7 Places to Celebrate Great Outdoors Month on a Boat
Since 2019, June has been known as Great Outdoors Month in the United States—a time to head out and enjoy nature with everything from hiking and biking to fishing, boating and camping.
As part of that monthlong celebration, there are National Marina Days (usually held during the month of June), the Great American Campout, National Trails Day, and National Fishing and Boating Week. All of these activities can be done in tandem with boating, making Great Outdoors Month even more fun.
Here’s a look at seven places where you can celebrate Great Outdoors Month in and around boats on the water:
- Oasis Marinas
- Norfolk, VA
- The State of Georgia
- The State of North Carolina
- Pinedale, WY
- Dillion Reservoir, CO
- Fort Stevenson State Park (ND)
Find Available Boat Rentals All Across the USA to Celebrate Great Outdoors Month
1. Oasis Marinas
This company—which operates Northwest Creek Marina in New Bern, North Carolina; Westshore Yacht Club in Tampa, Florida; Harbor East Marina in Baltimore; The Wharf Marina in Washington, D.C.; and Fernandina Harbor Marina in Fernandina Beach, Florida—is hosting marina cleanup days at its certified Clean Marinas throughout the month of June.
The event started on National Marina Day last year and has now expanded throughout the whole month, with cleanups on different dates at different marinas.
2. Norfolk, VA
Naval Station Norfolk’s MWR Sailing Center and Marina will be celebrating on June 18 with an afternoon of free food, sailboat rides, powerboat rides, boat demonstrations, a water trampoline for kids and more. Tours of the facility are available, and kids 5 or older are eligible to participate in the water activities.
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3. The State of Georgia
As part of National Fishing and Boating Week from June 4-12, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division is hosting Free Fishing Days. They will take place on June 4 and June 11, and will be days when Georgia residents do not need a fishing license, trout license or Lands Pass to catch a few fish.
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4. The State of North Carolina
North Carolina’s Wildlife Resources Commission will sponsor numerous fishing events for children across the state for National Fishing and Boating Week from June 4-12. The commission will stock fish at many of the sites, where kids 16 and older who typically need a fishing license will be exempt. The events will include raffles for free fishing licenses, tackle boxes and other gear.
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5. Pinedale, WY
Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department is hosting a free “get hooked on fishing” Kids Fishing Day event on June 4. It will take place at Dudley Key Fields Pond in Pinedale, which is stocked with trout. The department will provide fishing gear and worms, and there will be mentors from local agencies to help teach children fishing techniques. Every kid who registers will receive a gift bag of fishing supplies. And take note, adults: June 4 is also Free Fishing Day throughout Wyoming, where no license or conservation stamp are required to wet a line.
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6. Dillon Reservoir, CO
Frisco Bay Marina will be celebrating National Marina Day with a boat swap on June 11. Attendees can trade, sell, buy or barter for all kinds of boats, starting with kayaks and standup paddleboards and ranging up to larger vessels. The marina provides the location for the event, while buyers and sellers handle all the transaction details themselves.
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7. Fort Stevenson State Park (North Dakota)
Located in Garrison, North Dakota, this state park is hosting several National Marina Day events on June 11 that are focused on kids. Boats that are built for smaller bodies will be available, and kids can participate in a “rain gutter regatta” or “minnow races.” The event is free, though there is a charge for parking at the state park.
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Kim Kavin has been on boats in more than 50 countries and islands, including in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, South Pacific, Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. She grew up learning to steer a ski boat and Hobie Holder at her grandfather’s lake house in New Jersey, and went on to spend time aboard everything from America’s Cup racing sailboats to submarines.
Kim is a PADI-certified scuba diver and animal lover who always enjoys a good, long look around a coral reef. Her award-winning writing and editing regularly appears in national marine magazines and on leading websites. In her early years, she was a Dow Jones editing intern and a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. When she’s not writing, Kim can usually be found hiking northwest New Jersey’s beautiful park trails with her adopted shelter mutt, Ginger.
