Summer vacation has started in the United States. For many Americans, summer vacation means beaches, barbeques, and other fun in the sun.
School children finish school in early June. Most students don't return to school until August or September, so many families use summertime for a family vacation. Beaches are a popular destination. The United States has a long coastline with many beach towns. From Cape Cod in Massachusetts, to Miami Beach in Florida, beaches are full of tourists in the summer.
Many Americans love the sun, so lots of people like to tan at the beach-lie in the sun and get darker. For people who enjoy the water, surfing and "boogie boarding" are also popular activities at the beach.
Many beaches in the United States have a boardwalk-a long path made of wood. People can walk or ride their bike along the boardwalk. There are many restaurants, small food vendors, and souvenir shops lining the most boardwalks.
Summertime is also when many people eat barbeque. Barbeque is a style of cooking. It usually refers to chicken or pork cooked outside over a wood or charcoal fire. Barbeque is cooked very slowly-often for several hours-and it usually has a sweet and spicy sauce on it.
Every region of the United States has their own style of barbeque, but the state of Texas is probably most famous for their barbeque, as well as other parts of the South. Barbequing is a very popular activity in the summer in the United States, especially when large groups of family, friends, or neighbors get together.
"Grilling" is another popular activity in the summertime. Barbeque takes a long time to cook, so people often cook outside over a much hotter charcoal fire. This process is called grilling. Almost any food can be grilled. Hamburgers and hotdogs are common, but other popular foods include bratwurst, fish, steak, vegetables, and kebobs.
Now that summer has arrived in the United States, Americans everywhere will be trying to spend as much time as possible having fun in the sun.