As Spring draws closer, Winter seems to go on longer and longer. With a few warmer days recently these only serve to tease us as the cold fronts head back in. It can be so hard to find affordable and fun outdoor activities to do over the winter months and being active outdoors definitely feels more challenging.

So what can we do while we wait for Spring to bloom? It might be tempting to curl up with your Stan subscription and get through the next few weeks, but in the interest of balance, here are some fun and mostly free activities that will get you moving for the remainder of the season.

Take a hike

If you haven’t done a hike yet this winter you are absolutely missing out. Not only is hiking a powerful cardio workout, but immersing yourself In the sights and sounds of nature will have a hugely positive effect on your mind as well. Winter and Autumn are the perfect time to hike – you don’t have to worry about heat exhaustion and annoying bugs are pretty much non existent. Look up some local hike or walking trails, and head off. Let yourself be absorbed into nature and simply enjoy the journey. Go at your own speed and don’t forget to stay hydrated.

Art galleries and museums

Art galleries and museums are the perfect rainy day activity where you can still get in a decent amount of walking. Admission to art galleries and museums is often pretty reasonable if not free and you’d be hard pressed finding a more stimulating activity for your creative and inquisitive side.  There’s no shortage of research indicating the benefits of museum and gallery visits for children. They can provide memorable, immersive learning experiences, provoke imagination, introduce unknown worlds and subject matter, and offer unique environments for quality time with family.

Visit a VR arcade

Many people are surprised by how physically active the VR experience is. Gone are the days where playing video games meant sitting in front of a screen for hours on end. A lot of VR games require you to simulate climbing, pulling, crouching and even crawling. VR arcades are starting to crop up in many urban areas and it’s a whole lot cheaper than purchasing the gear for yourself.

Go whale watching

There’s nothing in the world quite like whales. Luckily for us Aussies, whales migrate right past our shores every year and on the East coast, this is in the colder months. Many coastal national parks and reserves provide excellent viewing opportunities for whale watching, so why not combine this fantastic activity it with a hike? Don’t forget you binoculars.

Hit up the markets

Blustery winter’s mornings were made for strolling around local markets with a hot chocolate in hand.  Check out local farmers markets to pick up fresh produce bargains, then go home and cook a healthy meal with your purchases.

Volunteer at a local animal shelter

You’ve probably noticed by now that most things on this list are a double whammy of goodness for the body and soul.  Volunteering at an animal shelter is no exception. Many shelters are looking for kind people to simply come and interact with the animals.  A play session helps fight the boredom they experience being locked up in a cage for hours on end and also gets them used to people so they have a better chance at finding a forever home. Some shelters require dog walkers as well, which is a perfect way of getting in those daily step goals.

Go foraging

If you want to try something completely different, why not go for a forage? Urban foraging is an activity where you go out into parks, the suburbs and even your backyard to look for edible plants, fungus and berries. We don’t recommend going it alone though - it's not exactly as simple as heading out to your backyard and eating whatever's growing, as some plants and fungus can be extremely dangerous. There are plenty of guided foraging tours that show you what to look for and you will usually walk away with buckets of free produce.