Good food, good drinks and good company make me one happy mama. Do it all in the great outdoors? Now that's some good times outside.
A few weeks back, I was invited to “Picnic en Flannel” to test MEC's brand new GoodTimesOutside.ca digital platform. MEC is Canada's go-to place for outdoor gear, know-how and inspiration, so I knew it would be a good time and right up my alley. Inspiring others to enjoy our natural world is what I do best.
Armed with my sister-in-law/outdoor adventure buddy, we donned our best plaid and boarded a boat from the downtown Toronto waterfront destined for Mugg's Island, a small private island in the chain of what we know as the Toronto Islands. As a popular outdoor destination for Toronto residents and visitors, the Islands were the perfect setting for this intimate, outdoor bash (despite some flooding from this spring’s immense rain fall).
Kayaking, paddling boarding, a sleeping bag race, relaxing in hammocks, enjoying some BBQ and roasting marshmallow around a campfire (and so much more) were the perfect way to spend the late spring night. It was a night filled with good food, good drinks, good company and, of course, good times outside.
Top if off with the sprawling skyline of downtown Toronto as our backdrop, and I would have to correct myself and say it wasn't just a good time, it was a GREAT time.
We all know that being active outside is beneficial for our physical and mental health, so why don’t we do it more often? GoodTimesOutside.ca is a MEC-vetted source for city-dwellers to discover fresh outdoor experiences in their own backyards. Its designed to easily break down the barriers that might keep people from heading outdoors, and spark mini-adventures, while giving solid advice on how to make it happen.
With outdoor adventures from coast to coast and for all levels of outdoor expertise, there is something for everyone, including hiking, biking, running, camping, water sports and climbing, all within a few hours of an urban centre. The ability to filter activities by vibe, ability, location and duration, GoodTimesOutside.ca shows you that fun is never far away. Think of GoodTimesOutside.ca as the Spotify for outdoor activity!
In addition to the self-guided activity ideas, the site also includes organized events in your area, delivering good times outside across Canada all summer long, and include major festivals, pop-up activities (like sunrise hikes, bike crawls and adult summer camps), and 25 one-of-a-kind outdoor events dreamt up by MEC staff.
I can't wait to start exploring more of this great province of Ontario with the help of MEC!
Check out more photos from the event, here.
How do you explore the outdoors? What are your favourite outdoor spaces? I'd love to hear!
Disclosure: A big THANK YOU to MEC for inviting me to this amazing event! All opinions are 100% my own.
Photos of the night provided by Nick Lee and Jess Baumung.
Photos of the night provided by Nick Lee and Jess Baumung.
