Bucket List before autumn

Luke Whitcomb and Liz Waldy, both on a vacation from England, paddle toward shore on the Russian River at Memorial Beach. (Christopher Chung/PD)

After a long winter’s wait for summer, it now seems like the season is speeding by. Catch it, as there’s still so much to do.

“Bucket List,” a phrase popularized half a dozen years ago by the hit movie of the same name, is in common usage now, for a checklist of things you want to do before you kick the bucket.  There are iconic summer experiences, and ones that are particular to the Sonoma area, that resonate with everyone and evoke childhood memories. Here’s a list to provide inspiration and jog your memory.  This isn’t about skydiving or climbing Mt. Everest, just an easy day floating down the river or wiggling your bare toes in the surf.  You won’t spend much money on most of these suggestions, and it won’t take a lot of planning.

1. On a lazy summer day, there’s nothing better than drifting down the Russian River in a kayak or canoe. Just watching an osprey dive for dinner or paddling through the heart of the redwoods and marveling at the skyward canopy from the seat of a boat can be awe-inspiring.

2. For a taste of the national pastime, without the major-league ticket prices, try attending a local youth baseball game this summer. The ambience is nostalgic. One site that evokes warm memories is Santa Rosa’s Doyle Park diamond, complete with old-fashioned bleachers and a concession stand.

Jeri Langham, left, and Laurie Dann birdwatch on Bodega Head. (Christopher Chung/PD)

3. For open sky, brisk wind, a vast view of the sea, plus lots of sand and seagulls, its hard to top Bodega Head. To spice up the trip, stop for the zesty clam chowder at Spud Point Crab Company in Bodega Bay. It’s a small stand with a big following, just across the road from the water.

4. Not every trip to the beach needs to be about the endless sky overhead or the waves washing in. Take pleasure in watching the crabs and other critters, busy in their perpetual endeavor to survive, in the tidepools at Doran Beach.

5. From atop Taylor Mountain, appreciate the vista of Bennett Valley, still dotted with old farmhouses and barns on green farmland. The trip up the mountain on Crane Canyon Road and Grange Road, by either bike or car, takes you past the historic Bennett Valley Grange, still in use.

6. Some say the best to way to watch a live stage show is outdoors, with the stars above you and a picnic spread out before you. Venues include Ives Park in Sebastopol (mainstagewest.com ) and Jack London State Park (BroadwayJackLondon.com.)

7. Pull up a chair on your front porch during that balmy bridge between afternoon and night. Open a bottle of chilled white wine or pop a cold beer, bring out a couple of extra glasses and invite a neighbor walking her dog or watering his garden to join you. No porch? No worries. A stoop or patch of lawn will do.

8. Forage your nearest farmers market for the complete fixings to make a fresh summertime supper, from salad and bread to dessert. Take the locavore challenge and seek out vendors as close to your own address as possible. Don’t forget to grab some fresh flowers for the table.

9. Introduce your kids to the magic of sleeping under the stars by camping in your own backyard. Pitch a tent or simply roll out your bags on pads. Roast weenies and make gooey s’mores over the firepit and then sing camp songs and tell scary stories by moonlight.

10. Forego the pool on a hot afternoon for a $6 umbrella and a $5 tube at Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville. When you’re good and baked, head across Main Street for a frosty strawberry shave ice, served Hawaiian-style with plenty of Aloha at Ono’z.

11. Steel your stomach and prepare to scream your guts out while taking a test flight on Superman, the newest thrill ride at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo. Hurtle through space at speeds up to 62 miles an hour, with two upside-down twists and two vertical rolls over an 863-foot track. Aaaahhhh!!!!

12. Remove the earbuds and share a free outdoor concert with someone you love. From Sunday jazz at Montgomery Village to live music Tuesdays in the Healdsburg Plaza, some winery, shopping center, park or farmers market near you is offering music al fresco. No tickets required.

Amalie Barr, 4, eats vanilla ice cream with sprinkles at Lala's Creamery in Petaluma. (Crista Jeremiason/PD)

13. On a summer afternoon, nothing beats the heat like a scoop of delicious ice cream. Take a step back in time at the old-fashioned checkered parlor of Lala’s Creamery in Petaluma, where all the ice cream is handmade on-site, and desserts range from the classic soda fountain drinks, banana splits and, of course, the simple scoop of your favorite flavor on a sugar cone.

14. Those looking for a watering hole somewhere between the feel of a public pool and full-blown resort need look no further than the hills of Glen Ellen. Nestled between the hills and canopy of trees is Morton’s Warm Springs, a favorite local haven that boasts three mineral pools, surrounding creek beds and plenty of space for picnics and barbecue.

15. Escape the dog days of summer by taking a cool journey above the fog. A regional treasure can be found in the scenic hills of Sugarloaf, from the moderate 3-mile hike of Burnt Mountain to the more adventurous 15.4-mile round trip trek up Bigelow Range, both offering stunning panoramic views of Sonoma County.

16. Pretend you’re the master of the castle at the fairy-tale-like patio at Domaine Carneros. Survey your sprawling vineyards, greet your subjects and raise a glass of bubbly to your minions below. 1240 Duhig Road, Napa.

17. The only thing better than warm cinnamon buns in the morning? Warm scones and warm cinnamon buns. Get ‘em both, along with the ever-popular donut muffin at Downtown Bakery and Creamery, 308A Center St., Healdsburg.

18. Hot coffee’s too toasty for sweltering days, but the kick of caffeine over ice? Nice. Go exotic with an iced Bangkok (espresso, condensed milk, sugar and spices) at Plank Coffee in Cloverdale (227 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale). Its reclaimed hipster vibe is every bit as cool as your coffee.

19. Wine tasting in the summer? That’s a little like going for a refreshing swim in a hot spring. Unless, of course, you opt to swirl and sip in one of the shady caves carved into Wine Country’s many hillsides. Lancaster Estate in Healdsburg offers a tour that ends in the winery’s sprawling caves, tunneled deep into the heart of No Name Hill. 15001 Chalk Hill Road.

20. You know summer has arrived when you hear the screen door creak open at the Dry Creek Peach & Produce’s farm stand at 2179 Yoakim Bridge Road in Healdsburg. Inside the rustic store, you can purchase tree-ripened peaches, peach jam and heirloom vegetables. Hearing the screen door slam shut? Priceless.

21. One of the summer’s cheapest thrills is finding the sweetest, juiciest blackberries, growing wild from Spring Lake’s Blackberry Island to Coleman Valley Road on the coast. Bring kitchen tongs to lift up prickly branches, then forage away. If you don’t pop them all in your mouth, bake the bounty into a cobbler.

Classic lawn games such as croquet not only are easy and good for family gatherings, but add to an otherwise ordinary party. (Crista Jeremiason/PD)

22. Croquet anyone? This genteel game, bumped out of England’s famed Wimbledon fields by tennis, has survived as a back-yard pastime as well as a fiercely competitive sport. The basic rules and setup are simple, requiring only an open field and a croquet set consisting of two stakes, nine wickets and a couple of mallets and balls.

23. Dangling can cool you off, as you sit by a stream and let the water trickle over your feet. Dangle to your heart’s content at Santa Rosa’s new Flat Rock Park, located at the confluence of Brush and Santa Rosa creeks. Native Pomos used to dangle a fishing line there and, as the story goes, an Indian maiden named Rose was baptized there, lending Santa Rosa its name.

24. Family-friendly fishing holes are few and far between in Sonoma County. The folks at King’s Sport & Tackle in Guerneville recommend Riverfront Regional Park, just west of Windsor at 7821 Eastside Road, where you’ll find two lakes stocked with bass, bluegill and catfish. You can access the Russian River through a trail between the two lakes, but the rules are different there. To help save the endangered steelhead and salmon, barbs must be pinched and you can only use artificial lures, no live bait. Open from 8 a.m. to sunset daily. $7 per car.

25. One of the most undiscovered drives in Wine Country is the stretch on Coleman Valley Road between Occidental and Bodega Bay. Once you’re barefoot on the beach, uncork a rosé. Great producers include Bedrock Wine Co., Quivira Vineyards and Lasseter Family Winery.

26. Meet your partner on the dance floor at Bistro Sabor for salsa. The Napa restaurant stays open until 2 a.m. on Saturday nights, and it offers up tasty “street food” with Latin American dishes from $4 to $12.

27. Don’t miss sunset on the deck of the Alexander Valley Bar with the house special the Rye Knot?, a unique cocktail with sake and ginger beer in the mix.

28. Unwind with a Cedar Enzyme Bath & Wrap so you can feel like a noodle al dente. It’s the signature treatment at Osmosis Day Spa in Freestone and the only place in the Western world where you can experience this Japanese-styled bath.

29. Drink in Shakespeare at Sonoma’s Gundlach Bundschu Winery and be sure to bring a picnic. Performances of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” run Aug. 15 through Aug. 31. www.sonomashakespeare.com

Staff Writers Crissi Dillon, Heather Irwin, Meg McConahey, Peg Melnik, Diane Peterson and Dan Taylor.