How to Spice Up Your Daily Walk

Life is slowly starting to return to normal, but I think the pandemic has made everyone realize the benefits of going on daily walks. I like listening to podcasts or calling friends while I walk, but constantly strolling along the same route can still get boring, so here are some ways to spice up your daily walk and re-discover your neighborhood.

1. Notice the little things with neighborhood bingo
Even though it feels like everything is the same in my neighborhood, there are always new things to see. I love creating bingo cards, so I created one a suburban neighborhood version and a city version. Play just for fun or come up with a prize and compete against your roommate/sibling/friend and see how many you can check off! I’ve also left a blank template so you can create your own! You could also turn this into a photo scavenger hunt and take photos of everything you see.

2. Try taking a walk at a different time of day
Do you normally walk in the morning before work? Try getting up for sunrise or walking during your lunch break. If you have time, try doing a walk after work. You’ll notice different things like the stillness of an early morning walk or the colors in the sky during a sunset walk. One time my mom and I walked during my lunch break and we saw a deer in our front yard!

3. Read a new book with Little Free Library
Sometimes it’s more fun to walk with a destination in mind. If you’ve picked up reading in quarantine, check out Little Free Libraries in your neighborhood! You can find the Google map of all of the registered libraries here. Although I have way too many books to read this year on my shelf already, I always like to look at my local Little Free Libraries just in case. There can be some good finds! I found One Day in December by Josie Silver, a Reese’s Book Club pick in the library near my apartment in Los Angeles, and The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo in my neighborhood in Bellevue. If I take a book out, I put one of my old books into the library to keep the system going. I’ve admittedly also driven around the city to check out other neighborhoods’ books.

4. Find neighborhood treasure with geocaching
Did you know there’s a whole system of urban treasure hunts all over the world? There are likely a few geocaches hidden in your neighborhood or local park! I have found one in the park that I’ve been to a million times growing up! Geocaches are usually little boxes or jars full of items and trinkets that previous geocachers have left. If you find a geocache, you can leave an item and take an item. Discover all the geocaches hidden in your area at geocaching.com and download the mobile app for easy access when you’re out exploring. I also thought this article from REI about how to get started geocaching was helpful.

5. Look for green areas/public parks you’ve never visited on Google Maps
This is the way I always find new photoshoot locations, just look for green or blue on Google Maps! There are so many parks in my neighborhood in Washington, but even in a big city like Los Angeles, you’ll find green spaces. While you’re there, check to see if there are any geocaches hidden nearby!

6. If all else fails, check out a new neighborhood or city
If you’ve already done the above three things in your own neighborhood, it’s time to hit up another neighborhood! This may be obvious, but if you’re tired of seeing the same houses (or you want to avoid an encounter with your neighbors), either try walking to a new neighborhood or drive to a whole new area. In Los Angeles, sometimes I’d walk to Beverly Hills or just drive to a new park I found on Google Maps. In Bellevue, there are so many little cul-de-sacs and trails. I was surprised to find that there were places near my house with views of Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish!