Suggestions for ways to spend last summer before college

With high school graduation behind us, this is the last-hurrah summer to be with friends and family before the leaves begin to turn into fall and you’re off to college. This is a unique time in your life to have fun together exploring Vermont, while creating great moments and nostalgic memories.

Get ready to search for the best creemees, fireworks and food trucks to have a chill summer with your friends in our great little state.

In June, creemees are the official start of summer. Creemees became famous in Vermont for their unique spelling and adding buttermilk to make a richer soft serve ice cream, according to Hello Burlington VT, the online blog for exploring Vermont.

Locally, Sweet Roots Farm and Market (the old Charlotte Berry Farm) has blueberry creemees after picking fresh strawberries. Shelburne Country Store has maple, chocolate and a twist of both flavors.

Along the Burlington waterfront, visit Burlington Bay. Behind the City Market is Little Gordo Creemee Stand. Although you may have gone there as a kid, experiencing the creemees with your friends captures the Burlington vibe after shopping on Church Street.

Expand the creemee road trip to Jericho taking Route 15 or the highway. Enjoy award-winning maple creemees at Palmer Lane Maple and add real maple syrup and maple sprinkles. Also, visit the Jericho Center Country Store for creemees, deli sandwiches and a burger grill.

For more creemee adventures, check out these popular local spots: Sweet Scoops in Essex Junction, The Village Scoop in Colchester, Vermont Maple Market in Middlebury and Woodstock Scoops on Central Street.

Venturing further to Stowe, stop by the Red Barn Ice Cream Shop on Maple Road and Stowe Sweets behind the Country Store on Main, which are both famous for maple and black raspberry twist creemees.

In July, fireworks symbolize the height of summer. This Fourth of July will be a long weekend of celebrations.

On July 3, Burlington Parks, Recreation and Waterfront will feature the Independence Day Celebration along Waterfront Park with fireworks over Lake Champlain. The event is from 5 to 11 p.m. with music, food and entertainment. Jesse Ray Smith & The Heartland will headline the music.

On July 4, Shelburne Museum will feature the Vermont Symphony Orchestra from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. This year’s event is the Summer of Love featuring Romeo and Juliet by Tchaikovsky, West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and the Star Wars Theme by John Williams.

Advance tickets cost $33, while purchase at the gate is $40. Tickets are $5 for those who are 5 to 17 years old. Bring picnic treats and a blanket, sunscreen and bug spray and a flashlight to get back to your car.

The concert series continues in East Burke on July 5 at the Burke Mountain Ski Resort and in Stowe on July 6 at the Trapp Family Concert Meadow.

Finally, the food truck scene keeps the summer vibes into the fall. Start with the South End Get Down block party on Pine Street at the Coal Collective every Friday from 5-9 p.m. There are 60 food vendors, DJ music and local art, fashion and entertainment.

South End Sliders has popular Montreal-style burger sliders (single or double), BBQ pulled pork and Buffalo pulled chicken. Food is served on brioche buns with aioli sauce, pickles and Spanish onions.

Maharaja Spice serves Indian street food. The menu includes two specialties: chicken or veggie biryani cooked in a sealed clay pot; and chicken lollipop Indo-Chinese chicken pieces marinated with herbs, fried and served on a stick.

New in Shelburne, the recently opened Gardener’s Supply on Shelburne Road has the Mad Taco food truck open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. There are seasonal specials and popular tasty tacos, burritos and quesadillas with beef, smoked chicken and pork, and roasted yams.

At the Burlington Harbor Marina, eat at Farmers and Foragers Dockside food truck on Penny Lane. There are picnic tables with views of Lone Rock Point and Lake Champlain. Enjoy “Vermont cheesesteak,” Lake Champlain perch tacos and comfort foods.

Create forever moments to cap summer fun after graduation. Explore with friends and share on Instagram and TikTok the laughs and discoveries.

Make the most of your last-hurrah summer. Before you know it, winter will cover Vermont. You’ll be back with friends enjoying sugar on snow and reminiscing about sweet summer memories.

(Margo Bartsch founded College Essay Coach, a full-service college admission business, and has been an adjunct professor in business at Champlain College and at Middlebury College.)