{"id":22681,"date":"2017-12-06T08:00:10","date_gmt":"2017-12-06T16:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=22681"},"modified":"2018-11-11T21:47:13","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T05:47:13","slug":"going-home-doesnt-mean-staying-in-for-the-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/going-home-doesnt-mean-staying-in-for-the-holidays","title":{"rendered":"\u201cGoing Home\u201d Doesn\u2019t Mean \u201cStaying In\u201d For The Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to keep your outdoorsy ways during holiday travel season<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you dream about winter holidays, do you picture outdoor adventure as much as you do candlelight and big family meals? I didn\u2019t grow up particularly outdoorsy, and I\u2019ve worked hard to make a place for nature and adventure in my life. Still, when I go back to my parents\u2019 house for a Midwest-style holiday visit, I often fall back into my role as \u201cthe kid,\u201d and succumb to the overeating and under-exercising pattern of an indoor holiday.<\/p>\n

\"Tea

Photo Credit: Hilary Oliver<\/p><\/div>\n

So lately, I\u2019ve been trying to introduce some new traditions to my family\u2014ways that we can spend more time in the outdoors and less time on the couch. Here are a few ideas for keeping your<\/em> outdoorsy ways, even when you\u2019re traveling for the holidays.<\/p>\n

Explore nearby public lands.<\/strong> You don\u2019t have to go to Yosemite or Yellowstone to get nature time. State parks, city green spaces and national monuments can provide the break you need when you\u2019ve had more couch-sitting and TV-watching than you can handle. In the past couple of years, my family has made an effort to regularly visit the two small national monuments and the state recreation area within an hour\u2019s drive of my parents\u2019 house. The road trip provides a change of scenery, and bundling up for a cold-weather hike helps us feel like we earn a coffee and pastry on the way home.<\/p>\n

Add in a stroll between dinner and dessert. <\/strong>Even if you\u2019re just walking through a neighborhood, getting a little sun and fresh air can really turn your day around. Especially if you happen to be feeling, shall we say, full? If you can tear yourself away from the football and family movies on TV, you probably won\u2019t regret it.<\/p>\n

Try a Turkey Trot or Jingle Bell Run\u2014or make up your own.<\/strong> There\u2019s no shortage of holiday 5Ks all over the U.S., and they can be a festive way to enjoy a town or city this time of year. But if you don\u2019t find any races in your destination, why not start your own informal Holiday Run? Send out a notice to family and friends ahead of time, stating a time and place\u2014and enjoy a community jog on a specific course. Making it a tradition will give you something to look forward to each year.<\/p>\n

Walk or ride bikes, instead of driving, to see holiday lights. <\/strong>Even if it\u2019s dark out, getting outside can be a serious mood lift<\/a>. Add holiday lights, and you\u2019ve got magic. Some botanic gardens and zoos offer holiday light walks\u2014and no matter where you live, someone has probably decked out their yard. Make it a point to lace up your boots and check it out.<\/p>\n

\"Drinking

Photo Credit: Hilary Oliver<\/p><\/div>\n

Take your coffee outdoors.<\/strong> Adding a little nature to your day first thing in the morning can shift the direction of your entire day. And you don\u2019t necessarily need to be camping out on a mountainside to enjoy it. I like to pour my coffee into an insulated travel mug, wrap myself in a blanket, and enjoy my joe outdoors, on the front stoop or the back porch. Just five minutes of sunlight\u2014or even cloudy light\u2014feels like a jolt of energy and positivity, caffeine aside.<\/p>\n

Run your errands by bike.<\/strong> If you\u2019re driving someplace for the holidays and can bring your bike along, it\u2019s a great way to add some outdoor time to your day. Heading to the post office? Last-minute shopping? Use your phone\u2019s mapping app to find a good bike route, bundle up and enjoy the exercise and the wind on your face.<\/p>\n

Adjust your pace\u2014or adjust expectations. <\/strong>No matter how fit you are or aren\u2019t, your family might not be ready to go your pace in the outdoors. But going together can make special holiday memories. Be sure to be considerate of others\u2019 fitness and speed if you\u2019re out for a family adventure. But if you can\u2019t drum up company\u2014or just want a solo workout\u2014make it a priority to go out alone. Even if your family doesn\u2019t understand why you do it, they\u2019ll probably be happy you did when you return rosy-cheeked and merry.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How to keep your outdoorsy ways during holiday travel season When you dream about winter holidays, do you picture outdoor adventure as much as you do candlelight and big family meals? I didn\u2019t grow up particularly outdoorsy, and I\u2019ve worked hard to make a place for nature and adventure in my life. Still, when I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":22682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[387,388],"tags":[8,346,727,466,656],"internal-tag":[1673],"class_list":["post-22681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hike","category-travel","tag-hike","tag-holiday","tag-latest-posts","tag-optoutside","tag-public-lands","internal-tag-pre-redirect-hike"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/travel\/going-home-doesnt-mean-staying-in-for-the-holidays","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"\u201cGoing Home\u201d Doesn\u2019t Mean \u201cStaying In\u201d For The Holidays","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/going-home-doesnt-mean-staying-in-for-the-holidays","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/going-home-doesnt-mean-staying-in-for-the-holidays"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/11\/REI-holidays-7-by-Brendan-Leonard.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/11\/REI-holidays-7-by-Brendan-Leonard.jpg?fit=2000%2C1333"},"articleSection":"Hike","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["hike","holidays","latest posts","optoutside","public lands"],"dateCreated":"2017-12-06T16:00:10Z","datePublished":"2017-12-06T16:00:10Z","dateModified":"2018-11-12T05:47:13Z"},"rendered":"