Do you and your family create a summer bucket list? Haven’t yet and getting a late start? No worries – start now! Gather the troops, a marker and posterboard and start with even just a handful of activities. Don’t forget to let everyone in the family pick a few – it creates excitement and even more fun to cross items off the list as fall approaches. Pinterest is full of ideas if you need them, but VisitCape put together some local options to get the ball rolling for you.

Get splashing at Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center, a family favorite since 2010. Open from 11am – 6pm, the facility features a splash pad, zero depth entry pool, lazy river, swirl pool and eight water slides…the tallest is a 265-foot-long free fall slide! Pack a pool bag and enjoy a day at the water park!

How about fishing? Even if you don’t have fishing poles, the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center has fishing equipment available to borrow and will often have bait on hand. If you have poles, check out the newly renovated Capaha Park to fish in the pond, go down the slides at the playground or walk around the pond on the paved walkway. Here’s a recent blog on fishing holes around town: Local Fishing Holes. Visiting a park playground and fishing – this could be two items on the list!

What’s summer without sno cones! With over 60 flavors to choose from, you’ll have to keep this one on the list for a few visits over the summer months! Ty’s Summer Sno on Broadway, is open until 10pm with outdoor seating so your car won’t be victim to sugary spills. What flavor will you choose? Tiger’s Blood? Cotton Candy? Kiwi?

A family picnic will allow your crew to enjoy nature and togetherness – maybe even leave the phones in the car? A favorite on our list is Trail of Tears State Park,which is not only full of history, but lots of activities like camping, hiking,swimming and shelters with grills if your picnic includes the need for heat!You must reserve them, so check out their page for more information.

For more adventures, check out the Discover Cape page!