Oh, if I had known there was a beach, I would have brought my swimsuit…
If I had known there was such a beautiful bike path, I would have brought my bike…
If I had known there were no restaurants nearby, I would have packed a lunch…
If…
You've probably already experienced arriving at an outdoor site and feeling disappointed because you weren't well-informed about the things to do and see.
Because our planet is naturally generous and you don't want to miss anything, it can be worthwhile to research the characteristics of the landscape you're about to visit.
In addition to adding excitement to each of your outings, having an idea of the attractions and amenities helps avoid disappointments.
After all, you sometimes travel far to live your adventures, so why wouldn't you stack the odds in your favor to make each of your outings an epic experience?
In the following text, you'll find tips you can use to multiply the WOW factor of each of your outdoor adventures.
1. Being flexible
Any effective planning must have a dose of flexibility. Simply because your moods change and you don't want to have the same experience every time you find yourself in nature, you must first ask yourself this simple question: What do I want to experience and see today?
You won't focus on the same things if you feel ready to climb Everest versus if the prospect of crossing the street on foot makes you break out in hives, but it's also possible that your state of mind changes during your trip. Enthusiasm is surely the most beautiful of human diseases!
You must also consider the duration of the stay, the time you have available, and the budget you're willing to invest to enhance your experience.
Don't be like tourists who land in Canada thinking they can see Château Frontenac, Niagara Falls, and the Rockies in the same weekend. Sometimes, it's better to see less and do better than to try to see everything at once.
Budget-wise, it's not always necessary to spend a lot of money to make your experience epic, but if you're willing to invest a bit in your experience, it will always give you more options. For example, if you don't have enough space to bring your kayak, but they rent them on-site, this will allow you to do more while carrying less.
We can learn about most of the interesting attractions of a site, but there's also an unknown variable that has the power to completely transform your experience.
The best trick to feel like you're making the most of a site while staying comfortable with the financial aspect is to establish a budget to which we add an "unexpected expenses" category.
So you need to stay open to modifying your plan to follow your instinct. Set your priorities, but stay flexible.
2. Knowing how to determine the "fun" potential of a site
To evaluate the pleasure potential of a site, it's often enough to know if it offers an experience that can't be found elsewhere. This can consist of unusual activities, renowned viewpoints, or attractions that have a unique character.
If your excitement thermometer stays below zero when you browse the site's website, chances are the on-ground experience won't be more exciting than the funeral service of an uncle you never knew.
Okay, nature somewhere is always beautiful and we often end up offering activities that are similar from one site to another, but each place stands out with an attraction likely to make you experience something different.
The world is so vast, it's impossible for you to see everything, but you can at least choose what you want to see first.
Today, to evaluate the quality of an experience, people also rely on comments and testimonials from those who have already experienced a site. Just one caveat on this subject. You need to take time to read and put into perspective the importance of comments found on a website. Here are some tips to navigate this well:
- Consider the overall rating. It's often a better indicator than individual comments.
- Does the person who gave a rating of 1 out of 10, or the one who gave 10 out of 10, resemble me? How to attribute credibility to an "extreme" rating? You must always put ratings into perspective based on the type of person making a comment.
- On which site does this comment appear? If you're content with the company's website where you plan to go, it's quite possible that these reviews aren't objective (the site manager can sort comments and present only the most advantageous ones).
- Forums and outdoor enthusiast group pages remain reliable sources for evaluating a site's potential. Among passionate people, comments are often more authentic, but also more constructive, because experience allows putting things into perspective.
3. Establishing the strengths of the chosen activity
It's all well and good to decide to go hiking and know that you're choosing the most popular trail, but you also need to have an idea why. What the majority wants isn't necessarily making a choice based on your needs.
That's why it's important to ask questions about what there is to see on the trail instead of choosing the most popular ones by default. Here are some questions you can ask to cover all bases:
Are there cliffs? A watercourse? Waterfalls? A lake, a beach, or a place to take a dip? Is there a shelter along the way, a viewpoint on a summit? Is this summit you want to conquer easy to reach? Is the summit viewpoint obstructed by trees, what can you see around? Can you camp there?
Ensuring the accessibility of what's interesting to see and making it a priority is one of the best ways not to be disappointed.
4. Knowing how to detect hidden "extras"
The most beautiful hikes are often those where we make unexpected encounters.
If you're a wildlife enthusiast and you're thrilled when you encounter one by chance, chances are you won't take the most frequented trail. Learn about their habits.
Plenty of other activities like: bird or wild plant observation, fruit and nut picking, discovering a flower field or wheat field swaying in the wind, the presence of historical or archaeological sites, nearby farms and restaurants, a picnic area located in an enchanting site, are factors that can also contribute to enhancing your experience.
Knowing how to detect hidden extras is also related to your ability to plan your itinerary based on amenities. It may seem secondary to know that parking is located 2 km from the nearest picnic area, but if you spent 7 hours preparing your 7-course gourmet lunch, it's possible this will influence how you'll appreciate your experience.
Same thing for toilets, running water, the location of shelters or rest areas, proximity to a beach, places where you can camp, the possibility of participating in a one-time activity, all this can influence the quality of your experience.
That's why it can be relevant to take this into account when establishing your priorities.
5. Being equipped to have spectacular views
Visual pleasures are greatly amplified when you give yourself the means to admire what you came to see in all circumstances. Imagine you go to observe seals and they're several hundred meters away from you. Great plan for your kids to be more interested in the green stuff in their nose than those little gray lumps covering the rocks.
On this subject, it's important to always have with you a pair of binoculars or a camera with zoom to admire wildlife. A sketchbook can also be an interesting item to carry to develop your artistic side, or astronomical observation glasses to enjoy a cloudless night.
Enjoying nature's beauties is also finding a way to pay tribute to it in all circumstances.
6. Getting out of your comfort zone
Sometimes, all it takes is a small burst of craziness to live the most enriching experiences of your life. You have to go beyond discomfort to reach the exceptional. Yes, it's cold to swim under waterfall water, but it's downright exhilarating as a sensation.
Pushing yourself a bit to reach a slightly more difficult summit that offers a spectacular view, braving your fear to cross particularly rough rapids by kayak, going beyond your discomfort to crawl in the dirt to explore a cave, descending a winding trail on a mountain bike, hiking in the rain to observe snails and amphibians, are all activities that testify to a sense of adventure that well captures the spirit of outdoor activities.
Sometimes, the best way to appreciate the beauty of the landscapes in front of us is to do something extraordinary that makes us feel like we're part of it.
When we surpass ourselves, we always live enriching and meaningful experiences.
7. Sharing the pleasure
Being accompanied to share what we're passionate about is possibly the action that will bring us the most satisfaction in all the activities we practice outdoors. Happiness only makes sense if it can be shared.
To be real, joy must be able to find anchor in the gaze of those dear to us. Whether with your significant other, your friends, your brother, your sister, your parents, or your children, nothing beats a moment of intense emotions to forge memories that will remain forever engraved in memories.
Children possess this facility to marvel with them. Cultivating this natural propensity in them contributes to nourishing their curiosity and maintaining their spontaneity. For once, leave your pride aside and let yourself be guided by their natural sense of wonder, you'll be surprised by what they can teach you.
After all, true beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
Sources:
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