Staff Reporter
People generally enjoy being outdoors, and this fact became even more apparent when everyone was trapped indoors during the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021. Luckily, things have changed for the better since then, and the world is open to being much like how it was before the pandemic. However, rather than just going out for a drive or visiting the local beach that you have already visited hundreds of times, it would be more exciting to try out something new.
Many people develop a routine for their outdoor activities. There are certain things that they enjoy doing outdoors or certain activities that are convenient for them to do, and whenever they get the chance, those are all they ever do. While there is nothing wrong with repeating activities, it leaves little room for growth. Why continue to get more versions of the same experience when there is so much of the outdoors left to be explored?
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of activities that you could pursue outdoors. The challenge is finding ones that suit your tastes and finding the courage to actually do them. Activities are typically much more exciting when you have a group of friends to enjoy it with. Here are some great activities that will give you an experience of a lifetime.
1. Geocaching
If you remember going for treasure hunts or playing hide and seek when you were younger, geocaching is like the digital version of that. It is a game powered by technology, but it is something that people of all ages can easily participate in and even enjoy. All you need to do to get started is to sign-up at the geocaching website and get the coordinates on a GPS-enabled device. This could be a dedicated GPS or it could be your mobile phone. Simply load the app onto your phone, install the geocaching data, and get started on the hunt for the next cache. There are thousands of caches located throughout the world and the app will tell you where they are located.
The app won’t show you the exact coordinates or location of the cache, instead it will give you a general idea of the location where the cache is. Once you are in the vicinity of the cache you need to look around and use your own hunting skills to find the cache.
The caches come in different difficulty levels. At the easier levels, the caches will be large items that are relatively easy to spot. As the difficulty level rises, the guidance towards the cache becomes a little vaguer and the cache itself becomes harder to find. In some cases, this could be a very small cache, the size of a thumb drive, or it could be a cache that is camouflaged into the surroundings.
Once you locate the cache, inside you will usually find a physical log book. You are supposed to enter your credentials along with the date that you have found the cache. You will also make a digital entry of your find online, and this is how you will log your progress.
In some caches, you might also find other surprises that other geocachers have left behind for whoever comes after them. You can take something you like and also place something that you would like to pass on to someone else. Remember, this is a global game, so wherever you are in the world there is most likely something for you to find in that vicinity.
2. Snowshoeing
If you enjoy going for hikes whether that is for health or for pleasure, then you will enjoy snowshoeing. Snowshoeing, as the name implies, involves both snow and specialized snowshoes. If you have ever worn snowshoes, you will know that walking in them is not that easy. They are usually a bit bigger than your shoe size and are designed in such a way that your weight is distributed across a larger surface area. This helps to prevent your foot from sinking into thick snow.
Snowshoeing is all about wearing these shoes and going out for hikes, walks, and general trekking adventures to explore paths and terrains that are covered with snow. If there is a hiking trail that you enjoy in the summer, it is most likely closed or at least unusable in the winter due to snow. With the right gear and a pair of snowshoes, you can get back on the trail and explore it in a very unique climate. The same place will seem completely different when covered in snow, and you also get the added benefit of having exclusive access to the place since most people will not be out during this time of year. Walking around with snowshoes on is also quite challenging so you can get a good workout with this activity.
3. Gellblasting
A few years ago, paintballing became extremely popular. Later on, as more people got into the sport, the problems started to emerge. One of the main issues was the fact that the injuries were serious. If people were not wearing the right kit and if they were hit in sensitive areas such as the ears or eyes, the injuries were devastating. Moreover, the paintball guns were powered with CO2 or nitrogen which was not very good for the environment either. The bigger problem with the gas was the cartridges that it came in. Initially, the cartridges used to be disposable so it was becoming quite problematic to dispose of them.
Gellblasting is exactly the same game as paintballing but it is much safer and much more environmentally friendly. In fact, some would even go as far as to say that it is more challenging than regular paintballing because the equipment is superior, the technicality of the game is higher, and more skill is needed. Moreover, it offers a lot more customization as you can buy a gel blaster and then upgrade and modify it to your liking. With paintball guns, the most you could do was make some aesthetic upgrades or get a bigger tank of gas and a bigger holder to hold more paintballs.
Gellblasting follows a lot of the same rules as paintballing. It can be done in a free-for-all format or it can be done in a capture-the-flag format. The great thing about gelblasting is that the balls that are used as bullets don’t have any harmful material like paint or metal in them as traditional paintballs do. They are simply gel balls that are placed in water to get them to swell up. When they are fired they explode upon impact and can barely be felt by the target. Traditional paintballing was limited to paintball parks because the paintballs were harmful to the environment and could also be a major risk for anyone outside the area that was not wearing protective gear. With gelblasting this is not a problem. Gel balls will naturally decompose and even if someone with no protective gear is hit with a gel ball, it won’t have any major impact. This means gelblasting can be done anywhere, even outside a regular paintball park. It’s a lot safer for both the players and the environment.
4. Extreme Sports
We have all heard of extreme sports and seen them on TV, but few have actually attempted these stunts. While they are amazing to watch, they are even more exhilarating to experience first-hand. If you are looking for a special outdoor activity that will be an experience to remember, then extreme sports is a great option to consider. These sports can be quite physically demanding so you want to stick to things that you can safely do. For instance, bull-riding is a great extreme sport, but it might be a bit too extreme for the average person.
On the other hand, things like bungee jumping, paragliding, or even skydiving, are sports that are still relatively safe, and anyone can do them. As long as you don’t have any major health conditions or physical challenges, you can participate in a lot of different extreme sports. Even if you don’t make this a routine, it is still a worthwhile experience to have.
There are lots of different extreme sports. Some are water-based, others are aerial, some require equipment, while others just require you to have an experienced person with you to guide you through the process. Look around for extreme sports that you can do in your vicinity and try those out with your friends.
5. Outdoor Projects
Another fun thing to do outdoors is to build something. This could be that shed that you have been putting off for years, that treehouse that you want to make for the kids, an outdoor kitchen, or even a project car that you have always wanted to build. Whatever the case may be, an outdoor project is a great way to kill time and it’s a unique pastime that is fun no matter how old you are.
These days, as more people are spending time at home and working remotely, having a project has become a more popular pastime. For some people, this is as simple as renovating their kitchen or making a small garden for growing their own vegetables. For others, it could be making a home office and building something that they actually need and will use regularly.
If you already have a shed or a garage where you can work, then that’s great. If, however, you don’t, then just making a workstation for yourself can be the first project. If you are making something for the house or for the kids, you can get your family involved and make it a family project. This will be a great way to spend time on the weekends and will help your family grow as a team. If you are building something that is your own passion, then you can always get friends or like-minded people involved and build it together. This will help you get more ideas and will also make it more enjoyable for everyone involved.
6. Road Trips
Traveling is easily one of the most popular pastimes for people of all ages, but there is something unique about road trips that no other form of travel offers. The most enjoyable road trips are those that are planned spontaneously. You are sitting down with a group of friends and suddenly decide to go to a neighboring town just for dinner or you decide to get away for the weekend to enjoy a local attraction.
The great thing about road trips is that they are very flexible. You can travel within your city, you can travel within your state, or you can even travel to different parts of the country. Those with an extremely adventurous spirit even go as far as traveling to new countries by road in their own vehicle. Moreover, it is a slower mode of transportation so you have a lot more time to soak in the experience and enjoy different elements of intrigue along the way.
Unlike trains and planes where you simply get on at one point and get off at the other, traveling in your own vehicle gives you the freedom to choose your path and do things your way. For people who enjoy cars and driving, the experience of driving to a certain place is part of the fun. You can pair a road trip with nearly any other kind of activity such as hiking, camping, or canoeing, and make the experience even more experience-packed.
It’s not often that people get to experience these different things because they are always tied up with work or family or other commitments. In reality, everyone is busy, but people who decide to indulge in these activities make them a priority and figure out a way to make time for them. They also need to go to work and tend to other responsibilities, but enjoying life is a priority for them. If you want to live a happier and healthier life, then make time for these kinds of activities and experience new things. This will help you grow as a person and will also be a great experience for your family and friends.
