The weather is finally starting to warm up here on Long Island. Yes, I am in New York and have been for almost a week now. I have a feeling I’ll spending a lot more time here in the near future. Anywho, it’s really starting to feel like summer and that comes with all the feels. The warm weather makes its more difficult to stay inside and #stayhome. Now that the weather is cooperating, it’s easy to get outside, enjoy the fresh air, and keep up with social distancing guidelines. Here’s some ideas for getting outside and enjoying the weather and how I’m doing it!

Hiking

If the parks and preserves near you are open, hiking is an awesome way to get outside and escape your house (and maybe your family, but bring them along for company if you want). I’ve been heading to Sunken Meadow State Park, pretty religiously, when there’s been a nice day. Yes, there is an awesome boardwalk that overlooks the Long Island Sound. My favorite park though is the trails that go throughout the woods on the property. There’s some pretty steep trails that bring you down the to Sound but you can also get lost in the wooded area. Avalon Park and Preserve in Stony Brook is also an amazing place to walk around in nature. If you’re looking for a well-maintained place to explore, this is it. There’s art on the trails, plenty of wildlife, and even a large field to roam.

Fishing

If theres a waterway nearby you, get to fishing. Am I skilled by any means? No. But it is extremely relaxing. I’m lucky enough to have a creek in my backyard that connects to the Atlantic Ocean. There’s tons of stripers that find their way in and I’ve managed to snag a few. There’s tons of spots to cast at on Long Island, and you can easily pick up some equipment from Dick’s. They’re doing curb-side pick-up and it really is a breeze!

Kayaking

Getting a little exercise is always a good thing. I’ve been finding myself glued to the sofa working and letting time get away from me. Kayaking has been so much fun and I don’t even realize how sore I am from it til the next few days! Getting fresh air and being on the water can’t be beat. I’ve been kayaking all around the North Fork of Long Island and found some pretty cool spots to explore. There’s tons of boat ramps and docks along the Long Island Sound and the Great South Bay where you can launch off from. Dick’s again is the go-to. You can order a Kayak to be picked up curb-side and they will even help you put the kayak on the roof of your car for transport.

Grilling

It’s BBQ season baby! Get outside and cook some burgers, dogs, chicken, and whatever else your heart desires. I’m a huge fan of being killing two birds with one stone. Getting outside to grill gets you outside, having fresh air, while preparing some awesome food for lunch or dinner. If there’s an excuse to get outside, I will find it. Hey it’ll also save you some money on UberEats spending you’ve been doing lately!

Play an Outdoor Sport

Being a lacrosse rat, it’s hard for me to not play. It’s been fun picking up my lacrosse stick and going up to the field to get some reps in. Not only does it bring me back to the glory days, but it is an awesome workout. Grab a soccer ball or a basketball and start playing! Even pick up something new. Always wanted to try skateboarding? Go get a skateboard and start learning. People have been coming across a lot more free time during the stay at home order. It seems like a pretty good time to learn a new skill or try something new to me!

Read Outside

I was never a big reader, but have started to appreciate getting lost in the chapters of a book. Yes it’s nice to cozy up indoors and open a book, but why not take that outdoors? I’ll hop on my hammock or lay out on a lounge chair in my backyard and just read! Just because you want to get outside doesn’t mean you have to be running or doing something physically active. Take a break, enjoy the sun, and read a new book! You can go on Amazon and get books for a Kindle or have them sent to you via Prime. Check out some of my favorite books and some that are on my read-list!

Outdoor Yoga

In my post about staying active while the gyms are close, I mentioned my favorite at-home yoga practice, Yoga with Adriene. When the sun is shining I’ll take my yoga mat outside and set up my practice outdoors. I always see those outdoor yoga classes at the beach or a local park and I’m pretty intimidated to try them because I am still such a beginner, so making my own little outdoor yoga studio in my backyard has been pretty incredible.

Running/Jogging

I hate running, so much. I’ve been making a point of trying to get into it though. Even though it is a brutal, there’s no better time than right now to get out and start adding running into your routine. I think it would be pretty cool to say i can run a marathon at some point in my life. That might be a stretch, but you know what I mean. Throughout college I never realized how much running was involved in lacrosse, it just was part of the game. I’m trying to get back into good running shape and this warm weather is making it easy to get outside and make that happen. I downloaded Nike Run Club to track my progress and that’s been a pretty awesome motivator. They have challenges you can join and it keeps track of distance and time for all your runs. If you’ve been thinking about getting in shape or trying to get into running, now seems like a pretty good time to start!

Gardening

Get outside and plant some flowers, or herbs, or veggies! It’s a Mother’s Day tradition in my house to go to the local nursery and pick out new flowers for the window boxes on the house. It’s always something I’ve done with my mom and loved! We’ve planted some vegetables in the backyard and it’s pretty cool to see them grow back year after year.

Outdoor Dinners

Any excuse to get outside is a good excuse. If you have an outdoor table, set it up for an outdoor meal. Even if it’s just sitting in chair, it’s nice to get out of the house. Since there is really no where to have a sit-down dinner right now, I’ve been picking up food from my favorite restaurants and bringing it to the park or the beach. Even sitting in my Jeep with the windows down is a nice change of scenery from my kitchen.