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Summer 2023: Less Screens, More Outdoors

Good morning. 

Northern Hemisphere: we’re officially into summer 2023.

We’re are all about making this summer totally epic, starting with making more time for hiking, camping, climbing, paddling and travelling with friends and family… and less time scrolling, swiping, liking and TikTok-ing on the couch.

Read on for some tips on how to spend less time on your mobile phone and more time in the adventure zone. We also take a look at some great beach towns, one rad hike (if you have zero chill when it comes to heights), and some delicious campfire meal suggestions from our community.

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47 Things To Do Outdoors (Instead of Mindlessly Scrolling On Your Phone)

How many times have you picked up your phone today, and what could you be doing with that time instead?

Here are some uncomfortable statistics: The average American spends nearly 4.5 hours on their phone every day, which adds up to over 1,600 hours per year. That’s about 67 full days. To put that into perspective, that’s about 50% more time than it would take to hike the whole Appalachian Trail.

Go ahead, check our math. The AT is about 2,220 miles long, so at a comfortable average walking pace of 2 miles per hour, it would take you 1,100 hours of walking to finish the trail. Assuming you’d like to sleep while on your journey, it would take you 137 days of hiking 8 hours or 16 miles per day.

Don’t feel too guilty, though, we all do it. We need our phones for maps, staying in touch via texting, public transportation, and googling important questions like whether swallows in the Northeast U.S. migrate to Africa every year to settle a bet with a friend (they don’t).

With that said, many of us could probably do without some of that social media scrolling.

So, if you’re looking for something else to do with your time this summer, here are 47 ideas to help you get out of the house, out of your head, and away from screens.

Would You Hike Angel’s Landing?

Located in southwestern Utah, the Angels Landing trail is formerly known as the Temple of Aeolus, named after the Ancient Greek ruler of the winds. This site can be reached by following a well-known trail that was carved into solid rock back in 1926. The trail leads hikers to the summit offering breathtaking panoramic views of the park.

Many consider the Angel’s Landing trail one of the most dangerous in the United States, with notable sections such as Walter’s Wiggles, a challenging portion with 21 steep switchbacks, and an exposed thin trail.

10 All-American Beach Towns

If you’re looking to get away to a coast this summer, there are some truly incredible beach towns across the United States. Whether it’s California dreamin’ in Malibu, catching waves at South Padre Island, or exploring Cannon Beach (one of the most beautiful places in the world according to National Geographic), these 10 beach towns are sure to dial up the summer stoke to 11.

What’s Your Favorite Campfire Meal?

There are five essential components to having a good campfire: fuel, heat, oxygen, good stories – and great food. Earlier this week we asked the Outdoors.com community for their thoughts on the greatest campfire meals. We combed through the hundreds of comments and selected a few delicious entries.

The Packing List ⛰️🥾🧢🏞️🌍

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1. REI

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2. Stio

The Annual Summer Solstice Sale by Stio.com is going on now! Receive 25% off sitewide plus, orders over $49 receive Free Shipping.*

*Outdoors.com may earn a commission when you make a purchase through these links. Thank you for your support.

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