The heat is sweltering and you are perfectly comfortable on your couch in the air conditioning, wasting the day away. But what you don’t know is all of the beauty you are missing in the outdoors. I know it’s hard to see anything but asphalt in our little concrete oasis of Pinellas, but there are too many good things you are missing by staying indoors all summer.

One of the classic summer activities is going to the beach, but skip over the crowded, fake shore of Clearwater Beach and visit a more natural beach. Dunedin has two state parks with forests and beautiful beaches: Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island The admission cost per car is a little more expensive, but your money goes to the upkeep of the pristine land.

Now, the sand may not be the perfect shade of white, but it is natural and should be appreciated as it is. If you get tired of the sun there are many trails on Honeymoon that wind through the forests, or if you want to be farther from the suburban world you can take the ferry to Caladesi Island and enjoy nature in peace.

A short ten-minute drive from the school is the less well known Hammock Park in Dunedin. I was raised visiting this park quite often, so it does have a bit of a nostalgic effect on me, but it is extremely enjoyable either way. There are open fields to run or picnic in, tall watchtowers over the mangroves, winding trails through the trees, and even a put-in point for canoes and kayaks.

The point is that you need to take advantage of the hours upon hours in which you could be doing something other than staying indoors all day. There are tons of options that I haven’t listed here, just do a little bit of research and you should find them just fine. Grit your teeth and endure the heat, summer will be over before you know it so you better enjoy it!