Connect With Nature Anywhere The Nature Conservancy's network of preserves ensures that nature is only a couple of hours from almost anywhere. © The Photography of Ken Lane
Summer vacations are in full swing, and for many of us, they fall into two familiar rhythms. Maybe you’re the kind of traveler who packs flip-flops, sunscreen and a stack of books, ready to settle in and soak up the season. Or maybe your plans are filled with walking shoes, packed itineraries and 20,000-step days exploring a favorite city or theme park.
Both ways of vacationing offer something meaningful. One invites you to slow down. The other invites you to dive in. And no matter which path you choose, there’s one thing we all need along the way: a moment to reconnect—with ourselves, and with nature. Because even the most relaxing getaways and the most exciting adventures benefit from a breath of fresh air.
In between the tickets and touring, and restaurants and rides, there are places nearby where you can go to recharge in nature. Around the country, The Nature Conservancy protects thousands of acres of forests, wetlands and grasslands, all within easy reach of major cities and vacation hotspots.
Your vacation—from vacation—is closer than you think!
Nature's Health is Our Health
How we treat the natural world is how we treat ourselves.
We Are NatureBy now, we know that spending time in nature has earned its place among other types of health advice—like eating more vegetables, walking and building strength, taking vitamins and getting enough sleep—that are proven to extend longevity and quality of life. In some countries, medical professionals even prescribe nature as part of a treatment plan for physical and mental health. For decades, these doctors have delivered green prescriptions advising patients to increase outdoor activities for certain medical conditions.
In Japan, forest bathing, or "shinrin-yoku" is a common component of preventative healthcare known to lower cortisol levels, boost immune function and prevent stress-related chronic diseases. In Sweden, doctors prescribe "friluftsliv,” known as the open-air life—forest walks, sauna therapy and cold-water plunges—to improve mental and physical well-being. Canada's PaRx program provides healthcare providers with practical, evidence-based tools that make prescribing time in nature simple and effective.
Recently, a global analysis published in May 2026 of more than 3,800 studies, involving more than 10 million people, supported evidence that contact with nature reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression while promoting relaxation. More and more, science is validating something we nature lovers might already know – that just 15 to 20 minutes out in nature lowers cortisol levels, regulates our nervous system and restores calm in a world where multitasking and filtering a constant influx of information has become the norm. Aren't these reasons why we go on vacation in the first place?
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Include a TNC preserve in your summer travel plans.
Good news! TNC's national network of preserves ensures that nature is nearby even if it is in short supply during your epic vacation. (We get it. We love roller coasters, museums, beaches and food tours, too!)
Whether you are visiting Mickey in Disney World, trying your luck in Las Vegas, shopping along Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, tracing Boston’s historic Freedom Trail or taking in some Broadway shows, TNC has a nature preserve within a two-hour drive worthy of including in your itinerary. So, don't forget to make time (and space) for hiking through a forest, paddling quiet waters or simply sitting and breathing deeper.
Summer Travel Guide
Here is your personal playbook for making time for nature during summer vacation.
Plan Your Visit!
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- Aiken Canyon
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Aiken Canyon
Nature is just a couple hours away!
If you are spending time in Denver or exploring Colorado Springs, be sure to add TNC’s Aiken Canyon Preserve to your itinerary. The preserve features more than three miles of trails of varying difficulty, showcasing diverse, globally-rare plant communities and striking red rock outcrops. Birders should bring their Life List, as more than 170 species have been documented here to date.
- Bear Island
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Bear Island
Nature is just a couple hours away!
Just minutes from our nation’s capitol and an hour from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Bear Island—co-owned with the National Park Service—features the popular (and challenging) Billy Goat Trail. This landscape offers a peaceful retreat from visiing the region’s world-class urban areas, with views of the Potomac River. Check a new audio tour by scanning the QR code at the trailhead!
Image © Kathryn Miley/TNC
- Black Pond Bog Preserve
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Black Pond Bog Preserve
Nature is just a couple hours away!
Within a half-hour of Boston’s Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall and Fenway Park is TNC’s Black Pond Bog Nature Preserve. Suitable for all ages, the preserve’s short trail and boardwalk takes visitors through upland forest and cedar swamp to get up-close-and-personal with the bog’s unique vegetation and local wildlife. For a longer hike, check out the connecting trails at the Cuffey Hill Reservation.
- Disney Wilderness Preserve
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Disney Wilderness Preserve
Nature is just a couple hours away!
Just 30 minutes from Orlando and the Disney and Universal attractions, TNC’s 11,500-acre Disney Wilderness Preserve boasts a lake, a restored longleaf pine forest and diverse wildlife. Numerous trails, a Welcome Center and Conservation Learning Center attract visitors of every age and ability seeking a dose of nature during visits to area theme parks. Bring the whole family!
Image © Kevin Kane
- Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve
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Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve
Nature is just a couple hours away!
You’re enjoying Austin’s music scene or visiting the Alamo and River Walk in San Antonio, but it can be hot and busy. Consider driving a few hours from either location to TNC’s Eckert James River Bat Cave Preserve in historic Mason, Texas to watch millions of Mexican free‑tailed bats emerge at dusk into cooler evening temps and stunning Hill Country views. Note: call the bat hotline before you go!
- Green Swamp Preserve
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Green Swamp Preserve
Nature is just a couple hours away!
This time of year, Myrtle Beach and the beaches of Wilmington attract thousands of sun worshippers, surfers, golfers, boaters and visitors exploring endless shops and restaurants. Few know that, within an hour’s drive, you can find some of the country’s finest examples of a healthy longleaf pine savanna and explore a landscape famous for carnivorous plants and magnificent orchids.
Image © Skip Pudney
- Hart Prairie Preserve
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Hart Prairie Preserve
Nature is just a couple hours away!
The Grand Canyon is unforgettable but can also be crowded and hot in summer. For a break from national park crowds, consider driving an hour to Flagstaff, where TNC’s Hart Prairie Preserve hosts events and guided tours by appointment. Surrounded by thousands of acres of cool forest and meadows, the preserve is home to 120 bird species and the largest known community of Bebb willows in the world.
Image © Collette DeGarady/TNC
- Heart Mountain Ranch Preserve
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Heart Mountain Ranch Preserve
Nature is just a couple hours away!
Only 60 miles from Yellowstone National Park and a few hours from Grand Teton National Park–among the most visited parks in America–this hidden gem is not on the radar of the millions of people who visit the region every summer. This vast, 13,000-acre property, referred to by the Shoshone as the “Home of the Birds,” harbors a sage grouse lek and large mammals such as elk, mule deer and antelope.
Image © Edward Orth
- Kankakee Sands
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Kankakee Sands
Nature is just a couple hours away!
Just an hour or so from Chicago’s architecture, deep dish pizza and Magnificent Mile is a chance to decompress among unspoiled sand dunes and prairie at the Kankakee Sands Preserve in Illinois. Located within the ancestral lands of the Potawatomi tribe, it is also just an additional 20-minutes to TNC’s preserve in Indiana, which goes by the same name and features bison grazing on the prairie.
Image © Trevor Edmonson/TNC
- Mashomack Preserve
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Mashomack Preserve
Nature is just a couple hours away!
While Central Park provides a respite from the sights and sounds of NYC—Broadway shows, Times Square, shopping on Fifth Avenue and every type of food on the planet—we suggest taking a time-out from the city to visit TNC’s 2,350-acre Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island to relax among tidal creeks, mature oak woodlands, freshwater marshes and 11 miles of coastline—all 90 minutes from the Big Apple.
Image © Charles Gleberman
- William B. Clark Conservation Area
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William B. Clark Conservation Area
Nature is just a couple hours away!
Just a 35 minutes from Graceland, and the barbeque and music scene in Memphis (and a few hours from Nashville), the William B. Clark Conservation Area offers a peaceful escape into 427 acres of bottomland hardwood forest along the Wolf River. Watch for otters, herons and prothonotary warblers, and enjoy the quiet beauty of cypress and tupelo wetlands.
How can you support eco-friendly travel this summer?
From using more gas than usual to buying single-use plastic food and drinks on the go, summer travel can trigger feelings of guilt in people who usually try to live lighter on the land. If that sounds familiar, consider incorporating some eco-friendly travel practices that focus on reducing environmental impact, supporting local communities and preserving biodiversity. Here are a few tips (and find more here) that might ease the minds of nature-loving travelers:
- Prioritize low-carbon transport, like trains and public transportation. Renting a car? See if a hybrid or electric car might fit the budget.
- Avoid single-use plastic by bringing a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, utensils and shopping bags.
- Forgo daily cleaning service at hotels to conserve water and energy.
- Eat at local restaurants, buy directly from artisans and use local tour operators to ensure money stays in the community.
- Stay longer in one place to reduce emissions from constant travel and to deeply experience the culture.
- Visit national and state parks and marine sanctuaries that rely on tourism for conservation funding.
Bon voyage!
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