Summer is almost here, and with the delightful local weather, it’s a good time to get out of the house and do something fun. So to help you decide how to spend your days outdoors, here are 12 ideas.

Get on the ocean

There’s no need to be an official sea captain to steer your own boat in the open ocean. If that sounds like an adventure you can sail into, check out places like Marina Del Rey Boat Rentals. You can rent by the hour, and they’ll give you a quick safety lesson and hand you the keys, and off to the open ocean you go.

Information: marinadelreyboatrentals.com

Get your chili on

Old Town Tustin welcomes summer every year with its annual Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off. Expect all kinds of chilis plus live music, beer, wine and vendor booths. It takes place 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 1 between El Camino Real and Main Street.

Information: tustinca.org

Go to a lake

While it may look like it’s a world away from the city, Lake Arrowhead is a summer getaway that can be done as a day trip. It’s in the San Bernardino National Forest, and visitors can go on lake tours, go hiking, check out restaurants and do some shopping at a center that surrounds the lake. And if you want to make it an overnight trip, cabins are for rent.

Information: lakearrowhead.com

Gondola ride

You don’t have to travel to Venice, Italy, for a romantic gondola ride — you might head over to Long Beach and book a boat at Gondola Gateway. The company conducts various cruises, include around the romantic Naples canals.

Information: 5437 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach. gondolagetawayinc.com

Irish Fair

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t the only time we can celebrate Irish culture, because Wilson Park in Torrance is turning into one big green outdoor party at the Irish Fair Music Festival. The event takes place June 14-15. Expect live music, cultural dance performances and, of course, plenty of beer.

Information: bigirishfair.com

Outdoor movies

There are so many movie series around that Southern California pretty much becomes one big outdoor theater in the summer. You can find outdoor movies at the Rooftop Cinema Club, which screens films high up in downtown Los Angeles. In Orange County there’s the OC Parks Sunset Cinema, series while you can find a list of Inland Empire outdoor movies on Riverside’s website.

Information: rooftopcinemaclub.com, ocparks.com, riversideca.gov

Ride a horse

There are plenty of places where you can get up on a horse to stroll around nature. If you’re willing to hop on a boat you can head to Catalina Island Horseback Adventures, or for a romantic couples ride try Horse Play Rentals in Huntington Beach.

Information: catalinahorseback.com, horseplayrental.com

Scenic cycling

There are bike paths all over the area, but one of the most scenic is the Marvin Braude Bike Trail. It’s a 22-mile paved path that runs along the Los Angeles County coastline between Will Rogers State Beach near Malibu and Torrance Beach.

Information: You can download a map at beaches.lacounty.gov

Seaside dining

One of the best summer relaxations is eating good food at a nice restaurant by the sand with good views. In Malibu one of the most popular beachside restaurants is Paradise Cove Beach Cafe, which has chairs and tables right on the sand.

Or if you’re in the South Bay area head to Surfer Girl, a new restaurant in Hermosa Beach with a rooftop terrace overlooking the ocean.

Information: Paradise Cove Beach Cafe is at 28128 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. paradisecovemalibu.com. Surfer Girl is at 1016 The Strand, Hermosa Beach. seaspritebeachclub.com/dining

Smell the roses

Get your nose ready for the beautiful smell of fresh roses when you visit Exposition Park Rose Garden. The historic, 7-acre space has more than 15,000 rosebushes. Stroll along and take pics, but don’t take any of the roses.

Information: 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles. expositionpark.ca.gov

Summerfest

Summer is part of the name of this festival, so yeah, it’s a fun summer activity that will include rides, a classic car show, live music and more. Summerfest happens June 19-22 at The Recreation Center and Sports Park in Fountain Valley.

Information: 16400 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley. summerfestfv.com

Wine at the Park

Barnsdall Park’s wine tastings, which happens every Friday from June 6 through Sept. 26, are a nice way to spend a summer evening at the park. It’s a picniclike atmosphere as people bring blankets and hang out tasting wines on the park’s Olive Hill and its west lawn. There are also food trucks and a DJ.

Information: 4800 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles. barnsdall.org