20 Unique Outdoor Escapes in the United States

This time has a lot of us feeling confined and yearning for ways to stay connected: to each other, and to the beauty of the world we share. While we may have temporarily lost the ability to take part in our daily activities, many of our neighborhoods offer some hidden escapes, just waiting to be discovered. 

Fortunately, in many states and cities, people can take advantage of their local outdoor spaces while maintaining social distance. While fresh air and open space do wonders for our bodies, the outdoors also serve as a gateway to the sense of wonder many of us are craving right now.

Ready to challenge yourself to find something extraordinary in the ordinary? Visit DiscoverTheForest.org and use their interactive maps to find plants, rocks, and wildlife that are local to you—then get outdoors to track them down. 

Need some inspiration? Stargazing will give you a glimpse into a whole new world, so grab a blanket, tune into one of our Atlas Obscura live stream music sessions, and take in the night sky. 

And just because we can’t gather in large groups, activities like geocaching allow us to get outdoors, find wonder, and practice social distancing while having fun together. 

For more ideas and tools to discover your own local parks and forests, including the list below, visit Discover the Forest.