With few opportunities to go anywhere or even leave the house, cabin fever can strike quickly and be debilitating when it does. It’s something I’ve been struggling with over the past few months, to mixed success. I don’t have any real tips for keeping yourself engaged when locked inside all day, unfortunately, and trying to spend some time outdoors seems to work best for alleviating feelings of stress and boredom.

One place I can recommend visiting if you’re struggling with boredom and need to get out of your house is the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary. I went there at the end of January and found it quite soothing. While the sanctuary’s Audubon Center is currently closed, the sanctuary still has 8.5 miles of hiking trails and plenty of great vantage points to view birds.

The amount of space available makes keeping proper social distancing easy, especially when few people are visiting. If you’re interested in the birds, make sure to bring a pair of binoculars if you have one on hand. Bring a facemask as well, as you might need it. Even if you’re not interested in the birds, it’s still a great place to get some fresh air and clear your mind. In times like these, we all need to do that every once in a while.