10 Super-Fun Throwback Cottage Activities
By Distributel
Regardless of whether you call it the cottage, the cabin, the lake house, or the chalet, going to the country is a perfect way to reconnect with friends and family and disconnect from the demands of the rest of the world.
It’s time to revisit simpler pleasures, and we’ve got 10 retro cottage activities that will make this year’s getaway one to remember.
Visit the local farmers’ market
Hitting up the local farmers’ market is so much fun. Not only do you have the chance to support local businesses, but you can also enjoy the bounty of locally grown produce all year round by spending an afternoon or two canning and preserving the amazing fruit and veg that you buy!
Tie-dye Tees
Tie-dye is one of our favourite summertime styles. It reminds us of freedom, summer camp, and creativity! The best news? It’s super easy to tie-dye at the cottage. All you need are a few supplies from your local art store and a few plain white tees!
Play some old-school board games
There’s nothing like old-school board games to keep a group engaged and laughing (or cursing!). Games like Monopoly can go on for days, while euchre tournaments could last for a week if you get the neighbours involved!
Make a cottage playlist
All those summer songs that make a long drive, sunning on the dock, or hanging out at a campfire extra memorable deserve to be on a playlist of their own. Check out our summer favourites here.
Scavenger hunt
Get the kids out and about looking for things they’d never find in the city. Make the hunt epic by creating a bingo-style game of it and dividing the list into different categories like:
- Items they can see – a four-leaf clover or something that’s heart-shaped
- Experiential activities – skipping a rock or watching an animal eating
- Tasks to complete – leaf-rubbing or collecting as much litter as possible
Iron Chef Cottage Country!
Whether it’s an adults-only or family-friendly getaway, planning a team dinner is always exciting. With a little advance planning, you can divide into teams to create one course that will become part of an entire meal. Then you can judge each team to determine whose skills reign supreme!
Watch old movies
A rainy day doesn’t have to put a stop to cottage fun. Cuddling up with some of your favourite old movies and a big bowl of freshly popped popcorn can become a favourite summer memory.
Make a campfire
Put on your wool socks and your hoodies, bring out a couple of guitars (or a speaker for that playlist), get the kids to find some perfect sticks for roasting your marshmallows, and get ready for some ghost stories around the fire!
Have a s’mores contest
What’s a cottage trip without s’mores? There are only three essential ingredients – graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate – but how you customizethe recipeis completely up to you. Could there be ice cream involved? How about caramel-filled chocolate? Have everyone submit their best ideas and see which one wins!
Count your bug bites
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Just kidding … sort of.
Photo courtesy of Explorers’ Edge.