A new national survey reveals where Americans actually spend time in nature, and why discovering outdoor spaces close to home could be one of the easiest ways to improve our health and well-being.
When you think about spending time in nature, what comes to mind? Hiking through a national park? Camping in the mountains?
Those experiences are wonderful, but new research suggests that most Americans experience nature much closer to home.
The 2026 American Nature and Health Survey Report, published by the Nature and Health Alliance, examines how Americans interact with nature, where they spend time outdoors, and the factors that influence their access to natural spaces.
One of its most important findings is also one of its simplest: The greatest opportunity to experience the benefits of nature may be right in our own neighborhoods.
And that's exactly the idea behind The GO Deck.
Where Americans Actually Spend Time in Nature
The survey found that Americans are far more likely to experience nature in everyday settings than in remote wilderness destinations.
Consider these findings:
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68% of respondents said their yard or garden is the most common place they spend time in nature.
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More than 75% spent over an hour during the previous week in their yard, garden, or natural spaces around their residence.
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Only 10% reported visiting a remote or wild area, including national parks, during that same week.
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Half of respondents reported taking fewer than one vacation per year centered around nature or outdoor activities.
Other common places for experiencing nature included local parks, nearby water spaces, and landscaping around residential areas.
These findings challenge the idea that meaningful outdoor experiences require extensive travel, specialized equipment, or elaborate planning.
For most Americans, nature isn't something we travel to see once or twice a year. It's something we encounter in the places where we live our daily lives.
Why Everyday Nature Matters
There's something special about visiting a national park or exploring a remote wilderness. These destinations offer opportunities for adventure, discovery, and immersion in the natural world...but they aren't where most of our everyday experiences with nature happen.
The report emphasizes the distinction between occasional, immersive nature experiences and the smaller, more frequent encounters we can have close to home. And that distinction matters for our health.
Research has increasingly connected regular contact with nature to mental and physical health benefits. Spending time outdoors can support stress reduction, physical activity, and overall well-being.
The challenge is making those experiences a regular part of our lives rather than something reserved for vacations or special occasions.
A walk through a neighborhood park, an afternoon exploring a nearby trail, or a few minutes observing wildlife along a waterfront can all create opportunities to connect with nature.
We don't have to wait for our next big adventure to enjoy the outdoors. We can make nature part of our everyday routines.
The Opportunity—and the Challenge—of Nature Close to Home
The survey's findings point to an important opportunity for communities.
If most Americans experience nature close to home, then investing in neighborhood parks, urban trees, walking trails, community gardens, and accessible waterfronts could help more people experience the benefits of spending time outdoors.
Creating these spaces is only part of the solution. We also need to help people discover and use them.
Think about your own community. How many parks, trails, gardens, scenic overlooks, or waterfront paths are within a short drive of your home that you've never visited?
Perhaps you've passed a trailhead dozens of times without knowing where it leads. Maybe there's a beautiful garden tucked behind a public building or a peaceful walking path along a creek you've never explored.
Sometimes the barrier to getting outside isn't a lack of nearby nature. It's simply not knowing where to go—or having the time and energy to figure it out.
This is a problem we can solve.
How The GO Deck Makes Local Outdoor Adventures Easier
The GO Deck was created around a simple idea: Make it easier for people to discover and experience the outdoors, right where they live.
Each city-specific deck features 52 outdoor destinations, including parks, trails, gardens, waterfronts, scenic walks, and other places worth exploring.
Rather than spending hours searching online for something to do, you can simply pick a card and go.
Each card includes a full-color photograph and practical information to help you plan your visit, such as distance, terrain, stairs, inclines, costs, and whether dogs are welcome. It's designed to take some of the guesswork out of getting outdoors.
Here's how The GO Deck helps turn the survey's findings into action:
1. It helps you discover nature close to home.
You don't have to travel hundreds of miles to find an adventure. The GO Deck highlights outdoor experiences in and around your city, including places you may have overlooked despite living nearby for years.
2. It reduces the effort of planning.
Finding a new place to explore can require researching destinations, comparing options, and figuring out logistics. The GO Deck puts useful information at your fingertips so you can spend less time planning and more time exploring.
3. It encourages more frequent outdoor experiences.
When outdoor adventures feel convenient and accessible, it's easier to make them part of your routine. Instead of waiting for a long weekend or vacation, you can choose a nearby destination for an afternoon walk, family outing, or spontaneous adventure.
4. It makes outdoor exploration more approachable.
Not every outdoor experience needs to be a strenuous hike. Some of the most rewarding adventures involve strolling through a garden, exploring a neighborhood park, or watching birds along the water. The GO Deck features a variety of destinations and provides details to help you choose experiences that suit your interests and abilities.
5. It turns discovering your community into an adventure.
There's something exciting about exploring a place you've never been, especially when it's practically in your backyard. Whether you're discovering a hidden trail, visiting a new park with your kids, or finding a scenic place to unwind after work, The GO Deck encourages curiosity about the world around you.
A Healthier Future Starts in Our Own Neighborhoods
One of the report's most compelling conclusions is that expanding opportunities for routine contact with nature may have a broader impact on public health than relying primarily on outdoor recreation and travel experiences.
That doesn't diminish the importance of protecting national parks and wilderness areas. Those places are irreplaceable.
Instead, it expands how we think about nature access.
We need to protect our wild spaces while also making nature a more visible, accessible, and inviting part of everyday life.
That means supporting local parks and trails, planting trees, protecting urban wildlife habitats, restoring waterways, and creating welcoming outdoor spaces for people of all ages and abilities.
It also means encouraging people to get outside and enjoy the natural spaces that already exist.
Because the benefits of nature shouldn't be reserved for those who have the time, money, or resources to travel somewhere extraordinary...they should be available to everyone, right where they live.
Your Next Adventure Might Be Just Around the Corner
The next time you're craving fresh air, a change of scenery, or a break from your daily routine, remember that you don't have to plan an elaborate trip.
There may be a wooded trail, a beautiful garden, a peaceful waterfront, or an unexpected natural wonder waiting just a few miles away.
You just need a little inspiration to discover it.
That's what The GO Deck is all about: helping people spend less time figuring out where to go and more time enjoying the outdoors.
Ready to explore more of what's around you? Discover The GO Deck and find your next local adventure.
Source: Nature and Health Alliance, 2026 American Nature and Health Survey Report. Survey findings cited above describe respondents' reported nature contact and outdoor travel patterns.
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