5 Great Things to Do this Summer in the Great Outdoors

[Dicky kurniasandi]

 
wilpunt

Summer is officially here today, and travel is opening up again after the lockdowns! That means it’s time to get out into the great outdoors. With only a few months of spectacular weather to cram in all your fun summer activities, it’s never too early to start planning what you want to do or where you want to go. Here are five awesome options for outdoor adventure travel to consider as this summer rolls on.


Go Camping

This is one of the most fun ways to escape to the outdoors. Best of all, you can go camping in a campground near your house in a state park, or venture further into the wilderness with everything you need strapped to your back. There’s hardly anything better than sitting around the fire enjoying s'mores, maybe having a vape (check out SmokingThings.com), and shooting the breeze.


Go Boating and/or Fishing

There are few things more leisurely than spending your day out on the water, whether the ocean or a lake, and if you don't own your own, there are many rental options available, both charters and individual rentals.

And for many, it's even more enjoyable to combine that with a fishing rod in one hand and a drink in the other. And of course angling doesn't have to be from a boat - just find a nice stream, river, or lake and enjoy the "zen of fishing."


Go Hiking

Getting out on the trails of the world, away from the crowds and the traffic, is a great way to both get exercise and enjoy nature, and there are options for all fitness and experience levels (if you're relatively new to hiking, get some great beginner tips here). Tote along a pair of binoculars for bird and other wildlife spotting, and of course a cellphone or digital camera to document your adventure. Not sure where to begin? There are plenty of routes and itineraries available online in many parts of the world, from your home town to the far corners of the earth.


Go to a National Park

In various countries, national parks are perfect for exploring the great outdoors. Most are accessible by car, and parts can even be enjoyed by simply driving through, while more in-depth pleasures are waiting for those who want to hike, climb, and camp. There are all sorts of other activities available in many parks (in addition, in some cases, to historic and archaeological sites), so ask a ranger when you arrive about what’s best at that time of year.


Go for a Dip

For hot days, even if you're not close to an ocean beach, there's usually a river, stream, or lake somewhere nearby - sometimes in state or provincial nature parks - where you can bring a picnic and splash around in the water. It's not summertime if you don't go for a swim at least once!