Our Favorite ways to #OptOutside in Southern California this Black Friday

As Thanksgiving approaches, we're all exploring new ways to celebrate safely and keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy. The idea that we should #OptOutside has been one of our favorite holiday season mantras for the last few years, but it 2020 it takes on a whole new level of importance. It refers to boycotting traditional Black Friday shopping and choosing to be active outside instead. It's also a great reminder of the value of sharing experiences over physical gifts, which we couldn’t agree with more! If you need some inspiration for how to #optoutside in Southern California, here are some of our favorite adventures!:

Go Explore the Kelp Forests!

Lush kelp forests are one of the things that make the California coast so special! Like our forests on land, kelp forests are rich with life and are a sanctuary for all kinds of cool animals! In fact, they're so important to protecting sea life that several of them in Southern California are officially "Marine Protected Areas", which means they're off limits to most kinds of fishing and other human behavior that might be destructive to the ecosystem. While kelp forests are beautiful from above the water, you can only experience their true magic from below the waves! There are few things we love more than grabbing our snorkels, masks, and fins and diving in! If you can hold your breath a bit you can explore on your own, or plan a dive with locals who can show you around like the team at Dive and Surf.

Find Balance on a SUP

If you want to stay (relatively) dry, but are still craving some ocean time, Stand Up Paddleboarding is an easy way to have a mini-adventure. Most beginners pick it up quickly, though it gets more challenging on days with some swell. If you want a more relaxing, meditative experience it's great to go somewhere naturally protected from the waves like Mission Bay in San Diego. If you're up for a challenge, you can check out our favorite spot at Point Dume in Malibu, where we run Climb & Slide.

Get Salty with a Surf Session

It's no surprise that surfing is our favorite way to #optoutside, and not just on Black Friday. Southern California is full of awesome surf spots, so you won't have to drive far to find a great place to paddle out! We also love that surfing doesn't require a lot of gear to have a good time. Just grab your wetsuit and throw your board on your car (or rent one real quick at the beach), and you'll be back in time to still snag some leftovers!

We're Here to Help!

While the ring of “Opt Outside” often fades when we go back to work after Turkey Day, there's no reason getting out in nature regularly can't be apart of your everyday life. Grab your roommates, your family, or do it alone. If you need some help planning your Southern California adventure, we're here to help! Click here to learn more about what we do. If you're ready for a lesson don't forget to use coupon code BFBOGO though November 30th and take advantage of our awesome BOGO deals on gift cards, lessons, and kids surf camp!