Local parks and trails are among the top three activities

Ashburn, Va. (Aug. 1, 2018) — According to a recent poll conducted by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), attending a neighborhood festival or event, visiting a local park or going for a walk or run on a local trail are Americans’ top three summer staycation activities. Among many others, these activities are typically offered at little to no cost by park and recreation agencies across the country.   

Other popular summer staycation activities include shopping at a local farmers market (41 percent), going to a public pool, waterpark or splashpad (31 percent), camping locally (24 percent), kayaking, boating or surfing nearby (20 percent), visiting a local arboretum or garden (18 percent), volunteering in the community (12 percent) and taking a class at a local rec or community center (10 percent). Baby boomers are even more likely to keep their staycation activities local with more than half saying they would attend a neighborhood event (56 percent) or go for a walk or run on a local trail (52 percent).

“Summer is a great time to take advantage of the activities offered by local parks and recreation,” said Barbara Tulipane, CAE, NRPA president and CEO. “With so many family-friendly options, there’s no need to travel far to experience summer fun and adventure.” 

This poll is part of NRPA’s Park Pulse, a continuing series of monthly surveys that gauge the public’s opinion on topics relating to parks and recreation. To explore previous Park Pulse survey results, visit www.nrpa.org/Park-Pulse.   

To view the interactive charts with the survey results, click here.

To view the full-size infographic, click here.

To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org.   

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About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.