The Great Southern Illinois Outdoors

Nicole
2814 days ago.

Get Out And Enjoy The Great Southern Illinois Outdoors

Out here in Southern Illinois, there are so many hidden gems. During the summer, it’s absolutely beautiful, especially if you’re like me and like to get out on the lake.

Get out there and enjoy The Great Southern Illinois Outdoors (copyright pending) in what small part of summer is left. Grab a kayak to enjoy the scenery from the beauty of the water.

The Great Southern Illinois Outdoors
Nicole encourages you to get out and enjoy the great outdoors in Southern Illinois.

I thought it sounded fun to explore Southern Illinois by kayak, so I went to Amazon in search of one. I invested in an inflatable kayak from Amazon. My trusty friend of a shopping site pointed me to the Coleman Quikpak 1-Person Kayak. It had great reviews and is a sit-on kayak, allowing my dog to have some space (Yes, Puka does have a life vest; she’s too hyper and occasionally falls off!) and go on the lake with me. This investment is well worth the $130! But if you’re in the area, you can always rent a kayak or canoe from SIU Base Camp, from Little Grassy Lake  or get with Touch of Nature and have some more adventures in the outdoors!

I’ve gone after work and on weekends, and next week I will be going with a friend. Up until now, all my lake adventures have basically been by myself. I found this great spot with cliffs on one side of the lake; it’s calm and gorgeous. Along with my dog, I take my waterproof Bible with me (thankfully it floats and the pages don’t get ruined if it falls in the water). I love getting out away from everything; no phone, no music, no television, no distractions. Instead, I read and listen to the sound of nature around me. Hearing the beaver slap his tail on the water, the fish jumping a few feet away from me, and the sound of the breeze as it blows by is amazingly relaxing.

In addition to the relaxation, there are also other fantastic benefits…a great tan, meet interesting people who also kayak or canoe, get a workout for arms and core, and be able to talk to friends who have found the same hidden gems on their adventures.

What do y’all like to do over the summer?

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