Are you tired of staying indoors during this pandemic? While cities or towns may have closed outdoor spaces like parks, beaches, and outdoor fields, it does not mean you have to stay indoors. Depending on where you live, there are many outdoor activities you can still safely partake in, but remember to mask up and maintain a six feet social distance. Need a few ideas? Take a look at the list below, get outside, and get that vitamin D!

1. Go “camping” in your backyard

You can set up a picnic, pull out tents or build a fort, gather around a fire pit, or watch movies. Bring along a couple of friends, gather some delicious food, and binge-watch movies all night long. If you have a fire pit, make the classic camping treat: s’mores. Some other fun activities to do while backyard camping include stargazing, singing a campfire song, and of course, what’s a campfire without gathering around to tell some spooky ghost stories? 

2. Take pictures 

Take this free time to foster your creativity with a camera. Photos are a great way of remembering how things used to be and appreciating how they’ve changed. This pandemic will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one you might want to remember. So go out explore your city (safely) and take tons of pictures. 

3. Go on a hike

Chances are, because we’re in Washington, you live close to a trail. Many have remained open, so hiking can be a great relaxing cardio workout. Hiking is an amazing way to get some fresh air and stretch your body. Make sure to avoid crowded paths, and don’t let the cold weather stop you from being active outdoors; dress in layers and protect your head, hands, feet, and face. 

4. Grow your green thumb

If you have ever secretly thought about keeping a small garden in your backyard, now is the perfect time to start building one. Staying at home means you can dedicate your time to building the perfect garden. Nothing tastes quite like fresh homegrown fruits and vegetables, and gardening is a great way to lessen your groceries and carbon footprint. Gardening is a great hobby to pick up as you can grow anything from flowers to fruits to vegetables or just houseplants for aesthetics!

5. Workout or make your own gym

Working out is essential during this time as we spend the majority of our day indoors and in front of a computer screen. Great, pandemic-safe workout options are biking and running outside. If you want to get a little creative, you can build your makeshift outdoors gym. For example, you can bring a resistance band and attach it to a sturdy branch or pole and do exercises like lat pull-downs and rows. You can also use open stairs to do push-ups or run up and down them.