Realistically, when you think about it, what’s so great about the beach? You get there, have no shade, are sweating so much that there’s no way of making yourself look cute, and have sand covering every inch of your body. Okay, we may be exaggerating a bit here, but we think that everyone should take a minute and realize that there is more to do this summer than go to the beach. We’re here to give you five great beach substitutions which will make your summer feel totally fulfilled.  

1) Travel- Even if you cannot afford to take an exotic vacation right now, there are many other ways to enjoy traveling. Go camping, go on a road trip with your friends and stay at various hostels and motels, or even go to a friend’s house by the lake. This way you will experience a change of scenery and won’t feel stuck at home all summer.

2) Go to a concert- Concerts aren’t all about knowing the music- especially in the summer. Although we obviously also suggest checking out your favorite band’s tour dates, you can just go to a concert simply for the experience. During the summer there are tons of huge festivals with food and activities so if the music is weird techno rave style, you don’t even have to listen to it in order to have fun. During the summer, artists play in amazing locations that will enhance your concert-going experience.  

3) Visit your friends from college- People always say that it’s hard to fully know someone if you have never experienced their home life with them. In the case of college friends, we aren’t saying you aren’t as close as can be, but there is a difference between seeing your friend in your dorm room or sorority house and seeing them interact with their family and home friends. Plan a trip with a few other college friends to visit a friend whose house you have never been to. Have her take you on a tour of her hometown and maybe even some of her high school parties and just view her life from a whole new perspective.

4) Sleep- Okay, so obviously don’t do this one every single day- because that’s a waste of your time. That being said, something that is so special about the summer is that you can sleep in sometimes without having to wake up for class or hearing your roommate’s loud alarm. Sleep in, watch some Netflix in bed, and relax.

5) Museums- We know how boring this may sound but a lot of museums have really cool exhibits during the summer. Check out museums near you and find out if they have modern art, or even fashion displays. If you don’t enjoy yourself, at least you can get a cute Instagram.

We hope that you think about this list the next time you’re about to settle on “beaching.”