Enjoy everything about summer – the sights, sounds, and yes, even the smells.
And since our sense of smell is so powerful, indulging in summer scents can remind us of the glories of summers past and motivate us to make the best of the current summer season.
The Best Summer Scents
Our favorite summer scents remind us of family vacations, carnivals, sunshine, and seemingly endless possibilities.
Embrace these delightful aromas as part of your magical summer – and don’t forget to share your favorites!
The Beach
I’m guessing “beach” is the absolute most popular summer candle variety. The powerful scent reminds us of sunshine, sand castles, and good times on the shore, yet I can’t fully describe what it entails.
It’s a mixture of sand, salt, and water with a hint of sunscreen.
Coconut
The beach scent wouldn’t be beachy without a hint of coconut, which also features in a wide range of sun tan lotions.
To this day, I can’t smell the tropical aroma without thinking of water parks.
It has a creamy yet nutty aroma, almost like a mix of almonds, vanilla, and milk, but softer and smoother.
Chlorine
Alliance Images via Shutterstock.com.
Speaking of water parks, summer has one iconic scent that’s basically just a corrosive chemical, but since it’s used in pools around the world, we’ve all come to associate it with the summertime.
You can’t smell chlorine and not think of swimming pools. The harsh, bleach-like odor probably wouldn’t be as enticing if it didn’t remind us all of summer.
Freshly Cut Grass
A lot of people rank freshly cut grass as one of the best smells in the world.
There’s something fresh yet earthy about it, and although our first mows typically occur in the spring, I consider it more of a summer smell.
Cotton Candy
Is it even summer if you haven’t gone to a fair?
Local carnivals and festivals always rank as a top summer activity, and they always have the sickly sweet aroma of cotton candy wafting through the air.
Whenever I smell it, I’m reminded of theme parks, roller coasters, and carnival games.
Fair Food
Cotton candy isn’t the only enticing smell at the carnival.
As you stroll through any summer festival, you’ll be greeted with a delightful mix of funnel cakes, freshly made popcorn, and all sorts of deep-fried goodness.
The drool-inducing presence is one of my favorite things about going to the fair, but sometimes it’s all too much because I can’t decide what to actually buy.
Why does it all have to smell so good?
Charcoal
Summer is grilling season! And although many of us switched to propane or gas grills, there’s still something special about smelling old-fashioned charcoal on the grill.
We know we’re about to be treated to a delicious meal when the delightful aroma hits our noses.
BBQ
That delicious meal is usually BBQ.
I wonder if we only like the smell of charcoal because it foreshadows the mouthwatering aroma of smoked brisket, hamburgers, and hot dogs that’s sure to follow.
Either way, the smell of smoking BBQ drifting through the air is one of the most iconic parts of summer. Someone’s firing up the grill and cooking out nearly every day of this iconic season.
Campfire
Burning wood brings out a rich, earthy, woodsy aroma that’s typically associated with winter.
But because so many of us spend our summer nights camping out in the wilderness, we can’t help but associate the smell of campfire smoke with summer vacations.
The campfire smells remind us of s’mores, hot dogs, and, of course, sharing scary (and ridiculous) stories around the fire.
Lemonade
Zesty, sweet, and refreshing! Lemonade is an iconic beverage that both smells and tastes like summer.
Lemonade’s aroma is a little less powerful than its taste (in my opinion). It smells like fresh lemons, but you don’t get as much of the sour in the smell.
It’s mostly just refreshing, which is perfect for a hot summer day.
Watermelon
Watermelon offers a refreshing, sweet summer smell without any of the lemony zest.
Although you can buy pre-cut watermelon, to get the best scent out of it, you’ll want to buy the entire fruit and cut it up yourself. It’s worth the extra effort.
Tropical Fruit
There are too many tropical summer fruits with amazing smells to list. All of them remind us of summer, because that’s the season when they’re ripe for the picking.
My favorites are:
- Mango
- Guava
- Passion Fruit
- Strawberry (maybe not really tropical, but still counts!)
- Pineapple
- Papaya
Bonus: Hose Water
Have you ever drunk water directly from the hose? It has this rich, metallic flavor you won’t find anywhere else.
But it has a certain essence too. It’s almost like fresh rain mixed with garden and a hint of plastic.
Millennials all know the smell. It reminds us of summer days playing outside until the lampposts turn on and running through sprinklers in the yard.
How to Create Summer Smells
The best way to embrace summer’s delightful aroma is to go out and experience the season in its full glory.
Go to the beach, visit all the fairs and festivals you can muster, and play in the freshly cut grass.
Of course, we can’t spend all our days outdoors having fun, so the second-best option is to use artificial replacements like candles and incense.
Smells Create Iconic Moments
We don’t usually think much about how things smell on a conscious level, but our subconscious minds are doing a lot of work behind the scenes.
These summer smells are crucial because our sense of smell is the most powerful sense for memory. It triggers long-forgotten feelings that even photos can’t recreate.
So embrace all the seasonal smells of the year. Create lasting memories for yourself and your loved ones. They, too, will remember the water park every time they smell coconut, or that summer camping trip every time they smell a campfire.
Those moments are worth remembering. Smells can help.