Four Ways To (Safely) Seek Adventure While in Quarantine.

Chai
Apr 4, 2020
5 min read

So much has changed over the last month. I can hardly recognize the world we live in today compared to what it was during the first week of March. I still vividly remember that week. The coronavirus pandemic had just started to erupt in Europe and hadn’t quite hit the U.S. full force yet. I had been planning a trip to Southeast Asia for over five months, which I was supposed to be taking in mid-April; and at this point, I was seriously starting to doubt whether the trip would happen, or if it even should happen, given how rapidly the pandemic was growing.

A couple weeks later, my fate was sealed for me, as my flight to Vietnam got cancelled. Although I was happy to learn I’d be getting a travel voucher to use towards a future trip, I couldn’t deny the fact that I was slightly disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to get out of town for the foreseeable future.

Traveling, seeing unfamiliar places, and trying out new activities were all things I loved doing on a regular basis. But I realized that right now, going on an international trip, or even one that was simply out of state, wouldn’t be a feasible or smart thing to do.

Despite understanding all of this, I just couldn’t quiet the wanderlust within me. I knew I had to find alternative activities during this quarantine that would mimic some of the fun-filled adventures I’d typically seek on vacation, while also allowing me to practice social distancing. After doing my research, I’m happy to say that there still are a few different ways to satisfy your wanderlust and desire to get out and explore, while practicing social distancing and staying safe.

Whether you’ve had to cancel an adventure-filled trip and are seeking alternative ideas, or you simply can’t handle the thought of staying cooped up in your house 24/7, no worries! Check out these 4 social distancing-friendly adventures while in quarantine.

Do a Hike At a Local Metro or State Park

At the moment, major national parks — like Yellowstone National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park — are closed to the public, and it makes sense why: these are huge tourist attractions, and so, they draw in thousands of visitors on a daily basis. Because of this, maintaining social distancing would be quite challenging for visitors. Fortunately, the same isn’t typically true for most metro parks or state parks in your area. Since they're mainly visited by local residents of a specific area, it makes it way easier to practice social distancing.

So, venture out for a day of hiking at your local metro or state park without fear. If you want to exercise additional caution, use Google’s Popular Times feature when you choose a park to determine which times tend to be less crowded. Not sure where to go hiking, or if there even are trails in your area? Check out AllTrails. All you have to do is type in the area where you live, and it will pull up a bunch of different trail options for you. You can filter by distance, elevation gain, and even check out user reviews to determine where you’d like to go hiking.

Find a Body of Water to Go Kayaking

While I was looking at different hiking trails and metro parks in my area, I also noticed that there were a bunch of creeks, lakes, and rivers as well in my area — many of which have access points, where people can simply bring their kayaks and enjoy an adventurous ride down the water. And the best part about kayaking? According to Kim Gregory, owner of Kayaking SRQ Tours and Rental, most kayaks are about 12 feet long, so by default, one could efficiently practice social distancing.

Before you go on your kayaking adventure, make sure to do your research on rivers, creeks, and lakes in your area to ensure which access points remain open, and if there are any restrictions. If you’re not sure where to find a kayak, since many canoe and kayak outfitters may be closed right now, consider investing in your own kayak. If the cost is an issue, check out these inflatable kayaks on Amazon. They’ve got pretty good reviews, and most of them cost way less than a regular kayak. I just ordered an Intex K2, and I’m super excited to use it!

Set Up Camp In Your Backyard

If going on camping trips has always been your idea of the perfect vacation during these warm months, I can only imagine what a let down it must've been to learn that many campgrounds and cabin rentals were being temporarily shut down. If this happens to be news to you, at the moment, 40 out of 50 states have either shut down, or delayed opening their state park campgrounds, which means overnight camping trips will be an unlikely possibility.

That’s why now’s the time to bring the spirit of camping out into your own backyard. Set up a tent, put together a bonfire, and roast up some s’mores: the whole nine. If you live with your partner and/or have kids that live with you, make it a fun-filled activity for the entire household, by telling scary stories or playing instruments and singing around the bonfire (just make sure not to disturb your neighbors). Finally, if your environment permits, gaze at the night sky and try to spot some stars.

Go on a Spring Scavenger Hunt

With the spring bloom right around the corner, a fun adventure could be to go on a Spring scavenger hunt. Based on where you live, you can determine what kind of flora and fauna you may find in your area. For example, this is a cool resource to determine what kinds of wildflowers you may find in your area. Once you do that, pick a spot to go exploring, and take pictures of your findings! You could also do this another way: instead of trying to find certain plants and flowers, download a Plant ID app, like PlantNet, and take pictures of cool-looking plants and flowers you find along your path. The app will identify it for you!

If you really want to take it a step further and get in touch with your creative self, consider making a photo journal of your findings, or a nature photo blog; the possibilities are truly endless. In my opinion, the coolest thing about this activity is that you really don't need anything at your disposable to be able to do it. It's probably one of the most accessible activities out of all of the ones I've listed here. Almost every single spot in the world has some kind of vegetation. All we need is the drive to get outside, and a curiosity to explore our surroundings.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a very harrowing time for all of us and has impacted each of us in different ways. At best, it has turned our worlds upside down, as we navigate a life without social gatherings and basic household items: things we never fathomed to be at risk of going away. At worst, it has mercilessly robbed otherwise healthy people of their lives.

I want to point out that, by writing this article, my intention is not to undermine the struggles of those who are facing some of these bigger problems. I completely acknowledge that being unable to travel or leave town is truly nothing compared to losing one's job, one's family member, or even one's own mental well-being. And to those of you who may be going through any of those things right now, my heart goes out to you and I hope you are able find some light in these tough times.

However, despite all this, I still think it's okay to try to continue being happy and live life as normally as we can during this time. It’s okay to try to find excitement and inspiration in the things we do during this time. And finally, so long as we use common sense and practice social distancing, it is okay to seek adventure and go exploring during this time. Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay happy, everyone.