6 Ways to Get Outside in 2025
Looking to spend more time outdoors this year? Start close to home.
My New Year’s resolution is to complete my nonfiction book, The Great Local Outdoors: Your Guide to a Casual Outdoorsy Life That’s Social, Dirt Cheap, and Never Far From Home. In the meantime, I thought I’d share a few ways you can start ramping up your outdoor time.
#1 Volunteer
Remove invasives at your local nature preserve by signing up for a shift with other volunteers, plant a pollinator garden in your town with the environmental commission or a chapter of a native plant club, or join a park cleanup. The nature preserve near me started with a handful of volunteers and quickly grew their ranks to more than 70. Why? It’s actually a lot of fun.
#2 Connect with a hiking group.
There are so many small local hiking groups that you’re sure to find one that suits you. Maybe you’re looking for a senior group, or a women-only group, or one that does easy hikes, or more difficult ones. You’ll find it.
#3 Go on a full-moon hike
These easy hikes have become so popular that you need to register before they fill up. You’ll find hikes that cover the history of the landscape you’re venturing on, as well as hikes to local destinations, including one I did recently—a hike to a distillery where we enjoyed a cocktail and BYOFood.
#4 Go birding with a local club
If you’re not a birder, these clubs will often teach you (they run beginner birder outings). They’ll also often loan you a pair of binoculars. My local Audubon chapter runs several outings every week to various parks and preserves in the area, including the state botanical garden. They even let you attend for free. If the birding bug bites, you can join. You don’t even have to wait til spring, birders go out all year.
#5 Honor wildlife and yourself at a nature preserve
Fun fact: Nature preserves exist to provide a safe haven for plants, trees, and wildlife. They’re not there so you can ride your bike on the trails, throw reveal parties, or walk your dog. As a result, they’re a perfect place to take a quiet reflective walk, sit on a bench and journal, or watch wildlife.
#6 Take an evening walk
End the day with a stroll. Maybe invite your neighbor.
