(Forklift) – Most American adults spend the majority of their day in front of a screen.
This increasingly sedentary lifestyle can have a number of negative health effects, including a higher risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and more.
Getting outside more often can have positive effects on your health, mental health, and quality of life, but where you live affects how easy and convenient it is to spend time outdoors year-round.
To find the best cities in the US for nature trips, Hims analyzed four data sets.
Average annual rainfall: It’s more pleasant to spend time outside when it’s not raining. One study suggests that exercising outdoors rather than indoors leads to more energy and less tension and depression.
Air quality: Exposure to air pollution can increase the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory diseases and more.
Number of outdoor activity facilities per 100,000 inhabitants: Access to outdoor activities gives residents more opportunities to get outside. We compared the concentration of amusement and theme parks, golf courses, ski resorts and marinas to the city’s total population.
Number of environmental, conservation and wildlife groups: Research shows that spending time in green spaces has positive effects on health and that environmental groups can have a major impact on conservation and preservation efforts.
Here are the results of the best and worst cities for spending time outdoors.
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Denver, Colorado
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- San Francisco, California
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- San Diego, California
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- St. Louis, Missouri
Key findings
- Phoenix is considered the best city for spending time outdoors thanks to minimal rainfall and hazardous air quality, followed by Denver and Boston.
- Six of the top ten cities are in the western United States, including Phoenix, Denver, San Francisco, Las Vegas, San Diego and Salt Lake City.
- Birmingham, Alabama is considered the worst city for outdoor trips because of heavy rainfall year-round, poor air quality for days, and fewer facilities for outdoor activities.
- Southern cities like Birmingham, Nashville, Tennessee, and Raleigh, North Carolina, top the list of cities least suited for outdoor getaways.
The best cities for nature trips: trends and insights
First, let’s break down the best and worst cities in each category before looking at the overall rankings.
Which cities have the most rainfall?
When the weather is dry, it’s much easier to get outside and stay active, so we looked at annual rainfall to find the cities where you can get outside and be active, whether you’re running, walking or playing sports.
Lowest rainfall per year
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Riverside, California
Highest rainfall per year
- Miami, Florida
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Birmingham, Alabama
Not surprisingly, desert areas like Las Vegas and Phoenix receive the least rainfall each year, while cities closer to the hurricane-prone Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico receive more rainfall.
Which cities have the best air quality?
Air quality has a direct impact on health, and the biggest culprit is fine particulate matter (PM 2.5). We looked at the annual concentration of PM 2.5 in each city to measure overall air quality throughout the year.
Lowest annual PM 2.5 concentration
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Denver, Colorado
Highest annual PM 2.5 concentration
- Columbus, Ohio
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Nashville, Tennessee
Which cities have the most facilities for outdoor activities?
Next, we looked at four types of outdoor activity facilities and how concentrated they are in each city. These outdoor businesses include golf clubs, ski facilities, marinas, and amusement or theme parks. We calculated the amount per 100,000 residents to get a sense of accessibility.
Most outdoor activity facilities per 100,000 inhabitants
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Boston, Massachusetts
The fewest facilities for outdoor activities per 100,000 inhabitants
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Salt Lake City, Utah
Which cities have the most environmental, conservation and wildlife groups?
Environmental, conservation and wildlife advocacy groups can have a big impact on land use in an area, so we looked at how many organizations there are in each city.
Most environmental, conservation and wildlife groups
- New York, New York
- Washington, DC
- San Francisco, California
Least environmental, conservation and wildlife groups
- Buffalo, New York
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The 25 best cities in the USA to get out
These are the best American cities to get some fresh air, based on our selected data points and the methodology explained below.
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Denver, Colorado
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
- San Francisco, California
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- San Diego, California
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- St. Louis, Missouri
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Buffalo, New York
- Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Detroit, Michigan
- Seattle, Washington
- Portland, Oregon
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Sacramento, California
- Miami, Florida
- San Jose, California
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Austin, Texas
- Los Angeles, California
- San Antonio, Texas
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The 25 worst cities in the US to go out
Based on our selected data points and the methodology explained below, these are the worst American cities for getting some fresh air.
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Houston, Texas
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Columbus, Ohio
- Richmond, Virginia
- Dallas, Texas
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Chicago, Illinois
- New York, New York
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Tampa, Florida
- Orlando, Florida
- Washington, DC
- Riverside, California
Note: Based on data collected in July 2024.
Data and methodology: How we evaluated the cities
Our ranking of the best and worst cities for outdoor activities started with the 50 most populous metropolitan areas in the U.S. We then looked at four categories that influence how easy it is to enjoy the outdoors:
Average annual rainfall: When it’s not raining, you’re more likely to go outside. We looked at the average annual rainfall in inches using data from the National Centers for Environmental Information.
Air quality: We looked at the annual average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) using data from IQ Air.
Number of outdoor activity facilities per 100,000 inhabitants: Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns, we determined the concentration of amusement and theme parks, golf courses and country clubs, ski resorts, and marinas.
Number of environmental, conservation and wildlife groups: Using data from the United States Census Bureau, we also determined the number of conservation organizations in each city.
Annual precipitation and air quality were weighted by a factor of 2. We then averaged the overall scores for each city to determine the best and worst cities for outdoor trips.
Tips for a healthy outdoor lifestyle
Even if you don’t consider yourself an “outdoors lover,” you can still spend some time outside each week and increase your activity level. Here are some ways to stick to a routine at any intensity level to achieve fitness results.
Set a goal. Research shows that if you spend at least 120 minutes outside each week, you can improve your health and mental wellbeing. It doesn’t matter how you split the time, just keep track of how long you spend outside and aim for at least two hours total.
Incorporate workouts at home. The best thing about exercising outdoors is that it’s something anyone can do. In addition to walking or jogging, try incorporating some exercise at home into your daily routine, either in the park or in your backyard, to help you burn fat and build muscle.
Stay motivated. Get outside regularly to reap both the physical and mental benefits (did you know exercise can even help with anxiety?). Motivational tips include things like finding your goal, keeping a positive attitude, and tracking your progress.
This story was produced by Hims and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.
Copyright 2024 Stacker via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
