National Take a Walk in the Park Day Date in the current year: March 30, 2024

The origin of National Take a Walk in the Park Day is unclear, but this is a common situation with a lot of unofficial national holidays. However, does it really matter who and when created it? What matters is that this day is a perfect excuse to remind people of the physical and mental benefits of long walks and communing with nature.

Urban parks were created with the specific purpose of giving people an opportunity to enjoy nature without leaving their city or town. Typically maintained by government agencies, they offer green space and recreation to the municipality’s residents and visitors. Urban parks usually feature playgrounds, sports fields and courts, running and hiking trails, picnic facilities, benches, public restrooms, and sometimes even horse trails, skating rinks, and boat ramps.

Public gardens and parks have existed since at least the 16th century. One of the world’s oldest public gardens is the Alameda de Hércules in Seville, Spain. Today, many cities and towns across the world have at least one public park or garden with facilities for active and passive (low-intensity) recreation. The top five cities with the highest percentage of public green space are Moscow, Singapore, Sydney, Vienna, and Shenzhen.

Taking a leisurely walk in the park closest to your your home or place of work, away from the pollution of busy city streets, is one of the most effortless thing you can do to improve your mental and physical health. According to studies, walking about 30 minutes a day helps burn calories and normalize blood pressure, as well as lowers the risk of certain health conditions.

Evening walks help relax after a stressful day, while morning walks give an energy boost to start your day. A leisurely stroll through a park during your lunch break will clear your mind and help you get through the rest of the day. Some people come up with the best ideas during walks because a change of environment boosts creative thinking (and a picturesque park is definitely more inspiring than a stuffy office).

How to celebrate National Take a Walk in the Park Day? Well, it’s a no-brainer. Put on your most comfortable shoes and walk around your local park. You can ask a friend to join you or enjoy solitude, listening to birds chirping, your favorite band, or a podcast you’ve been meaning to catch up on. If you feel like you’re getting tired, take a break, sit on a bench, and read a book or feed some squirrels (if feeding animals in the park is permitted, of course).

If you prefer a more active lifestyle, there are tons of things you can do in your local park, from jogging to working out to organizing a volunteer clean-up. And dog owners, of course, celebrate the day by taking their loyal companions to a local dog park, where they can roam free, exercise, and play with other dogs.