Coming are the days when the sun kisses our faces, our cares are tossed to the wind, and our calendar is filled with as much or as little activity as we want. That is the beauty of summer. And the best way to have one unforgettable summer is by connecting to what your body and soul have been craving all year. Whether that be traveling God’s beautiful landscape, camping under the stars, expanding your mind or just kicking back with a great read – do you. Houston Style Magazine offers just a few suggestions to dive into this summer for you to connect with you and have the best summer yet.

Travel

If you feel the need to get away from it all checkout Travel and Leisure’s 50 Best Places to Travel in 2017 list. Venture a few miles away or many moons over to some of the most unbelievable destinations that are both domestic and international. North America dominates a good portion of the list so many of the destinations can be experienced in an extended weekend. Allow your senses and interests to dictate where you will go.

One of our top picks of places to go is Honolulu, Hawaii. It is becoming more visually exciting as the art scene is really growing and making the city more beautiful. In, 2017, the city will host its first Biennial and attract artists from all around. Art is being showcased everywhere to the walls of construction sites to messages at the bottom of hotel pools.

Camping

Google kids camps and a plethora will pop up for academics, sports, the arts, and sleepaways but are you hip to the growing number of camps there are for adults. Turn back the clock and be a kid again at adult camp. Disconnect from technology and connect to nature in a different way.

Several adult camps are located in Texas. Camp No Counselors is an escape to happiness with nostalgic like camp atmosphere in Austin. Camp Grounded is a playground for your mind. Camp Our Way is just up the road in San Antonio. The best part about adult camps is there is no curfew, spiked drinks, and amazing parties. Camp stays can be as short as three days for under $400.

Learn a New Skill

Picking up a class during the summer can help you take up a new hobby or expand your skill set at your job. Learning something new is always fun. A great place to start looking is at Leisure Learning Houston. The classes are often small and have a good student-to-teacher ratio to learn at your own pace. Usually, classes run for a few weeks and are priced reasonably.

I have known people who have taken classes and they have always enjoyed them. Instructors are nice and knowledgeable. Students are friendly and want to learn. These elements create a great, stimulating learning environment.

Kick Back with a Good Book (Or Movie)

Curling up with a good book is always a must do activity for the summer. With so many great books hitting the shelves this summer it is going to hard to choose which one to read first.

One topping our list is from Angela J. Davis entitled “Policing the Black Man.” The Black Lives Matter conversation is still at the forefront of our conversations and this book sheds light on some of the greatest tragedies of our time to the black man. It breaks down racial profiling, policing and the justice system.

Personally, I can’t wait for the release of the biopic on rapper Tupac Shakur set to release next month. The film comes out on what would have been his 46th birthday to chronicle his life from his early days to his early death. Maybe we will finally get the truth behind the murder of this legend.

No matter what you decide to indulge in this summer it will be great as long as you do something that allows you to escape your ordinary. Be sure to share your adventures with us using the tag #HSMBestSummerYet.