Even as travel restrictions and quarantines begin to ease, many of us are choosing to still stay close to home. Most people realize that even as the coronavirus numbers drop, until we have a vaccine, there is still a big risk that we could get infected. That means that travel plans will likely be on hold for the foreseeable future and social distancing will continue for awhile yet. But, that doesn't mean you have to give up all of your outdoor adventures. While you might not be jetting off to the Himalaya or going on safari in Africa anytime soon, there are still plenty of microaventures to be had in your own backyard. And to help us pick, Men's Journal has assembled a list of 16 of those local adventures that we can pursue.
Some of the suggestions that make the list include visiting a local park that may be an old favorite or one that you've never been to before. Just going there to take a walk or enjoy the outdoors can be extremely satisfying in a time when many of us are mostly staying very close to home. MJ also suggests spending the night in a hammock, which could take place literally in your own backyard. For something a bit more athletic, why not undertake an "Everesting" challenge, which tasks you with climbing the same flight of stairs, hill, or trail over and over again until you reach the accumulated height of Mt. Everest at 8848 meters (29,029 ft). And if you're not down for something quite as active as that, how about riding a bus route to the end of the line or building a treehouse? The point of a microadventure is to look at the community around you and find unique, fun, and unusual things to do that don't require you to travel vast distances or take on an epic journey.
While all of these suggestions are good ones, and I salute Men's Journal for recommending ways for us to get active and go have a bit of outdoor adventure, keep in mind that we still need to do so in a safe and sensible manner. Don't put yourself at undue risk at a time when health workers and care facilities can be a bit overwhelmed. Also, even while you're outdoors you need to maintain a healthy respect for others and keep a safe distance at all times. By being careful and aware, you can go outside and do some fun things, often without having to travel more than a few miles to do so.
Stay safe and you'll get back to those macroadventures again soon.