Your Eau Claire Summer Bucket List

Let the Wisconsin sun shine down in Eau Claire this summer! There’s something fun going on every day of the week during the summer. Whether it’s the Sounds Like Summer concert series at Phoenix Park on Thursday evenings, the Downtown Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings, or Ski Sprites on Wednesday and Sunday evenings, the kid-friendly activities and exciting events make summertime in Eau Claire the best of the best! So when you’re hanging out in Eau Claire this summer, get some shaved ice at Summer Snow and relish in the Eau Claire spirit of music, arts and fun in the sun! 

As you can see, there's obviously a lot going on in the EC summers, so we made a handy bucket list for you. See how many you can check off by the end of the summer! 

• Eat ice cream from Ramone’s Ice Cream Parlor, Olson’s Ice Cream, or Acoustic Café (or fro-yo from CherryBerry)
• Frolf at Mt. Simon Park and then grill out afterwards
• Take advantage of the beautiful weather and visit Irvine Park and Zoo
• Find your inner strength at High 5 Yoga—a free class offered Thursday nights and Saturday mornings at Phoenix Park
• Try a summer-themed cocktail at Infinity Beverages (I recommend the Summer Heat)
• Cheer on the Eau Claire Express Baseball Team at one of their games
• Pick up some flowers, artwork, or treats for your friends at the downtown Eau Claire Farmer’s Market and Artist Market
• Attend a Wine & Whimsy session at Cheers Pablo
• Kayak or float down the Chippewa River
• Tie-dye shirts at the Fun-Dye Factory in Oakwood Mall
• Listen to music at Tuesday Night Blues in Owen Park
• Buy food from a food truck (you can find them every week at Sounds Like Summer and occasionally outside of the Lazy Monk)
• Watch a movie at the Downtown Budget Theater or at the UWEC Downtown Summer Cinema
• Watch the sunrise or sunset at Putnam Rock
• Read a book by a local author (Michael Perry, Nickolas Butler, and B.J. Hollars are just a few authors you can check out)
• Spend an entire day at Big Falls (bonus points—tune into Blugold radio on your way to and from the beach)
• Support local breweries by grabbing a beer at Lazy Monk Brewing, The Brewing Projekt, or K-Point Brewing
• Exercise at the outdoor workout station near Owen Park, and then head down to Crave 80/20 for a smoothie
• Embrace your inner wine connoisseur at Autumn Harvest Winery, River Bend Vineyard and Winery, From the Vine, or The Rev
• Volunteer at a local nonprofit (e.g. Bolton Refuge House, The Community Table, or the Eau Claire Humane Association)
• Slide down a water slide at Fairfax Park or Chaos Indoor Water Park
• Head down to Action City; start off at the trampoline park, and then check out the new zip line and outdoor race cart track
• Sip on an iced coffee from a local coffee shop (e.g. Soul Brewed Coffee Roasters, ECDC, or The Goat Coffee House)
• Catch some live music on the patio at The Plus
• Wake up early enough on a Sunday or Saturday morning to scarf down a plate of lemon ricotta hotcakes at The Nucleus
• Participate in an event hosted by the Chippewa Valley Writer’s Guild
• Build a sandcastle at one of Eau Claire’s many beaches (e.g. Lake Altoona, Half Moon Beach, or Lake Eau Claire)
• Get a group together and go bowling at Bowl Winkle's or Wagner’s Lanes
• Play outdoor volleyball at The Depot, The Complexx, or Mt. Simon, and then get a drink at Stella Blues or Amber Inn
• Bike along one of Eau Claire’s gorgeous bike trails
• Learn a little bit more about Eau Claire by exploring the Chippewa Valley Museum
• Indulge in a fancy meal on the outdoor patio at The Informalist or The Lakely
• Enjoy a picnic at Phoenix Park (bonus points—pick up all of the fixings ahead of time at Just Local Food or Nelson’s)
• Go to The Joynt during happy hour, split a pitcher of beer with friends, and sign up to play a game of pool
• Discover your new favorite band at Sounds Like Summer
• Chill out and borrow some books from the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library 
• Take a touristy photo next to the Bon Iver mural (don’t forget to share it via the #CaptureEC hash tag)
• Go berry picking at Govin’s Meats and Berries
• Challenge a friend to a game at The District Company—loser buys the winner a soda
• Laugh your butt off at a comedy show hosted by Clear Water Comedy
• Treat yourself to a beautiful bouquet of flowers from Brent Douglas, Avalon, or May’s Floral Garden

‘One Time Only’ Events

• Sign up to compete in the annual Chalkfest competition (or at least take pictures of all of the amazing drawings)
• Go to the Northern Wisconsin State Fair
• Attend one of the Chippewa Valley’s annual music festivals (Eaux Claires, Blue Ox Music Festival, Country Jam USA, Rock Fest, or Country Fest)
• Participate in one of Eau Claire’s summer marathons

Think you can check all of them off? We believe in you! Oh, and make sure you take plenty of pictures and share them with us on Instagram using #CaptureEC