism or Chamber of Commerce Websites
They’re not just for out-of-towners. They list festivals, free events, outdoor markets, and historic walking tours.
8. Eventbrite
Use filters to find fitness classes, hiking groups, or local experiences—free and paid.
Make Movement a Daily Thing—Not a Guilt Trip
This isn’t about earning your food or making up for last night’s treat.
It’s about living your life in motion.
About choosing energy, blood sugar support, and strength—on purpose.
Summer isn’t just a season.
It’s a chance to reconnect—with your body, your people, and joy in motion.
So make the plan. Skip the sit-down. Move your body—then share the popcorn.
This summer’s gonna feel different—and better.
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