With August now upon us, it often means the end of summer is near and for many kids, back to school. However, that doesn’t mean barefoot summer days must also end.

State and county fairs are often still going on in late summer and these are great times to extend barefoot trails. While walking around seeing the sites and smelling different foods, let your feet explore as well. Feeling the contrast from sun to shade in cement and different texture floors in buildings can add to the experience. Some rides are better done without footwear so you don’t need to be concerned about loosing shoes.

Just like the rest of the summer, be cautious with pavement getting too warm. However, if you have become used to barefooting this summer, you can likely tolerate quite a bit by now. While exploring fairgrounds, one area you may want to don minimal footwear is in livestock areas. Protection from animal hooves and feces may be a good idea. This will most likely only be a small part of your travels. Many fairgrounds also have water attractions to help cool off and are a handy foot wash.

Summer may be drawing to a close, but you can still keep the feet free. Visits to water parks, family vacations, and just a short walk or bike ride are more times to leave the shoes at home.