Any outside time counts! Your backyard counts. Your neighborhood counts. A sensory array lies just on the other side of door and you can find it any day in any place out in the open air.

But if you're feeling a little antsy and you want to try someplace new here are a few suggestions on how to find the hidden gems in your area.

1. Use local websites

Beginning with your own town or city and then branching out to what is within a reasonable traveling distance, check the parks and recreation department websites as well as the libraries, schools, metroparks, and any museums. Make a list of the parks, playgrounds, beaches, nature centers, hiking trails, etc. that you find! Consider calling some of these places and asking directly where the best outside options for kids are. Ask about bathrooms, stroller accessibility, parking, fees, etc. Don't forget to check out your state park website as well!

2. Search using Google Maps

I am an avid user of google maps, at home and when we travel. I type in every outdoor idea I can think of in the search bar (nature center, forest, park, playground, beach, state park, national park, zoo, etc.) and see what comes up. There is a wealth of information here because not only will you get a list with a bunch of ratings, you will also be able to see tons of pictures that will give you a general idea of a place before you go.

3. Check Pinterest

Especially in larger cities you will find post after post about outside things to do with kids. This is often true for smaller cities as well!

4. Eavesdrop

We have found some of our favorite places simply by asking around. We've been at one park and overheard other people talking about a different park... and so I butt in and ask :). It might not be the most polite route but it absolutely works. You can also put the ask out on different social media channels and see what rolls in.

5. Join an existing nature-type group

If you join up with a group like Hike-It Baby or Wild + Free you'll have a leg up because you'll be surrounded by people who have already checked out your particular area and found the hidden gems!

6. Use All-Trails or something similar

There are a few hiking websites and apps that have incredible user-generated information. Don't forget to check these out.

7. Find some local books about your area

We live in Michigan and there are lots of book options with ideas of things to do. These are great to check out from the library from time to time to spark some new ideas.

8. Cross-reference it all with Instagram

A great feature about Instagram is that you can search by location. It has been SO unbelievably helpful to see pictures of where we are going beforehand. When you show up to a brand new place and you have your children in tow it's nice to already have a mental image of your destination. An unfamiliar place will feel familiar much quicker if you've looked ahead. Occasionally, I've even asked a few questions right on someone's Instagram photo. Was the hike too hard for young children? How high was the water level? Were the bathrooms open? You get the picture.

In this post three of the four pictures are from Waterloo State Recreation area in Chelsea, MI where we visited for the very first time with our local Wild + Free Group. Through that group we were able to find the shallow creek bed and the kids nature trail. The other photo is from Proud Lake State Recreation in Wixom, MI. We went there for the first time years ago with a small group of friends after finding it on the DNR website in our state. When we first arrived we walked right into the office and asked what the best hike to do with small children was. We've been visiting the Marsh Trail Hike at Proud Lake State Recreation Area ever since! It has the absolute best fall colors I've ever seen. I'm so thrilled we found that hidden gem!

How to Find the Hidden Nature Gems Near You!