Outdoor activities usually mean activities done in nature away from civilization, such as hill walking, trekking, canoeing, kayaking, rafting, climbing, caving, and arguably broader groups such as water sports and snow sports. Other similar activities include photography, biking, kayaking or just spending time with family.

Outdoor activities are practised for the purposes of enjoying scenery and nature, relieving stress, finding peace in nature, enjoying life and relaxing. They are alternatives to expensive forms of tourism. Outdoor sport is also frequently used as an extremely effective medium in education and teambuilding.