10 last minute ideas for summer fun

If you have a few more days to enjoy some summer fun before school starts, here are 10 ideas that include very little planning to make fun summer memories.

1. Find a local swimming hole

The best days of summer or will we find a small river with a swimming hole and just plan the rocks in the water. Besides word-of-mouth, the best way to find a swimming hole is to do a web search for swimming holes in your state for checkout Swimmingholes.org

2. Visit a State Park

Millions of Americans go to national parks each summer, but often we skip the state parks that are in our own backyard. August is a great time to check out a local State Park. You can look for activities such as swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, bird watching or geocaching that will interest your children.

3. Go to an amusement park

Late August or Labor Day weekend are generally great times to visit amusement parks. Summer lines have died down because most people are thinking about backpacks and school shopping instead of roller coasters.

4. Go Geocaching.

Have you tried this? Kids love searching for hidden treasure and this is a great family activity. You can download a geocaching app on a smart phone. This will help you get where you need to go while hiking, biking etc. There is a higher and GPS by Rand McNally called Foris and it comes loaded with trail and roadmaps that include turn-by-turn directions with voice guidance.

5. Take a mini road trip

For inspiration for your family getaway, Rand McNally's Best of the Road Atlas and Guide features 25 vacations in US getaways with ideas for places to stay and attractions to see. Ideas range from beach vacations to mountain adventures throughout the Northeast, Midwest, South and West.

6. Hit the beach

Most families love the beach and even though you lives three hours from the Atlantic Ocean kids still love to kick off and close summer with a trip to the beach. If you don't live close enough to an ocean, look for swimming beach at a nearby lake.

7. Go to a waterpark

Celebrate the end of the summer by a trip to the local waterpark. Either big or small, these are a great place for summer fun for the whole family.

8. Visit a historical site

Dragging kids to historical sites can give them a supporting tool to learn at school some hands-on history. Getting ready for back-to-school with a fun historical site is a good experience for the children. Some favorites for kids involved being outdoors, such as a battlefield or a fort to explore. If you live near a presidential library these are an excellent chance to discover a period museum.

9. Go camping

Sleeping in a tent is very exciting for children. There are camping tips for first timers to avoid rookie mistakes so why not dive in and make a great summer memory. Camping is typically a lot of work for parents, but our best family stories come from the camping trips.

10. Show your children around your college campus

Take a walk down memory lane as you show your children your college campus. You can take the kids bowling in a student center on a campus and then get ice cream at the creamery. Find out the favorite hangout spots and check it out with your children. It's fun to share memories and talk about their hopes and dreams for college. If you can't choose your alma mater since you don't live close, visit a local university campus and it can still be a memorable outing.