Going and enjoying the great outdoors appears to be part of American culture, if not in our genes. More than 144 million Americans or almost half of the total population joined in some outdoor activity, at least once in 2016. It is a testament that we have an urge to enjoy life and have fun amidst Mother Nature.
If you live in the city, it could take an hour or so to be close to nature, sometimes even a plane ticket. But not everyone is fortunate enough to have the time and money to travel just to be outdoors. Almost everybody craves the outdoors every now and then.
Thankfully not every outdoor activity requires you to travel. Some are just a step away, and others take a little bit of creativity. If you want to bask in the beauty and wonder of outdoors without the hassle of too much driving, or flying, then here are some fun activities for you.
Go Fishing
Even near the city, there are bodies of water. Most major cities are near rivers. With that comes the opportunity to do various activities. If you are blessed with a river, then you can probably do a little fishing, rafting, if the current permits, or if you want to tone it down just prepare a picnic on the banks and admire its serene beauty.
See a Free Concert
Scour your social media and check if there are any free concerts scheduled to be held in your area. During the spring and summer, many cities and towns hold regular events and festivals. Not only do you get to support the local talent and local scene, but you may possibly be looking at the up and coming artists of the generation.
Geocaching
An outdoor activity that needs no more than a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, or can be your smartphone, geocaching is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with your family. It is like a treasure hunt for the new generation.
All you need to do is sign up at geocaching.com, and look for geocaches location in your area and use your smartphone’s GPS capabilities to locate the coordinates provided by the system. Once you located the cache, you can log in your score and check out the leaderboards in your local area. There are items and prices in the cache, but the rule is to replace it with an item that is equivalent to it or of better value.
Join A Walk Or Run For A Cause
Whether it is walking or running, as long as you do it outdoor and together as a family, it will be a blast. Running or walking with a cause is a great way to spread the word and raise money for something meaningful to you. Displaying this kind of active lifestyle to your kids can help them be inspired to live a healthy lifestyle. Something that they can carry as they grow up and be their own individual.
Set Up A Tent
It would be nice if you have a nearby park or a campsite near your place, but if you don’t your backyard is as good as a place to set up a tent. The springtime is the best time to be outside and sleep in the tent with the family. With fewer bugs, cool weather, sleeping outdoors has never been this fun. This can be a beginners training for when you and your family start your very official wildlife adventure in the future. Keep insect repellant nearby just in case.
Stargazing
Technically, just looking high above is essentially stargazing. But with city lights blinding our view, it is impossible to see the glory and magnificent beauty of the cosmos. Look for a spot where city lights are far and dimmed enough to give you a better view of the night sky. It is ideal to time this activity when there is an astronomical phenomenon happening.