You might dislike nature. It’s the home of mud, bugs, and sunburns. It’s also the home of beautiful views, fresh air, and wonderful fragrances. You might dislike nature, but on the other hand, you might love it. Whatever your feelings about nature, you know you should be spending more time in it.

Nature is good for us. It can help us relax, enjoy better health (fresh air and sunshine), and enjoy our exercise even more. You might be stuck in a job where you never get outside. Instead, you must be intentional about when you get to visit the great outdoors. It’s not hard to find ways to spend time outside. If you need a few suggestions, check out this list of 10 ways to spend more time in nature.

Start a Garden

Not everyone knows how to garden, and not every has a yard they can use to garden. If you live in the city, you might not have anywhere you can grow plants, but you could find a community garden plot. You can grow tomatoes, beans, beets, and cucumbers in your garden area. Gardening takes a little bit of time every day, but it’s not arduous work if you keep your area small. It’s a great chance to enjoy nature and get outside, so this year-- try gardening!

Become a Farmer

Not everyone gets to work outside for their job. A lot of people are stuck indoors, next to hot ovens, surrounded by paperwork, or in line at a factory. If you’re a farmer, you get to spend your days in independence, growing food or raising animals. You get to be your own boss, choosing every aspect of your farm, from production to agricultural metal roofing. Farming isn’t for everyone, but if you love peace and quiet and the great outdoors, it could be just what you need to spend more time outside.

Become a Landscaper

Not everyone gets to work outside, but farmers do. Landscapers do, as well. Landscaping jobs might be more of a summer occupation, depending on where you live, but they’re still a fantastic opportunity to work with nature and enjoy the great outdoors. You can learn specialized skills like tree trimming, or deck building. A lot of landscapers love the chance to create something beautiful, work a Zen job (how relaxing is cutting the grass), and enjoy being outside for their shift.

Take a Trip

Everyone loves to travel. While some destinations involve all-indoor amusements, a lot involve nature, or just walking from site to site. Enjoying a beautiful stroll through New York still counts as spending time outside, even if the air isn’t pure as a mountain breeze! You can visit Lansing, MI, spend time in the Rocky Mountains, or explore ruined castles in Ireland. Wherever your travel takes you, chances are you’ll enjoy the great outdoors when you’re there.

Visit the Beach

The beach is the perfect place to spend your summer. Or, you can visit it any time of the year if you find great places to see on Florida’s Gulf Coast. You can relax at the beach with a book, take photos of the waves, go swimming, or get a nice tan. The beach is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy nature, so if you feel like you don’t get outside enough, a trip to the waves and sand might be just what you needed.

Play Outdoors

There are plenty of fun things you can enjoy outside. If you need a little more nature in your life, you can find fun ways to play in your backyard. You might set up a basketball hoop, play bean bag toss with some friends, or set up a human foosball arena. You might already be wondering “how much does a trampoline cost?” If you love the idea of having fun outside and enjoying backyard activities (who cares if you’re an adult) then some fun backyard sports might be perfect for you.

Go Hiking

Hiking lets you experience the beauty of nature fully. Usually, you’ll go hiking at a state or national forest, with beautiful views and amazing things to see. You might be surrounded by mountains, lush pine forests, or a gorgeous ocean view. Wherever your hiking takes you, it’s all about enjoying the wonderful world of nature. You can hike alone or with friends, for a few hours, or over a series of days. If you love nature, love being healthy, and love peace and quiet, then hiking is for you.

Go Geocaching

While some would consider geocaching for kids, it can be a lot of fun for adults, too. You might have kids of your own, or nieces or nephews you could bring along, but even a day spent geocaching with a friend is a wonderful time. You must find hidden items, usually a small box with a prize inside, based on its GPS coordinates and clues. An interactive scavenger hunt that you can play with strangers’ clues, geocaching is a terrific way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Volunteer

A lot of organizations need volunteers to help clean up nature. You could head to your local park and be part of a trash cleanup. You could volunteer with a wildlife rescue, or even an after-school group that plays games at the park. You’ll love the feeling of giving back to your community, and while you volunteer, you’ll find yourself enjoying nature. Especially if your work involves helping the environment, you can feel great about getting outside.

Go on a Picnic

If you’re like most people, then you eat three meals a day. You might scarf down your cereal before running to work, and you might squeeze your sandwich in around work meetings, but there’s often a way to eat a meal or two outside. You might plan a weekend trip to the park, or you might bring your lunch outside to a bench at work. If you can eat your meal in the great outdoors, go for it.