10 ways to make the most of a sunny Sunday afternoon

For couples:

Eat at an outdoor cafe

Make a date with your hubby or significant other and head to an outdoor cafe. Enjoy a fresh fruit platter or just eat dessert. Have a few frothy cocktails and enjoy your Sunday in the sun with good conversation.

Go for a bike ride

Bicycles aren't just for kids. Biking is a terrific way to spend an afternoon with your partner, and it's great exercise. If you live in tourist community, rent a bicycle built for two. Most resort and coastal areas have them readily available. Tandem bikes are fun -- and not as easy as you think to ride.

Head to the beach

Slather on your sunscreen and head to the beach. Who cares if you aren't in bikini shape? Put on a sundress or coverup and walk along the shoreline. There's nothing like wet sand oozing through your toes as you enjoy an afternoon in the sun with someone you love.

For families:

Go fly a kite

Take the kids outdoors and fly a kite. If you are really adventurous, make one of your own. Fly it at the park, in the schoolyard or at a nearby field.

Take in a baseball game

Get tickets to a ball game for your whole family, whether it's the Major Leagues or a local college game. Get seats in the bleachers and bring gloves so the kids can try to catch a fly ball. Eat hot dogs and peanuts, and enjoy a family day in the sun. Many teams offer family or group discounts on tickets.

Turn on the sprinklers

Sure, the water park is a blast -- but it's expensive. Instead, invest in some cheap water guns and head outside. Turn on the sprinklers and enjoy the afternoon sun and cool off with some water fun.

By yourself:

Read a book at the park

In the wintertime, there's nothing like curling up under a blanket with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa. In the summer, take your reading outdoors. Whether you like romance novels, true crime stories or something in between, head to the nearest park (or even your own backyard) and lounge in the grass while reading. Don't forget your sunscreen.

Lighten up (your hair)

You don't have to spend money at the salon to get sun-kissed highlights; you can highlight your hair with honey, chamomile tea and even beer. For the beer method, empty four bottles of light-colored beer into a basin. Saturate you hair in the beer and then sit outside in the sun. Drink the other two bottles from the six-pack while you wait for the beer to go to work on your hair. About an hour later, rinse out your hair with cool water. Repeat a couple times a week until your hair is the shade you desire. Check out these other ways to get natural hair highlights.

Go window shopping

Check out some stores to which you've never been in a neighboring town or suburb. Outlet malls, thrift shops and antique stores are fun destinations. Or head to a high-end boutique and try on designer clothes all afternoon. Who cares if you can't afford them? You're only window shopping.

Take pictures

A sunny Sunday afternoon is a terrific time to capture some amazing shots. Botanical gardens, the beach and the zoo are wonderful places to take photographs. It doesn't matter if you are an amateur; today's digital cameras do most of the work for you.