The Best Ways to Connect With Nature With Just a Weekend
Following a year of COVID-19 lockdowns, when working from home and quarantines led to feelings of stuffiness, everyone is eager to get back outside for regular lifestyle activities and nature getaways. An article titled “Your Covid-19 Summer Safety Guide” by Becky Upham published in the June 2020 issue of Everyday Health indicates that being outdoors may pose less risk for the virus than being inside.
If you are ready to enjoy the great outdoors over an upcoming weekend, here are some fun things to do.
Take a Hike
Enjoy a sunny day at a favorite nearby park for hours of hiking on woodland trails or hilly terrain. Enjoy seasonal flowers and crisp temperatures as you put the city life behind for a nature escape. Pack a picnic or browse a roadside stand for a healthy picnic in a meadow or at the park’s pavilion. If permitted, collect wildflower samples and create a memory book when you go home. Take your camera for some great shots that will provide life-long remembrances to enjoy over and over as well as share with future generations.
Camp Out
Pack up your tent and cooking gear for a night or two under the stars. Check the weather and plan accordingly to adjust to prevailing or changing weather conditions. Pick an area where your family can have some quiet time alone with scenic views. Or you may want to utilize a campground with other campers that offers amenities like restrooms, a swimming pool, or a meeting lodge. Some campgrounds offer scheduled activities like folk dancing in the evening or a campfire storytelling hour. Make sure you grab your Darche, grab enough snacks, and bring supplies you need to clean up after so the next person can enjoy the campsite when you are finished. Just remember to continue to practice COVID safety with masks and social distancing as necessary.
Sign Up for a Canoe Trip
Sign up for a canoe adventure on a local river, with or without a guide. You could explore quiet inlets and streams or opt for a trip filled with whitecap rapids that will make an unforgettable experience. Some trips are arranged in a way that lets you park your car at the end destination and take a shuttle to where the canoes launch or vice versa. Meals are sometimes provided. You can see exciting places that you have not visited before, at least not by boat. You will also see different species of wildlife, birds, and fish that you might not see from a land perspective.
Plan a Bike or Horse Trail Ride
Gather your riding gear for bikes or horses and hit the trail for a rustic weekend. Find a family-oriented riding trail for a relaxing day spent viewing new surroundings or old favorites. Pack trail-friendly food and eat under a massive oak or beside a pristine lake. The family will love a day of exercise with plenty of fresh air and sunshine. Sing your favorite group songs or relax by an evening campfire toasting marshmallows as you recall the best parts of the day.
Participate in Farm Life
Many working farms and ranches offer weekend visits to people who want to observe that way of life close up. You may be able to assist with feeding the chickens or grooming the horses and other interesting activities that you have never done before. Being part of an enriching experience that connects everyday life with the simple pastoral pleasures and the origins of most foods can be very relaxing and refreshing. This type of getaway also provides a wonderful teaching experience for young children.
Attend an Outdoor Fair
Whatever your hobbies or interests, you can find all-day outside themed or holiday fairs and festivals to attend over a weekend. History fans enjoy medieval or Renaissance fairs while cowboy enthusiasts love spending a day or two at a rodeo with various spectator events. An outdoor horse show or dog show is another great way to appreciate the open-air environment of an exciting competitive event. Local community festivals, summer sweet corn or berry fairs, and harvest celebrations in the fall enable spectators to partake of seasonal events in beautiful weather.
Go Fishing
Pick a new or favorite fishing hole and pack up your pole and gear for a wonderful day on a river, stream, or lake. Plan for the type of fish you can expect to catch and take along the required bait and tackle. Find a spot under the trees near the bank of the waterway or rent a boat to head toward a prime fishing area. You might want to bring some camping chairs and pack a lunch for a leisurely day spent near the water.
Whatever your outside interests, start planning a relaxing or stimulating weekend trip where you can enjoy your hobby in nature’s setting. You’ll have fun while enjoying fresh air and sunshine to come home rested and refreshed. Take the chance to get out and stretch your legs. Even a homebody appreciates home more after a weekend outside!
