5 Best Outdoor Activities for Families in Palm Beach County

Are there really fun activities I could do with my family outdoors? Yes! Yes, there are! There is so much that the outdoors has to offer. The opportunities are truly endless. The real question is: which activities can you do with your family here in Palm Beach County that everyone in the bunch would enjoy? Today, I will discuss 5 outdoor activities you and your family can enjoy right here in Palm Beach County. From least to most expensive (relatively speaking), we will go over the 5 activities that can get you and your family active outdoors. Please note that if you are doing these activities during the hotter times of the year, you should properly hydrate and protect yourself from the elements. We don’t want anyone to have any heat-related illnesses out here.

The first activity we will discuss is something that is easily overlooked but can be so much fun. First up on the list is species identification. There are so many different ways you and your family can do this, and depending on where you’re located, you might not even have to leave your backyard. A fun way to do this is for everyone to look up 3 different plants or animals and look for them in the wild. The first person to take a picture of all their chosen species, or whoever has the most pictures in a given amount of time, wins. If there is a tie, the person who can name the most facts about the species in a given amount of time wins. Now, of course, this isn’t the only way for you to do this activity. You can mix it up in all sorts of ways. The most important thing is that you and your family can get outdoors and learn more about the wildlife in Palm Beach County. 

Here are a few websites that can help you learn more about all the species here in Palm Beach County:

• https://www.inaturalist.org/places/south-florida-fl-us

• https://floridahikes.com/identifying-florida-species/

• https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant/results?KeywordCategory=County&KeywordSearch=Palm%20Beach

• https://tropicalaudubon.org/birds-of-south-florida

Next up on this list of outdoor activities requires a little stamina and endurance. Have you ever gone hiking on a trail? There are plenty of trails here in Palm Beach County, ranging from natural to paved, short to long, and from nature preserves to community trails. As a nature enthusiast myself, I always find random trails to try out. Just be mindful that the more natural a trail is, the more likely you are to see all sorts of wildlife. Hiking trails can reset your mind, mood, and attitude, allowing you and your family to take your mind off the stresses of everyday life. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, dress appropriately, and bring a walking stick if needed. You never know when that stick may come in handy.

I’m not sponsored by this company/app in any way, but I do use it to find trails here in Palm Beach County and anywhere else I may travel. One of my favorite features of the app is that it maps your hike so you can always go back and see what you’ve done. Being an Apple junkie, I also love that it syncs with my Apple Watch and Health App on my phone. Here is the link to the site: https://www.alltrails.com/. What’s really cool is that you can mix this with the species identification to make the most of your time out with your family.

Being that Palm Beach County is on the Atlantic coast, has the Intracoastal Waterway, and has several lakes, rivers, and canals, there are plenty of opportunities to get the family out to fish. Fishing is an awesome outdoor activity because it teaches you patience, diligence, and, unfortunately, humility. Fishing allows everyone to learn a lot about themselves in ways that not many other activities will teach you. Now, granted, if you have never fished before, it can seem a little daunting; however, there are many YouTube tutorials and fishing charters here in Palm Beach County. There aren’t any videos or companies that I can recommend from personal experience, but I’m sure a quick search will point you in the right direction. All that matters is that you catch some dinner tonight.

Now we’re getting to my favorite outdoor activity on the list and that is camping. What I really love about camping is that you can go as primitive or as glamorous as you want. This another activity that can be done in your backyard, granted that you have one. I have two young daughters and the eldest one and I camp in the backyard often so I can get her prepped and prepared for our first big outing in the woods. Camping allows you to relax as much as you want or be as active as you’d like. You can mix every activity mentioned above with camping, which makes it super fun.

I do believe in shopping local and support small businesses, however I have to say there are some pretty inexpensive items that are good quality of sites like Temu. You can buy everything you need from there and it doesn’t take that long to get to you either. Of course, before buying anything, check the reviews and watch as much videos about a particular product as possible but I can vouch for their camping gear. 

Here are a few places that you can camp in Palm Beach County from our Parks & Recreation department: 

• https://discover.pbc.gov/parks/Pages/camping.aspx

We have come to the last outdoor activity for you and your family to enjoy here in Palm Beach County. Now for some transparency, I don’t actively partake in this activity as it is a little out of my league, but whenever I can join in on the fun, I never say no. Number 5 on the list is boating. By no means am I advocating for buying a boat but if you’re feeling adventurous go for it. The good news is that there are many boating charters outside of fishing that can take you on tours both in the saltwater and freshwater waterways. Boating allows you to see things that you might not ever get to see from standing on land. Gliding across the waters while the wind just blows on you is so refreshing and exhilarating. If you decide to take up this activity, always remember to be safe and wear a lifevest while the boat is moving. 

We have officially concluded this small list of outdoor activities you and your family can get out today or sometime soon. At the time of writing this article it is in the middle of July so again please pay attention and prepare yourself to be safe in this heat. Safety is so important and the sun and humidity seem to be very disrespectful these last few years. Drink plenty of water and eat some nutritional foods in order to best be protected from the elements. 

If you found this article interesting or informative please leave a comment or share with someone who would benefit from this information. If you want to learn more about the outdoors here in Palm Beach County, go ahead and subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed. We are a youth focused nonprofit organization and would love your support in our efforts to “Get Outside. Grow For Life.”. Please consider helping us out by sharing, volunteering, or perhaps donating. 

Thank you for taking your time to read this article and look forward to the next one.