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Get moving outside this summer

June 29, 2012

Get outside this summer with your kids, grandkids or young friends.

According to First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move Outside campaign, regular exercise in nature improves children’s health and is a fun way for all family members to maintain weight, boost immunity, and lower stress. So let’s move outside!

From the bay to the mountains to the valley, the richness of Solano County’s oak woodlands, rolling hills, grasslands, and sparkling rivers await you. Join in by foot, bike, horse, or canoe - there’s a lot going on.

By foot:

Something fishy will be making a splash at Lake Solano Park on Saturday, July 7 from 10 a.m. to noon.  Whether you’re a small fry or big lunker, come out to hear the scintillating specifics of salmon and steelhead science.  Do you know the difference between a steelhead and a salmon?  Do fish have a sense of smell?  Does a steelhead lay eggs or have live young at birth?  The answer to these questions and more will be discussed in a hands-on program that families will be sure to enjoy.

Saturday, July 7 is also a California Free Fishing Day throughout the state.  Pack your fishing pole, some tackle gear and a picnic lunch and head to Lake Solano Park to try your luck at catching a fish.  In these difficult economic times, anglers can fish on this day without having to purchase a sport fishing license. 

Celebrate Smokey Bear’s birthday party on Saturday, Aug. 4 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Lake Solano Park. It will be a morning full of exciting, hands-on activities.  Children and the young at heart will be delighted to meet Smokey in person.  

By bike:

Bring your mountain bike and hit the dirt trails at Lynch Canyon Open Space on your own any Saturday or Sunday, or join a guided mountain bike ride especially for families on Saturday, July 21 from 9 a.m. to noon. This is a "no-drop" ride, meaning slower riders will not be left behind. No technical experience is necessary, but be ready for hills.

By horse: 

Bring your horse to Lynch Canyon Open Space any Saturday or Sunday.  Roam nearly 10 miles of trails with your four-hoofed friend, seeing spectacular views along the way.   

By canoe:  

Rent a canoe at Lake Solano any Saturday or Sunday and see a completely different view of the park.  Explore the wide-open river and the narrow, winding streams that branch off of it.

Overnight:

Take your family camping at Lake Solano Park anytime this summer.  Enjoy picnic lunches and BBQs, tell stories around the campfire, admire the starry sky, and walk and canoe around the park.

Lynch Canyon Open Space is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., now through the first weekend of October, and Lake Solano Park is open every day from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Visit www.solanocounty.com/parks or www.solanolandtrust.org to learn more.