Summer is here...kind of.  School has let out in much of the area, and kids are excited, teachers are relieved, and parents are fear-struck.  What to do in Gig Harbor now that school's out?  Here are just a few ideas.  If you've got others, I'd love to hear about them (after all, it's a community blog, and it only works if the community gets involved).

Summertime Fun in Gig Harbor, Washington

1.  Enroll your student in a kayaking day camp.  Gig Harbor Rent-a-Boat is hosting a summer day camp for kids in Gig Harbor to learn how to safely and efficiently paddle around our beautiful waters.  This camp is for 9-14 year olds, and runs between $220 and $250.  Click here to get full details on the Rent-a-Boat website.

2.  Gig Harbor has some of the most gorgeous beaches in the Pacific Northwest, and the beaches are just crawling with sea-life.  You and your kids can explore the Gig Harbor beaches and wildlife through the Harbor Wild Watch.  Take a guided walk along the beaches at low tide and learn about all of the ways that we can care for our sea-creatures.   A great hands-on experience.  Visit the Harbor Wild Watch website for full details.

3.  Hey, back to #1, did I mention boating?  Why not bring the whole family down to Gig Harbor's downtown and rent a boat?  Visit the Gig Harbor Rent-a-Boat website for full details.  My wife and I took her sister around on a rent-a-boat and had a blast last summer.

4.  Next week only (June 18-20th), the Tacoma Narrows Airport will be home to some of the most amazing WWII aircraft around.  For $12 adults, and $6 kids, you can come and view these airplanes.  Want to see Gig Harbor by air?  Want to ride in a WWII airplane?  For anywhere from $325-$3200 (depending on the plane and your seat) you can get a ride around Gig Harbor, Fox Island, and the Puget Sound in a WWII aircraft!  Call 1-800-568-8924 for more details.

5.  Visit the Tall Ship Festival in Tacoma.  Running from 10am-8pm, July 3rd-7th, the waters off of Gig Harbor and Tacoma will be swarming with amazing restored tall ships.  Fun and festivities during the whole week.  Visit the Tall Ship Festival website for more information.

6.  Take your kids to the YMCA.  We just finished our daughter's first level of swim lessons (she's only 8 months and loves the pool!).  Swim lessons were free with our membership.  Basketball, pickleball, volleyball, swimming, and more are available at the Gig Harbor YMCA.  Visit their website for membership information.

Don't forget that there's the new movie theater and Border's bookstore in the Gig Harbor Uptown Center, great places to walk, and lots of parks in Gig Harbor as well (I'll be featuring these in future blogs).  I'd love to hear other ideas to keep Gig Harbor's kids busy this summer.