What outdoor activities have you been able to enjoy while social distancing?
As summer comes to an end, we asked Chicagoans: What activities have you been able to enjoy outside while respecting social distancing guidelines? Some answers have been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
“Exploring my community while walking my dog. Reading and having tea on my balcony with my dog.” Sylvia Bridges
“BIKING ON THE LAKEFRONT. I WOULD GO NUTS IF I COULDN’T BE NEAR THE LAKE’S CALMING INFLUENCE.” Yvette Coleman-Pitts
“Playing tennis with my teenage daughter.” Judy Rangel
“Campfires and s’mores with friends in our back yard and hiking at the nature preserves. Our kids went zip-lining for the first time.” Melissa McGillivray Johnson
“I’ve been swimming. Strictly for health but enjoying it in this heat.” Sue Godfrey
“My love and I go for lots of walks and little picnics in the parks. We set up where we know there won’t be so many people walking past us. I still don’t even sit on patios at restaurants. Seats are normally too close together for my comfort.” April Lewis
“Plenty of outdoor lunches, walking my fur baby and sitting in my yard, enjoying nature.” Sandra Anderson
“Walking about four miles every day in the park.” Maryngel Benedicto Malibiran
“My motorcycle, daily runs and spending more time on my backyard patio.” Tony Williams
“Golfing at the various forest preserve courses.” Cheryl Cohen-Bugner
“Walking in the beautiful Chicago parks. Before this, I wanted to but never had the chance. The Lakefront Trail and Washington Park are now my favorites.” Sherronda Bohanon
“We finally took some time to re-explore Northerly Island. Makes for a great date night on the shore.” Amber Nicole Alvarado
“Gardening and walking.” Beverly Calvert
“Walking to the park with our masks on and watching my grandkids throw Frisbees around.” Karen Klein Siciliano
“Fishing, hiking and lots of yard work.” Alex Urizar
“MOWING THE LAWN, LIKE, 100 TIMES.” Mia Baker