5 Tips for Planning a Perfect Summer Hike

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Banana Boat® and OFF!®. The opinions and text are all mine.

5 Tips for Planning a Perfect Summer Hike

My family and I love living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where there are tons of great places to hike all year long.

When we go, we like to be prepared so we can focus on the hike instead of those things that can ruin our adventure, like getting sunburned or dealing with a bunch of insect bites! Here are five tips for planning a perfect hike.

1. Grab sunscreen and bug repellent: Before you hit the trail, stop by Walmart to pick up Banana Boat® SunComfort sunscreen and OFF!® personal repellent. Even when you’re hiking in a semi-woody area, you can still get a sunburn. It’s important to apply Banana Boat® SunComfort sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. Banana Boat® SunComfort water resistant formula works for 80 minutes, so whether you are in the water at the beach or get rained on while hiking, you are covered. It also moisturizes to relieve dryness and it provides safe and effective broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection. Plus it’s available in SPF 30 and 50+.

2. Apply the insect repellent: Insect repellent won’t do any good if you don’t apply it. Be sure to read the instructions on the OFF!® label. Bonus: OFF! DeepWoods® provides long-lasting protection from mosquitoes that may carry the Zika or Dengue viruses.

3. Bring a backpack with supplies: Pack water for your hike. It’s crucial to have water!

4. Take time to notice the beauty around you: You may have goals about how far you want to hike and long it should take you to get there. But more important than that is taking time to slow down and really see the beauty around you, from the “small” like this leaf…