Illinois Tourism & Travel

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Bike, hike, paddle or cook in bucket-list locations

Bike, hike, paddle or cook in bucket-list locations

One positive side effect of the coronavirus pandemic was a spike in participation in active, outdoor and fitness activities. According to a 2021 study by the Outdoor Industry Association, “Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, more Americans have turned to the outdoors, some for the first time and others for the first time in many years.”

More than 60{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298} of those who started or resumed walking, bicycling, fishing or running/jogging intend to continue even after restrictions lift.  Walking and hiking saw the biggest spike, followed by running, cycling and camping,  but participation in just about every outdoor activity – from skiing to kayaking – grew. Meanwhile, purchases of home fitness equipment such as exercise bikes and treadmills saw 170{32bc5e747b31d501df756e0d52c4fc33c2ecc33869222042bcd2be76582ed298} growth during the pandemic, according to a study by ResearchAndMarkets.com