Great Outdoors USA – Allyson Johnson

I spent most of my childhood running around free in the forest of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. My summers were glorious. It is something I wish for all children. That’s why I hope everyone will get this beautiful National Geographic book, GREAT OUTDOORS USA: 1000 Adventures Across All 50 States.

It was a JOY to speak to Allison Johnson, Senior Editor, about this truly inspiring book. Not every book can change a person. But this one can. If you do just one of these adventures you will be a happier person. And there are 999 more!

But you won’t just stop at one. It is a lifetime of adventure. You might start off with one right near you. Or do a gorgeous 30-mile bike trail in my old backyard in Michigan’s Copper Country. I know that trail well. When I was a kid I spent my days in the forest and could identify every tree. My favorite was the shagbark hickory. It was so much more fun than staring at a phone screen. 

This beautiful book is enchanting. You can get lost in its pages as you decide where you want to go and what you will do when you get there.

Discover the adventures located right in your own backyard! From exhilarating mountain biking trails and forest rope courses to easy day hikes and lake excursions, this comprehensive collection offers more than 1,000 exciting escapades to experience across the United States. For every state there are 20 great ideas for activities. There are ideas for every range of experience. There are family-friendly activities and adventures that are accessible to everyone.

So make what I call a “JOY LIST” — pick 50 or so places that you want to see. And do it!

Life is too long to waste it looking at a screen. Get out there and smell the roses (Elizabeth Park Rose Garden in Connecticut), zipline across an Olympic course (Lake Tahoe, Nevada), shoot the rapids (West Virginia), or watch birds (Brooklyn’s nature preserve). 

Or my favorite. I want to visit the Vermillion Cliffs in Arizona. That’s my next adventure. 

Get out there and enjoy life! GREAT OUTDOORS USA is your key to a better and happier life.