3 Slow City Adventures for 2020

Back in the halcyon days of January, I decided that 2020 was going to be a year of adventures. We’d only recently moved to a new city and were expecting a steady stream of out-of-town visitors. We were going to make the most of it—seeing all there was to see, exploring all there was to explore, eating new things, and visiting new places. 2020 was going to be a smorgasbord of unique experiences.

Cue the universe’s laugh track.

It started out well. In January and February, we ate at a new restaurant almost every week. We explored the Mexican market at Olvera Street, took the ferry to Catalina Island, did an after-hours scavenger hunt at Disneyland, gazed at Watts Towers, meandered through multiple flea markets, and went whale watching off the coast of Long Beach. Life felt vibrant and full of possibility.

You all know what happened next. Our citywide lockdown went into effect on March 19, and now, seven months later, California remains one of the most restricted states in the U.S.  We’re taking it seriously. Everyone in my family works and studies from home. We wear masks every time we leave the house. We avoid crowded places and don’t socialize in person.

We also want our lives back. We want our year of adventure. So we’re trying as best we can, and I know we’re not the only ones. I’ve come up with three COVID-friendly adventures that can be replicated in almost any city. They won’t work in the absolute strictest lockdowns, but these are things that are possible even in Los Angeles right now, which is in the most restrictive tier of California’s system.

Beach Walks

Author Wallace J. Nichols uses the term “blue mind” to describe “the mildly meditative state we fall into when near, in, on or under water.” Walking near water lowers stress levels, reduces anxiety, and increases happiness.

It can also feel adventurous. Over the past few months, Kevin and I have set off early almost every Sunday morning to explore new beaches from Orange County to Malibu. We’ve visited rocky beaches and wide, sandy beaches. We found a tidal lagoon with dozens of species of water fowl and a patch of sand nestled against sheer cliffs, from which we could watch dolphin pods in the distance. We’ve strolled down an almost-empty Santa Monica Pier and watched surfers cluster like birds on the horizon.

Not every city has beach access like Los Angeles, but blue mind doesn’t just come from oceans. You can also find it near rivers and lakes, ponds and streams. Find your water and go to it.

Takeout Tastings

Indoor restaurant dining is still impossible where we are, but we miss exploring the food culture of our city. It’s easy to stick to tried-and-true neighborhood takeout establishments, but there’s a huge upside to stepping out of your comfort zone and ordering from somewhere new. Get several different dishes and share.  If the restaurant is too far from home to get there while your food is still hot, find a nearby park where you can responsibly social distance, or embrace the idea of a car picnic. 

We recently took the “tasting” idea to the extreme when we tried out a nearby French-Polish bakery and ordered “one of each” piroshki flavor on their menu. We tried bites of them all and then each picked our favorites to finish off.

Self-Guided Tours

While many travel plans promise the opportunity to experience a new city like a local, I’m a big fan of experiencing your own city like a tourist. It’s enlightening to walk through familiar places with a guide well-versed in the history of those locations. You learn to see your everyday surroundings in a whole new light. 

Mingling in crowded places with a large group of strangers isn’t the best idea right now, but tour guides and historical societies have been hard at work creating alternatives. We downloaded a PDF driving tour of local “witch houses” last weekend and had an amazing time driving through new neighborhoods, taking photos, and learning about the architectural and historical significance of each stop. Self-guided walking tours were popular even before the pandemic, so I have no doubt every major city has something like this available, and many smaller cities will, as well. Just don’t get so caught up, you forget to keep your distance from other groups doing the same thing!

Every one of these mini-adventures was inexpensive, fun, and comes in near-infinite variations, so you don’t have to stop at doing them once. I’m looking forward to the weekends again.

Year of adventures, here we come!