15 Best Outdoor Side Hustles to Make More Money in 2024

If you crave sunlight over bluelight, consider one of these outdoor side hustles! Some of us just feel better outside, and we also want to make more money this year without gluing ourselves to a computer.

Maybe the songbirds and spring flowers draw you to nature, or maybe you’re interested in work that’s dramatically different from your full-time indoor job. If you’re ready to put the “outside” in side hustle, get started with this list of our top choices for working outdoors. You can boost your income while getting fresh air. 

1. Food Delivery

If you’re wondering how delivering food qualifies as outdoor work, stick with us for a minute. For every order, you are getting in and out of your car and the restaurant or grocery store. In some cities, you can even do this job on a bicycle. 

Drivers for DoorDash and Instacart love the flexibility of setting their own hours and choosing how often they work. Make yourself available during peak hours to earn more per delivery.

You can learn more in our full DoorDash Driver Review.

2. Dog Walking

Combine your love of the outdoors with your love of furry friends by becoming a dog walker. It’s easy to get started through platforms like Rover, and bonus — this outdoor side hustle is great exercise!

You can earn $15 to $25 a walk and expand your business quickly through referrals and social media. Once busy pet owners figure out that you are nurturing and responsible, you’ll be in high demand. Good word-of-mouth will help you gain clients.

Learn more in our full Rover App Review.

3. Yardwork

If you’d rather mow the lawn than clean the house, doing yardwork might be the perfect outdoor job for you. In summer, people want their outdoor spaces ready for entertaining. In winter, you can switch gears to shoveling snow and hanging holiday lights.

To get started, it helps if you have your own tools, like a lawnmower, weedeater and rake. You’ll also need reliable transportation to transport your equipment.

You may need to trim bushes, pull weeds or edge along sidewalks. You can make $20 or more an hour and often get paid in cash.

4. Street Musician

If your inner rock star is dying to come out, being a street musician could be one of the most fun outdoor side hustles. To make the most money, you’ll want to look good and sound good to draw a crowd. You also want to make it easy for people to tip you by placing a clearly labeled bucket nearby. Afterall, tips are your salary when you are a street musician.  

You don’t have to be a singer. Pick an instrument that can be heard above a loud crowd or traffic noise. Some cities require a permit, so make sure to check into that before you bust out your guitar.
 

5. Outdoor Bartender

Capitalize on warm weather events like parties and weddings by offering on-site bartending. You can give your name to local caterers who often hire for the day, or manage your own bookings by advertising on social media.  

There are some critical pro tips to consider, like always bringing sunscreen and knowing in advance where your water source will be. The work is a lot more fun when you’re prepared for unpredictable weather.

6. Photographer

Shooting pictures can take you to high cliffs, city streets, carnivals, and concerts. It’s like getting paid in life experiences and money!

Cell phone cameras are so good these days, they’re really all you need to dive into this outdoor side hustle. Platforms like Shutterstock and AdobeStock let you upload your images and when a customer buys them, you share the profits. 

You can also build a name for yourself by taking pictures for outdoor yoga teachers to advertise their classes. Or shoot family photos at pumpkin patches and local parks. Social media and referrals by your family and friends can help you get business.

7. Sell Food From Your Garden

If you have a backyard or balcony garden that produces more than you can eat, you can make money from your surplus. 

As more and more people try to eat a healthier diet, good quality vegetables are in demand, but so are herbs like lavender and basil. Take extra tomatoes straight to your town’s weekend farmer’s market and make some bank. 

8. Referee or Umpire

If you shout at the TV when you see a bad call, being a referee might be your dream outdoor side hustle. Turn your experience playing sports or coaching into an umpire or ref gig. 

Check with your local parks and recreation department or schools for opportunities. This work can pay $15 to $30 an hour depending on your experience. This is a great side hustle for students.

9. Detail Cars

Be honest. Are you the type of person to watch video compilations of car detailing and think you could do it better? This is your moment! The demand for reliable car detailers is real. 

You choose what services you will offer, whether that’s washing and vacuuming or white glove services like polishing and waxing every nook and cranny, hubcap and tire. You can create a profile on a platform like Taskrabbit or spread the word through social.

10. Outdoor Handyman 

You can be a handyman (or handyperson) who specializes in outdoor tasks like cleaning gutters, repairing decks, washing windows — just about any odd job a client needs. It’s a flexible venture because you control your hours, what jobs you take, and how often you work.

It’s not unusual for neighbors to see what you can do and keep you busy all year. This outdoor side hustle lends itself well to referral business, too, because there’s high demand for someone who is trustworthy, reliable, and skilled.

11. Tour Guide

Travel has changed. People want to live like locals on vacation but also don’t want to miss the top attractions. Lend your inside knowledge of historic landmarks and eclectic sights as a tour guide. 

You can build a Facebook or Instagram page and make your business card available at your local visitor’s center or chamber of commerce. 

Learn more in Best Ways to Travel and Make Money.

12. Pressure Washing

As a pressure washer, you clean driveways, sidewalks, and if you have experience, you can even do houses. You’ll need the right equipment, but a good pressure washing machine can last for years with proper maintenance and care.

This is a physical outdoor side hustle that offers a great workout and a flexible schedule. The demand is steady, too, as it’s the kind of task homeowners are willing to pay someone else to do.

13. Selling at Flea Markets

Flipping used goods for profit is all about the feeling you get when you spot a great used trinket, album, vase, or tool. Your gut (and a little research) tells you it will sell for more than you’re paying, and that’s the beauty of this side hustle. 

This gig is outdoors on the front end if you score treasures at outdoor markets, but could also get you out in the open air when you sell. On rainy days you can list your finds online.

14. Work Outdoor Events

Watching the game or hearing great live music while getting paid might sound too good to be true, but this is a solid outdoor side job. You can take tickets, sell merch, work the concession stand, or even pass out fans at posh events.

The pay varies, but the jobs are often on the weekends or at night which can work well as a side job. This gets you outside and you can focus on events you’d want to attend anyway.    

15. National Park Excursion Guide

If you know all the best ways to experience the Grand Canyon or love hiking the Great Smoky Mountains, you can make money guiding tours. 

Platforms like Airbnb let you list the experiences you offer so vacationers can book your services while planning their trips.

Final Word: Which Outdoor Side Hustle is Best for You?

By focusing on what you love about being outdoors, you set yourself up for success. 

It takes hard work and vision to build a successful side hustle, so pick something you enjoy doing that fits easily into your current lifestyle. 

Food delivery is our top recommendation because there’s a need for drivers, the hours are flexible, and you can start and stop and start according to your financial goals. Check out Doordash to learn more.

If you live for music and hate hiking, choose outdoor concert work over park tour guide. If you’re at home mowing lawns but hate cleaning gutters, then only offer the services you find satisfying.