Burn off those Thanksgiving dinner calories and enjoy the great outdoors this holiday weekend with REI’s Opt Outside campaign. This effort first began two years ago when REI closed all their stores on Black Friday and encouraged everyone to ditch the shopping malls and head outside. Millions of people have since joined in the movement to spend the day relaxing, breathing in the fresh air, and going on new adventures.

Here’s how you can be a part of it. 

Enjoy one of Austin’s 300 local parks (and get rewarded for it). The Austin Parks Foundation is hosting a special giveaway for anyone who visits a local park on Friday. All you have to do is follow them on social media, take a selfie of yourself in a park, and use the hashtags #OptOutside and #PeoplePlusParks. Two lucky winners will receive Taco Deli gift cards and Austin Parks Foundation gear. The first place winner will also receive a Republic Square Picnic Blanket! More info>>

Take a road trip to one of the 16 national parks and monuments located right here in Texas. The National Park Service is participating in the #OptOutside campaign this year and is encouraging anyone who visits to share their experiences with others by tagging social media posts with #FindYourPark, #EnquentreTuParque, and #OptOutside.

Let’s not forget about the state parks! Texas is home nearly 100 state parks that are just waiting for you to enjoy. You can scroll through a list of all them here>>