Nothing says summer like the 4th of July. But if the weather’s too hot or the firecrackers are too loud, why not spend this weekend catching up on some of your favorite classic flicks that embody summer fun? Here’s a few (or 20) suggestions to get you started.

Beach-Time Cinema

1.Gidget (1959)

Gidget, Moondog and Kahuna tear up the beach and the waves in what may be the quintessential summer flick.

2. Beach Party (1963)

This is the movie that started it all – the Beach Party franchise, that is. Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon sing, dance and do a stand-up job of taking in the summer sun.

3. Blue Hawaii (1961)

It’s got Elvis singing, surfing and trying to avoid a job at the Great Southern Hawaiian Fruit Company. The result? A light-hearted musical with plenty of Elvis and plenty of Hawaii.

4. The Endless Summer (1966)

Many critics credit the Endless Summer with creating an entire genre of film aptly called surfer movies. This ground-breaker focuses on two California surfers who travel the world in winter looking for favorable surf conditions.

Vacations Gone Wrong

5. Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962)

All poor Mr. Hobbs wants is a quiet trip on the shores of the West Coast. All he gets is a summer filled with home repairs, whiny children and a bikini-chasing son-in-law – until he finds the strength to turn his summer around.

6. A Summer Place (1959)

Rekindled summer romances are wonderful – until you find out that the children of you and your beloved are having one as well.

Island Adventures

7. Road to Morocco (1942)

We don’t know if it’s summer in Morocco, but this Arabian country looks so hot that it’ll remind you of the season nonetheless. The antics of Bing Crosby and Bob Hope will have you in stitches as they try to escape from Morocco with their lives.

8. South Pacific (1958)

Finding love on a tropical island isn’t always easy, as Emile and Nellie find out. Luckily, there are plenty of musical numbers, grass skirts and coconut bras to lighten the mood a bit.

9. Swiss Family Robinson (1960)

We’re sure New Guinea never looked more desirable to a group of travelers than it did to the Robinsons. But alas, they never made it. What they did make, however, was every little boy’s summer fantasy, a treehouse you could live in.

Summer Abroad

10.Roman Holiday (1953)

Set against a brilliant backdrop, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck make you wish you could explore Rome on a Vespa.

11. Summertime (1955)

You can’t help but feel a little happy for Jane Hudson as she finally escapes suburban Ohio for her dream vacation, a summer in Venice. While Jane takes in more than just the sites we’re treated to a complicated love story and an endless feast of Italian scenery.

12. Dr. No (1963)

Good ol’007 is turned loose in Jamaica to figure out why the British Intelligence Station Chief was murdered, all the while he’s followed by men in sunglasses. Sounds like a classic summer adventure to us.

13. The African Queen (1952)

The rapids aren’t all that’s bumpy on this German East African river. There’s love, war, and tons of twists and turns along the river as two of America’s classic movie stars try to avoid the Germans who have invaded the villages.

In the Heat of the Crime

14. Rear Window (1954)

This Hitchcock thriller doesn’t necessarily showcase the pleasures of summer, but the scorching New York City heat Jimmy Stewart experiences while spying on his neighbors does little to make you forget what time of year it is.

15. Cool Hand Luke

What would a summer movie list be without an all-American boy like Paul Newman? This time, Newman is a prisoner in Georgia who’s famous for his escapes. One of his escapes even involves a 4th of July rouse.

16. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

This may not be the first movie you think of when you think of summer, but this classic American tale couldn’t take place without this setting, as this is the time of year when Scout, Jem and Dill are out of school and ready to explore the neighborhood.

Summer Love Gone Awry

17. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

If you’re looking for a movie to make you feel better about your own family’s squabbles, this Tennessee Williams story does just that. Watch Big Daddy, Brick, the Cat and the rest of the family fight it out on a hot summer night in New Orleans.

18. The Seven Year Itch (1955)

You can send your family to Maine in the summertime, but it doesn’t mean you can escape the heat. Richard Sherman soon learns this when he finds himself alone with a seductive woman…played by none other than Marilyn Monroe.

The Innocence of Summer

19.The Parent Trap (1961)

Hayley Mills…and Hayley Mills…engage in some sibling rivalry in this Disney classic that spans from Central California to Beantown.

20. Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)

Re-live Abraham Lincoln’s early days when he was just starting to practice law and no one had any idea of the potential he had. The movie includes a pivotal scene at a 4^th of July celebration where young Abe was able to stop the lynching of two men accused of murder.