In the last few weeks I have had two park visitors tell me in so many words "there was nothing to do" at the park they visited. After I got past my speechless reaction, I remembered that this is a symptom of the bigger problem that writer and lecturer Richard Louv has popularized – Nature Deficit Disorder. A half century ago, most people lived in and around nature and outdoors play was second nature.
Today not only are the population centers away from easy access to nature, but for a variety of reasons children are spending more time indoors. For many of the kids today, their parents also did not play outdoors. Without the experience of exploring and feeling comfortable in the outdoors, I believe we are missing some important and life changing experiences. Scientists are beginning to link the lack of free play and interaction with nature as the cause for attention deficit disorders and the lack of problem solving and creative ability, not to mention the results of calorie intensive diets with limited exercise.
While my top ten things to do outdoors can be done anywhere (depending on the specific activity of course), our Virginia State Parks are particularly well suited for the activities and all of them can be done at most of our parks. And what is more important, our Virginia State Parks are great, safe places to ease into experiencing the outdoors and we offer great programs to teach outdoor skills.
1. Take a Hike! Walk or hike a trail
2. Go fly a kite!
I confess I have never seen anyone fly a kite from a boat!
3. Get your hands dirty! Play in the sand, dirt or mud
Photo courtesy burge5k
4. Use a dip net, sand bucket or any container to dip into water and inspect the results
5. Eat Outdoors! Have a picnic or cookout
Photo courtesy of Bill Crabtree, Jr., Va. Tourism Corp.
6. Bait a hook! Go fishing
Photo courtesy of Bill Crabtree, Jr., Va. Tourism Corp.
7. Glide on the water! Go canoeing, kayaking, tubing
Photo courtesy of Bill Crabtree, Jr., Va. Tourism Corp.
8. Go geocaching!
9. Look up! Watch the stars, clouds, sunrise, or sunset
10. Relax! Sit and soak up the beauty of nature
The best park to visit is like finding the right shoes to wear. Decide what you want to do and use ourVirginia State Park that fits just right!
If you like more structured activities or want to learn how to enjoy some of these activities more, check out our programs and events. You can search by date, parks and/or type of activity.
Want to visit one of our parks overnight? Call our reservation center staff at 800-933-7275 for their recommendations. The Center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or, you can check availability and book on line by clicking here.
Find our overnight fees by here.