The Great Big Albuquerque Summer Bucket List :: 100+ Fun Ideas

School’s out, which means summer is in session! Hello, sunshine, warm weather, and laughter into the late evenings! I can already smell the BBQ and feel the cool pool splashes on my skin.

This is a great time for families to plan fun time with each other and explore our beautiful state.

Print our Summer Bucket List Bingo card and get ready to have the best summer yet! Or check out our round-up of 100+ fun things to do around Albuquerque and make your own bucket list!

Founded in 1938, Manzano Day School is an independent, non-profit elementary school serving children in pre-k through fifth grade. The program at Manzano Day School sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and develops the whole child while cultivating lifelong learners, independent thinkers, and engaged community members.

Students build a strong academic foundation through core studies in reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, and science, complemented by co-curricular programs in library, music, physical education, Spanish, technology, and visual arts.

With an 18:1 student-to-teacher ratio, students benefit from personalized attention and strong teacher relationships. All students also participate in our Environmental Education program at Fenton Ranch in the Jemez Mountains, one of the few programs of its kind in the country, where outdoor learning strengthens independence, teamwork, and environmental stewardship.

Manzano Day School is committed to accessibility and inclusivity. Nearly one in four students receives financial aid, awarded based on demonstrated need and available funds, with awards covering up to 50% of tuition. Learn more about admission here.

Guided by the philosophy of Joy in Learning®, Manzano Day School balances tradition and innovation while preparing students for continued academic success and meaningful participation in their communities and an ever-changing world.

That joy carries over into the summer during Manzano Day School’s Summer Discovery, a hands-on, interactive program that immerses students in creative, skill-building experiences. Students can enjoy Manzano Day School’s sprawling six-acre campus as well as classes taught by MDS teachers.

Summer Discovery is open to the public for rising pre-k and fifth graders. It runs from June 8 to July 17, 2026. Space is limited. Contact [email protected] or the website for more information.

We put together a bingo with our favorite Albuquerque-area summer bucket list items! Get a printable version here.

Or grab those markers and create a summer bucket list of your own! Below are 100+ ideas to help get you started.

Out & About in Albuquerque

• Attend a local summer camp.
• Check out the lush greenery at the ABQ Biopark Botanic Garden.
• Say hello to the animals with a visit to the ABQ Biopark Zoo.
• Kick it at a New Mexico United soccer game.
• Buy peanuts and Cracker Jacks at an Albuquerque Isotopes baseball game.
• Face your fears at Cliff’s Amusement Park.
• Hop in the car for the highest scenic drive in the southwest.
• Ascend North America’s longest aerial tramway.
• Have a battle of the bumper boats at Hinkle Family Fun Center.
• Get lost in Jungle Jam‘s indoor playground.
• Immerse yourself in interactive games at Electric Playhouse.
• Catch a summer movie. (There are many free and inexpensive options for kids during the summer.)
• Listen to some tunes at a local concert.
• Get crafty at a Creativity Warehouse class.
• Up your strategy game by joining a Chess in the Parks event.
• Get up close and personal with sea animals at the ABQ BioPark Aquarium.
• Launch model rockets, fly model planes, or drive model cars at Maloof Air Park.
• Take selfies at as many colorful street art murals as you can find around the city.
• Have a staycation in the Field Family Suite at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm.

Culture & Learning

• Attend free first Wednesdays or free Sunday mornings at the Albuquerque Museum.
• Explore the newly renovated Museum of Natural History & Science.
• Learn about rescued native New Mexican wildlife by visiting Wildlife West Nature Park.
• Join a family storytime event at the public library.
• Donate a book and take a book from a Little Free Library.
• Share the culture of those who lived here long ago at Petroglyph National Monument.
• Get hands-on with science at Explora.
• See rattlesnakes up close and personal at the American International Rattlesnake Museum.
• Explore miniature worlds at Tinkertown Museum.
• Fly away at the Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum.
• Attend a festival or concert in Old Town Albuquerque.
• Learn about Pueblo culture at The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
• Dance your way to the Festival Flamenco Albuquerque.
• Get lost in a story and join a summer reading program.

Water Fun

• Beat the summer heat at Watermania in Cliff’s Amusement Park.
• Water balloon fight! (seasoned mom tip: pay kids a penny for each piece of balloon they pick up once the fun has ended . . . less work for you and better for the environment too.)
• Stay cool at a local splash pad.
• Pack your sunscreen and head to a local pool.
• Run in the sprinkler (but keep in mind water restrictions from 11:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M.)
• Participate in a water battle with super soakers, spray bottles, and buckets.
• Hit a home run in water balloon baseball.
• Make your own slip-n-slide with a tarp, baby soap, and a hose (bonus: also counts as a bath).
• “Paint” with squirt guns or food-colored ice cubes.
• Soak your feet in a kiddie pool.
• Play and splash on a water table.
• Wash the car.
• Excavate toy animals from a block of ice.
• Play “Hot Potato”. . . water balloon style!

Get Active

• Take a hike.
• Pack up your bikes and hit the trails.
• Meet up with friends at a park you’ve never visited before.
• Go bowling!
• Get your groove on while roller skating.
• Take swimming lessons.
• Plan a fun outing at Top Golf.
• Bounce to your heart’s content at a trampoline park or indoor play area.
• Stretch your legs and play kickball.
• Take the dog to Cottonwood Mall Dog Park after a nice, long walk.
• Go horseback riding.
• Find a gym with childcare and try a new class.
• Try a new prenatal yoga or mom-friendly group workout class.
• Hit the paintball battlegrounds at Ruckus.
• Join a playdate at the park through Summer Park Hops.
• Find your target playing Laser Tag (and more) at Main Event.

The Great Outdoors

• Float down the Rio Grande in a kayak, raft, or canoe.
• Head to Tingley Beach and make a day of feeding the waterfowl, fishing, model boating, and/or hiking.
• Go camping.
• Sleep in a tent in your backyard.
• Download an app and try geocaching.
• Go stargazing and find constellations. Check out the app SkyView so you know what you’re looking for.
• Visit as many state parks as you can and rank your favorites.
• Fly kites.

Food Fun

• Relax, dine, and splash at El Vado Plaza.
• Eat a mouth-watering sweet roll from Frontier Restaurant.
• Taste test all the frozen treats at local ice cream spots and vote on your favorites.
• Teach older kids how to make a simple meal.
• Cool down with homemade popsicles.
• Have lunch at a farmer’s market.
• Try a new locally owned drive-thru drink.
• Pack a picnic to take to your favorite park or enjoy in your backyard.
• Have a watermelon seed spitting contest.
• Eat at one of Albuquerque’s many food trucks.
• Go to a restaurant where kids eat free (or almost free).
• Head to the firepit and make drool-worthy s’mores.
• Get outside and have a BBQ.
• Let someone else cook, and enjoy a meal at an amazing restaurant patio.
• Sleep in, and then head to brunch.
• Try a new-to-you local pizza place.

At-Home Activities

• Host a paper airplane contest.
• Treat the birds by making a new bird feeder.
• Try indoor glamping with this DIY tent project.
• Create your own stained glass window and make your own chalk.
• Start a gratitude journal.
• Let your imagination run wild with a Perler bead project.
• Create an obstacle course and beat your own time.
• Build a fort using all the pillows and blankets in your home.
• Pot some plants or tend to a garden.
• Stay up late and watch a movie complete with popcorn.
• Turn the lights off and play flashlight tag.
• Make glitter sensory bottles.
• Blow bubbles.
• When life gives you lemons, have a lemonade stand.
• Paint story stones; then tell a tale when they are dry.
• Put on a talent show.
• Make shadow puppets.
• Send postcards to long-distance friends and family.
• 1 . . . 2 . . . 3 .  . . play hopscotch.
• Create a terrarium.
• Make your own playdough or slime.
• Have a dance party.
• Plan a random act of kindness.
• Play “Yard Twister” by spray-painting circles on your lawn.
• Light sparklers while wearing your glow-in-the-dark jewelry.
• Upcycle your old water table into a dinosaur oasis.
• Look up kids’ workouts and yoga on YouTube . . . then follow along!
• Play a board game or make your own.
• Mess-free painting for toddlers.
• And if all else fails . . . screen time!

All of us at ABQ Mom wish you a wonderful summer full of many adventures and new memories. Let us know what’s on your summer bucket list!

The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of ABQ Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.