We can’t spend all day outdoors. Work demands and other priorities keep us in the office or home on the couch. However, a few clicks give you access to an outdoor live stream to enjoy wildlife or a beautiful view.
Numerous studies prove spending time outdoors is packed with mental health benefits. Even more surprising, newer studies show simply looking at nature may have positive results. In the study shared earlier this year, around 50 college students were exposed to nature virtually. As a result, many had decreased anxiety. The study found those who were passionate about the outdoors benefited even more from the virtual experience.
So whether you just like to watch live cameras or need a mental vacation, here are some of the best livestreams you can find on Explore.org.
Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park
If you love grizzly bears, fishing, or grizzly bears fishing, this is the camera for you. Positioned in Alaska’s Katmai National Park, the camera often captures grizzly bears fishing for salmon. A few other types of wildlife occasionally show up as well, but the bears are the highlight. The best part is it’s relatively easy to catch a glimpse of some bears, even in the dark and early hours of the Alaskan morning.
Orcalab in British Columbia
This is the destination for foggy seaside cameras capturing the Pacific coast. Orcalab is an organization that has studied whales for five decades. The organization’s set of cameras gives viewers worldwide an occasional glimpse of a pod of orcas moving through the area. Other wildlife you could spot include sea birds, dolphins, and sea lions.
Northern Lights in Manitoba, Canada
This camera located in far northern Canada is something you’ll have to keep in mind for the evening. The camera is positioned directly under the aurora oval, one of the best places to spot the aurora borealis or Northern Lights. Outside the Churchill Northern Studies Center, the daytime livestream won’t bring much, but good things come to those who wait. Be sure to watch this camera closely, especially in late winter and early spring.
Underwater Manatee-Cam at Blue Spring State Park, Florida
For some relaxing zen moments, few animals are gentler and more calming to watch than a manatee. The animal, nicknamed sea cow, quietly grazes underwater. This camera at a Florida state park is a great way to see the animals up close. The warm spring water at the park attracts hundreds of manatees a year.
Waimea Bay Cam in Oahu, Hawaii
You can go on vacation from your desk chair with this live stream on the north shore of Oahu. The beach is known as the birthplace of big wave surfing, so expect to catch a talented surfer shredding the massive swells occasionally. If nothing else, watching the relaxing crashing of the waves almost lets you smell the salty air.
Have you checked out any livestreams on Explore.org? Which is your favorite?
