City Cast DC logo
Display ad for Primary and Special Elections; June 16, 2026

Your Ultimate DC Summer Bucket List

Posted on July 5, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Ashe Durban

Ashe Durban

Summer kayakers on the Potomac

Summer kayakers on the Potomac. (Camrocker/Getty Images)

City Cast

Your DC Summer Essentials

00:00:00

It’s officially summer in D.C. We asked you for everything you’re dying to get done before the swamp-ass weather abates – and you delivered! Here’s your D.C. Summer Bucket List:

Hit Some Summer Concerts

City Casters are feeling very musical this summer - and there are plenty of concerts to make this wish come true. Reader Adrienne B. wants to hit the Fort Reno Summer Concert series, showcasing the best local music at Fort Reno Park in Tenleytown. Rosy G. is excited about Opera in the Outfield at Nats Park on August 24. Finally, Priyanka T. suggests picnicking just outside of Jazz in the Garden for a smaller crowd and cheaper snacks 😜

Get Wet

Hey DC reader Sarah A. laid out the beautiful date-night plan of cocktails at The Wharf followed by a water taxi ride to dinner in Old Town. The Wharf Boathouse also offers kayaking and canoeing – Sharon J. says paddleboarding is on her summer bucket list. For those brave enough, the Anacostia River Splash is set to take place off Kingman Island on July 13, if you’re not afraid of a little E. coli.

Malai’s ice cream offerings.

Malai’s ice cream offerings. (Kaela Cote-Stemmerman/City Cast DC)

Ice Cream Crawl

Lactose intolerants avert your eyes. Reader Lenore C. says D.C. summer is not complete without an ice cream crawl of the city’s best frozen delights. Malai, Mount Desert, Ice Cream Jubilee, Van Leeuwen, Thomas Sweet, and Jeni’s all come to mind. Meanwhile, Vince M. wants to make the pilgrimage all the way to Rehoboth for a taste of Kohr Brothers’ famous frozen custard. Lock and load the Lactaid.

Honorable Mentions

Your summer must-do’s ranged far and wide. Aaron J. wants to get roped into a Blind 8 dinner party with strangers. Paula S. wants to connect with her inner horse-girl and go horseback riding in Rock Creek Park. Sarah A. had my personal favorite and something that should be on everyone’s bucket list: glizzy gobbling at a cookout 🌭 Bonus points if it’s on a roof!

Share article

Hey DC

Get smart about D.C. with our news roundup and analysis.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.
Display ad for Primary and Special Elections; June 16, 2026

The latest in DC

Local NewsJune 5

Man Who Plotted with Au Pair to Kill Wife, Stranger Sentenced to Life in Prison

Brendan Banfield was found guilty earlier this year of aggravated murder in the 2023 killings of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan.

Brendan Banfield (Fairfax County Police Department)
Food and CultureJune 4

'The Custodian' Explores the Life of Washington Football's Biggest Superfan

This documentary short premiering at DC/DOX Festival explores a Washington Football fan's 57-year quest to preserve the team's history wh...

Samu Qureshi sitting in old stadium seats in his Washington Football Team Museum. (Courtesy of “The Custodian” team)
DC's BestJune 3

A Local’s Guide To America 250 in Washington D.C.

From exploring historic ships to dancing to local tunes, celebrate America’s birthday like a real Washingtonian.

Party at the National Gallery of Art (Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art)
Local NewsJune 2

News Site NOTUS Blocked from Rebranding as The Star for Now

NOTUS was sued by the owner of The Washington Star for trademark infringement.

A final edition of the Washington Star newspaper for sale at the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in 2014. (Photo by Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Local NewsMay 29

Is Everyone Dropping Out of Trump’s Great American State Fair Concerts?

Vanilla Ice is still in.

Martina McBride performs onstage in October 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. McBride was one of the artists who dropped out of the Great American State Fair. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Local NewsMay 29

Trump’s Name Must be Removed from Kennedy Center, Judge Orders

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper said the Kennedy Center’s board acted unlawfully by renaming the center without congressional appr...

The Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts on May 16, 2026. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)
Local NewsMay 28

The Washington Star Is Suing The Star In a Very Confusing Media Battle

The plaintiffs say Washington is a one-star town.

Dovid Efune, publisher of the New York Sun, in New York City. (Photo by Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Local NewsMay 27

As D.C. Weighs Budget Cuts, Families Fear Loss of Youth Mental Health Support

Under the proposed budget, D.C.'s sole mental health crisis team for kids would be shuttered — part of a broader slate of cuts that would...

The John A. Wilson Building in Washington, D.C. Under the proposed budget, D.C.'s sole mental health crisis team for kids would be shuttered. (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)