It was cold this week, but it will be welcomingly warm this weekend, so promises the forecast. And that could spell trouble in a world where people are increasingly inclined to head outdoors to try and escape the pandemic. 

So instead of making specific recommendations on where to go this warm late-fall weekend, we are instead going to pass along some advice from our book, “Explore Your Neighborhood: A Guide to Discovering the World Immediately Around You.” Specifically, advice on how to find and take an adventure out your front door, one that may not even involve getting in your car!

• Begin with a distance you’re comfortable traveling, either walking from your front door or within a short drive (my comfort zone: 10 miles). To determine distances: 
  • Call up Google Maps
  • In the menu bar, click on “Your Places” 
  • Click on “Maps” 
  • Click on “Create Map.” You’ll get a map of the U.S.: keep double clicking on “North Carolina” until you get down to your neighborhood. Then use the distance tool — ruler icon — to determine crow-fly distances from where you live. 
• Look for splotches of green. They may be golf courses or cemeteries, or they may be parks. 
• Look for green dashed lines. Green dashed lines indicate a natural surface hiking trail.
• Look for solid green lines. These often indicate a paved walking trail.
• Look for green pins with trees in them. Some parks are marked with these.
• Look for streams and creeks. Greenways and trails sometimes parallel waterways. Even if there aren’t actual trails, you may find fishing paths or game trails that offer access. Even if these paths don’t go far, they make for a nice diversion into the natural world.

It’s hard to imagine finding an escape as devoid of people as one that only you know about. Give it a try — and let us know how it goes.

Enjoy the weekend!

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Explore Your Neighborhood

Learn more about how to explore your neighborhood with our “Explore Your Neighborhood: A Guide to Discovering the World Immediately Around You,” a concise, 44-page guide with quick tips on finding great adventure out your front door. Learn more here.