Local mother of two boys, Lissy Perna, takes her commitment to fresh and informative outdoor play and discovery, from a popular blog to an invaluable book.

In the spring of 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, parents were struggling to find creative ways to get their kids off screens and into the fresh air. So, when Brewster mom Lissy Perna started posting photos of her kids exploring trails, beaches and more, she received dozens of comments asking for details on the Cape’s best nature spots. “I couldn’t believe my friends who have lived here their whole lives have never been to these places. The Cape has so many trails and little hidden spots,” Perna said. “I just wanted other people to be able to enjoy that too.”

Perna started her blog Get Outside Cape Cod in the fall of 2020. The blog provides colorful descriptions of outdoor spots all over the Cape, and includes information essential for families: parking locations, stroller accessibility, and dog friendliness are all factors included at the bottom of her blog posts. Some entries offer other details too, such as different types of flora and fauna you might spot from a trail, or what makes specific trails especially fun (like the tire swing at the end of Alm’s House Road Trail in Yarmouth, or the “pirate shack” next to Lighthouse Beach in Chatham). The blog has around 50 entries in total and continues to grow as Perna and her sons, ages five and eight, explore more spots.

Perna is active on the blog’s Instagram as well, and posts several times a week. Pictures and videos feature her sons exploring marshes, beaches and wooded areas. Some posts touch...