National Get Outdoors Day is an annual event designed to encourage all Americans to get up from their comfy sofa, es-chew the dining room table, and take a break from the air-conditioned cool of the indoors and instead, head outside for natural fun, picnics, and outdoor activities. There are countless ways to engage with nature and be outdoors, with sport-ing or leisure activities. This Saturday, make plans to be outside! Here are 10 ideas for how to celebrate National Get Outdoors Day by yourself, with family and kids, or with like-minded friends.
1. Visit a National or State Park
Not only are they still America’s greatest idea, our National Parks and historic sites encourage healthy active outdoor fun and provide a truly spectacular way to get outdoors to enjoy the beauty and splendor of this vast, diverse, and fascinat-ing country. If a state park is easier to access (and probably cheaper/free), head there to see what might be scheduled for National Get Outdoors Day.
2. Go Fishing
Not that you need an excuse to go fishing, but National Get Outdoors Day could be a great way to encourage your kids, partner, or friends to join you one of the all time best outdoor activities. National Outdoors Day is also a free fishing day in many states!
3. Take a Hike
You don’t need fancy gear, expensive boots, or a hydration backpack to take a hike on get outside day! Simply bring a bottle of water, lace up the sneakers you already wear, and find a local loop or out-and-back trail. Look for wildlife, listen for birds, and enjoy time in the great outdoors.
4. Camp Out
If you have a backyard, pitch a tent and spend a night outside on National Get Outdoors Day. Gather your kids for a night of ghost stories, music, and s’mores around the fire pit before falling asleep beneath the stars. Of course, you can also visit and camp at one of these fantastic summer campsites.
5. Visit a Local Dog Park
If you have a pup, take them to a local dog park on get outside day! They will love to run and play with other dogs, and you’ll enjoy taking home a sleepy puppy. Even if you don’t have a dog of your own, dog parks are a fun way to cele-brate national get outdoors day.
6. Plant a Garden
Veggies or flowers (or both), in a raised bed, the ground, or a pot—planting any kind of garden is a great way to encour-age healthy active outdoor fun for your kids and family. In the weeks and months that follow National Get Outdoors Day, your child can water their flower or vegetable (helping them spend more time in the great outdoors) and watch it grow!
7. Volunteer
While you can volunteer to work outside at a local shelter or recreation center, you can also help out an elderly neighbor by mowing their grass, potting a plant to brighten their day, or ask if there’s anything they need done around their proper-ty. You’ll do good and spend time in the great outdoors—that’s a win-win on National Outdoors Day!
8. Attend a Baseball Game
Minors or major league, it makes no difference, as long as the team plays outdoors and the tickets are affordable, the hot dogs tasty, and the cracker jacks still have a prize inside! Take the kids or your friends out to enjoy America’s na-tional pastime and one of the best outdoor activities of all time: baseball!
9. Try Geocaching
Do you know that there are hidden treasures all over the country, just waiting to be found by eager geocachers! Using GPS coordinates and your phone, this is one of the easiest ways to both encourage healthy active outdoor fun and cel-ebrate National Get Outdoors Day. Learn more about how geocaching works and get started hunting for treasure this summer!
10. Spend National Get Outdoors Day on the Water
Boating is one of the great outdoor activities perfect for national outdoors day. From the solitude of a one-person kayak or stand-up paddle board to the group fun of a pontoon boat, going boating and being on the water is a perfect way to enjoy the great outdoors alone or with a group.
Need more ideas for what to do on National Get Outdoors Day this year? Here are 30 cheap outdoor activities to enjoy this summer!
