With limited travel options during this difficult time, itβs the perfect time to look at your backyard and discover new adventures close to you. No matter the size or difficulty, the most important thing is to have a good time when you can say in the end, βIβm so glad I did that, that was so much funβ.
Browse our fun adventure ideas below and plan a fun weekend with your friends doing something new. You definitely wonβt regret it!
Adventure ideas for a fun weekend:
1. Go for a bike ride in a new park
Biking is one of the most popular activities these days, and bikes are sold out in many stores. While everyone has a favourite trail to bike, why not explore a new one? Visit a new city park or a new trail, and you might even find another favourite trail.
2. Jump into an ice-cold lake to boost your immunity
Iβm a huge fan of spontaneously jumping into lakes, especially after a hike or trail run. Itβs fantastic for muscle relief and boosting your immunity. The trick is not to think about it too much or testing the water beforehand. Just go for it and enjoy the tingling sensation in your body. You only live once!
3. Catch a sunrise from a mountain top
Headlamps are not only for camping. Make sure you have one before venturing out in the dark, ask in local hiking groups on Facebook for current conditions and grab a friend. Welcoming a new day from a mountain top truly is an unforgettable adventure.
4. Try stand up paddleboarding
Stand up paddleboarding is a fantastic sport suitable for all age groups and fitness levels. You can even find a budget-friendly priced paddle board to buy or rent one and go for a paddle on the lake. This is my favourite activity when Canadian lakes are thawed.
5. Have a picnic by the river
A great opportunity to slow down in this rushed world is to enjoy delicious food in a good company with a nice view. Pack your favourite meal, a blanket and head to the river. Imagine having a nap while sun rays are shining on your face with the sound of rushing water nearby and a belly full of goodies. Sounds like an amazing combination.
6. Search for new murals or art in your city
Go for a stroll in search of colourful murals or other artistic creations.Β Even if youβre not a city person, it might give you a new sense of appreciation for a city where you live. Thatβs what happened to me when we went biking around Calgary and found plenty of cool murals; my favourite is pictured below.
7. Float down the river on a tube
Letβs see the familiar landscape from a different perspective. You can rent a raft or buy a tube and leisurely float down the river. This is a favourite for local Calgarians where we live, and Iβm sure many other cities with the easily accessible river right in downtown.
8. Go camping and enjoy the solitude
Sleeping under the stars and waking up to the sound of chirping birds. Sounds pretty good, right? If youβve been following our blog, you know how much we love camping, and it doesnβt matter if itβs in the majestic Canadian Rockies, in the middle of nowhere in Chilean Patagonia, on top of an Indonesian volcano or in your backyard.
We believe in the benefits of connecting to nature and disconnecting from the world so much that weβve even started a company to help travelers camp in the Canadian Rockies. Check out our Smile Campervans.
9. Sign up for a race and start training
Have you been following someone on social media and secretly admiring their accomplishments? Then start training and make something good happen for you. To have the best motivation, sign up for a race so you have a date set in stone and canβt budge.
10. Take a walking tour
You donβt have to travel far to take a walking tour. You can take one to learn something new about your city. Whether itβs focused on history, art or haunted houses like the one Iβve attended, youβll expand your horizons.
11. Climb a tree
I bet you did it when you were a kid, we all did. The question is, can you still climb a tree? Itβs fun to stretch and strengthen the muscles you didnβt know you had, trust me.
12. Rent a canoe and paddle around the lake
Visit your local outdoor store to rent a canoe and go for a paddle down the river or in the nearby lake. They can probably advise of a slow section of the river to paddle or offer a guide to take you.
13. Take a road trip
Road trips give you a great sense of freedom, whether itβs for a weekend, a few weeks or months. Pack your camping gear and hit the road. You can explore part of your country you havenβt been to before.
14. Visit your favourite park and try the swings
Anyone loves swings as much as I do? Visit a nearby park or playground and swing away; it might bring back some lovely childhood memories.
15. Pick your produce at a local farm
Itβs more fun than shopping at the grocery store, donβt you think? Ripe produce always smells and tastes better, and you will surely appreciate it more when you worked for it.
16. Fly a kite
This is another fun activity popular with kids but with adults as well. You can follow this video and make a DIY kite from things you probably already have at home. In case it rains, kids might enjoy trading pins in the meantime, and then go fly a kite once the first sunray is out.
17. Meet new friends through social groups
Join meetup.com, where you can find groups based on your interest and meet up with new people. Another option is joining Couchsurfing or search Facebook groups in your area.
18. Rent a scooter and explore a new neighbourhood
Electric scooters are having a massive boom now. Itβs a fun way to get around your city, effortlessly.
19. Sign up for a new class at your local library
Check out your local library for some interesting classes or workshops. The last time I checked, our Calgary library offered online programs to learn about bears, ancient Egypt, improve interview skills and more.
20. Take a wine, brewery or food tour
Who doesnβt like trying new delicious food? Instead of trying luck and going on your own, consider taking a tour. You learn about the process of making that excellent beer or meal so you can make it at home.
21. Learn a new skill
It has never been easier to learn a new skill – photography, drawing, cooking, language, meditation, speed reading, film & video, creative writing, and more. You can learn anything you want by watching Youtube videosor joining Skillshare or Creative Live.
22. Plant your garden
Grow your herbs in your indoor or outdoor garden! Weβve planted some produce in the outdoor garden, but unfortunately, spring hail damaged most of it. At least I always have fresh mint for a tea. We hope to have better luck next year.
23. Cook a national food of a country youβd like to visit
Immerse yourself in a new culture by cooking their national food. Hereβs a massive list of South American dishes for inspiration.
24. Try yoga or workout outdoors
Outdoor enthusiasts take every opportunity to get outside, whether to the mountains or just local parks. A great option is to do yoga or workout outdoors; I see plenty of them in the parks.
25. Make a bonfire with your friends
Making a bonfire opens up a place for great conversations with your friends while having a barbeque. And staring at a bonfire is incredibly calming; thatβs why a Swedish TV has a program that streamlines a crackling fireplace. Seriously.
26. Go cliff jumping to get an adrenaline rush
Cliff jumping is a great activity when done responsibly. It would be best if you worked your way up from a tiny jump to bigger ones when you can really feel that adrenaline rising.
27. Make a vision board
Thatβs exactly what we did before our trip around the world. Find pictures of incredible places youβd like to visit, make a board and hang it above your desk. You will see it every day and it will motivate you to actually plan your trip (much more than making an online vision board).
28. Watch an adventure movie
Live the adventure through the screen. I absolutely love watching adventure movies, and now Iβm in the process of creating an epic list. In the meantime, I recommend watching Free Solo, Jungle or The Call of the Wild.
READ FOR INSPIRATION
30 Best outdoor movies and adventure documentaries
29. Sleep under the stars in your backyard
While camping in the mountains is great, itβs not an option for everyone. Why not set up a tent or hammock in your own backyard? That way, you can still wake up with chirping birds and fresh air.
30. Go wildlife watching
Which wild animals would you like to see? In the Canadian Rockies, the most popular are mama bears and their cubs. We usually go wildlife watching early in the morning or in the evening when animals are most active. Check out our post Wildlife in Canada for more pictures of what you can see.
31. Sign up for a nature walk
If youβd like to know all the different plants and animals that live in your area, the best thing would be to sign up for a nature walk.
32. Try a new mountain biking trail
Challenge yourself and try a new mountain biking trail. A great place to start is the Trailforks app or joining local biking groups on Facebook and hit the trails with a group.
33. Pick up a new sport
Did you always want to learn how to climb, kayak or dive? Whatever it is, Iβm sure there is a Youtube video about it. Watch how to start to get an idea of what it involves and then sign up for lessons if needed.
34. Chase the Northern Lights
Northern countries might have long and cold winters, but they also see Northern Lights, natureβs miracle. Weβve seen them a few times in Canada, and itβs truly a fantastic experience. To get notified when you can expect the colourful lights dance in the sky in Canada, sign up for email alerts here.
35. Visit a new artisan market
Artisan markets are getting more and more popular as people discover their hidden talents and make handmade products. I usually find them through Facebook events. Support your local artisans and buy a unique handmade souvenir.
36. Host a couchsurfer
Couchsurfing is a great website connecting travellers from around the world. The idea is to provide a couch or a place to sleep based on cultural exchange. Weβve met many amazing people while hosting them in Calgary.
37. Take a random bus or train
I imagine this would be easier in Europe with so many nearby villages easily accessible by bus or train. You can always hop on a random bus to explore a new place and get to know a city you havenβt visited before.
38. Visit the local zoo or botanical gardens
Have a leisurely paced afternoon and admire flowers in the botanical gardens or animals in your local zoo. I love visiting bears in Calgary Zoo; you can even see them play from the biking path.
39. Try a new coffee shop every weekend
On chilly days, visit a new coffee shop and try different coffee or hot chocolate. Usually, every place has its signature one, which you donβt find elsewhere.
40. Dive into a new culture
To truly experience a new culture, you can do many things before you even visit the country you dream about. Weβve loved the South American continent so much that weβve put together a post: 12 things to do for a fascinating journey to South America.
41. Make a DIY wall hanging
Gather some autumn leaves and imprint those using watercolours. Thatβs my favourite option. You can find plenty more autumn-inspired wall dΓ©cor ideas on Youtube.
42. Make roast chestnuts
Autumn is a season of pumpkins and roasted chestnuts. I used to live by a chestnut tree and always picked some to roast. If you have kids, you can make little animals by connecting chestnuts with matches. Itβs what I used to do as a kid.
43. Volunteer at your nearest nature reserve
You can help plant trees or pick up garbage to contribute and restore part of your city. Volunteers are always needed and very much appreciated in every community.
44. Pick up a new winter sport
Get excited about the upcoming season of white fluff falling from the sky by trying a new winter sport. We love cross country skiing and ice skating in Canada and tried fat biking just last year. Itβs very different from biking on dirt trails, and I cannot wait to go fat biking again.
Do you have any other adventure ideas? Let us know in the comments how you made your weekend adventurous.
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Hello Ma’am, Your post is very motivating one with full of new ideas for a healthy and adventurous life. I am also planning for the adventure trip but did get time from work. I wanna ask you if you ever tried sky diving.
I’m glad our post has inspired you. I haven’t tried sky diving but would like to one day.
great work and nice article i liked it thanks for sharing
thanks???
Heya.
This is my very own story to tell in order to start off with. In order to save money I came up with a list of fun activities to do that were free as well. There were ten of us in total. We began the entire day in question with a hat making class. It is nice to meet you and good luck.
Then we sat down and had a quick early lunch instead. After lunch I decided to get started with a hour of gardening and exercise too. So we planted our sun flower seeds in mini flower pots I bought earlier in the week. Once that was done we moved onto our herb trays. During this part I screened a film and we also listened to music. Since it was so warm, we opened the windows.
Next we embarked on a quick walk to a local park. At the park we discovered a open air gym to use. But we sadly failed to stay there that long however. Ten minutes later we headed back. I took a couple of them down to a nearby newsagent. We looked all around the tiny store. I didnβt buy much.
In all it was a great day out. Next time we will prepare sandwiches to have on a picnic lunch outside in the warm air. Or get a free ice cream. That sounds nice. Maybe we can ride wild horses too. Other plans include a open air swim and a beach trip. Alternatively I will see if I can hire a marquee for a garden party. Complete with water fun.
Next week I will suggest fishing and a chalk art day. Yet more ideas to try out on Saturday are a trip to a museum and a day out at the races. I also want to do a pub lunch and a fun day. I also want to have a carnival type event. That would work.
Sounds like you had a great time!