In college, I went through a phase where I was married to my workout schedule. I had an at-home pilates routine that I went through every day and panicked if my schedule got mixed up. While studying in Germany, my beloved workout schedule got thrown out the window. Between my classes, coffee dates with new friends, and my travels, I barely had time to get my homework done, much less workout consistently. I figured I could return to my normal routine once I returned to the States. But you know what? I never got back into that vicious workout cycle, and after 6 months in Germany it didn’t even occur to me to get back on the bandwagon.
Somewhere during my few months in Europe, I became much more relaxed about personal fitness. Instead of forcing myself through a home workout routine that I was bored with, I biked places with friends, went hiking in the Schwarzwald, and walked to and from the grocery store each week. Living in Germany taught me the importance of living an active lifestyle. Without even realizing it, I was working out simply by living my life!
So when thinking about the kinds of tips to give for this article, I knew I didn’t want to lay out a set number of exercises to do in your hotel room or anything like that. Instead, I want to show you how having an active vacation can be fun without even feeling like a workout! After all, if you only get to take one or two big vacations a year, it’s important that you let your body and mind relax. Because sometimes taking a break is just as good for you as working out.
Here are my favorite ways to “workout” while traveling, including a few traditional workout ideas as well as more general suggestions for having an active trip.
Bike around a new city
I biked around campus all through college, and while I can’t say I’m particularly good at it (I ran into curbs and fell over a lot) I really enjoy renting a bike and exploring cities on one. When I was last in Washington DC, my friend, Grace, and I rented bikes and attempted to bike from Arlington to Mount Vernon to see George Washington’s house. We wound up not making it (like I said, I’m not a biker!), but we had a fabulous time trying. One of my favorite things about biking around a new place is that you can’t just stop and snap photos whenever you want. Biking forces you to be totally in the present moment and just enjoy what you’re seeing as you see it. It’s oddly freeing, once you get over your fear of falling off!
One thing I will note about biking in cities is that you really should have a helmet on, if possible (at least if you plan on biking in the street). Especially if you’re renting a bike in a busy city like NYC!
Take a walking tour
I’m low-key obsessed with walking tours. Somehow they feel much less touristy and impersonal than bus tours, and it’s so much easier for me to ask the guide questions and really take in everything I’m seeing. You guys know Free Tours by Foot is my go-to walking tour company, but I’ve also done a smattering of food tours with other companies around the world. Walking around a city is always the best way to see it, and a walking tour is essentially entertainment while you get your workout in! Just make sure to wear comfortable shoes with good arch support, because there’s nothing worse than getting blisters on a walking tour.
Go for a hike
Okay, I lied. I might actually enjoy going on hikes more than walking tours! I’ve gotten more into hiking over the last few years. After 2 years in NYC, I’m always so excited to return to nature and hear nothing but my own breath and birdsong. Obviously, hiking isn’t always an option when you’re traveling, especially if you’re in major city in, say, mainland Europe. But I encourage you to look up hikes in the area anyways — even if you think you couldn’t possibly find somewhere to hike! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found hikes that are an hour or less away by public transport. In Quebec City, I took the bus out to Montmorency Falls and did some light hiking in the park, and in Athens there’s a small mountain smack in the middle of the city.
Sign up for a local fitness class
I’m not a huge fan of attending fitness classes while traveling, but I have some friends who love checking out the local fitness scene and attending group classes that aren’t offered anywhere else. My best advice is to wait until you land to see if you’re up for a fitness class later on during your trip. And remember that you don’t have to sign up for a high intensity class! If you’re staying at a beach resort, a sunrise yoga session might be the refreshing start you need before a day in the sun. Likewise, a yoga or pilates class is a great way to work out the kinks after a long flight.
Do a bodyweight workout in your room
If I know I’ll be traveling for longer than 2 weeks, I’ll jot down some easy bodyweight exercises in my journal and try to squeeze in a 15-minute hotel workout a few times each week. I like to walk a lot on vacations, so my workouts usually focus on my core and arms. With that said, I don’t push myself to do a hotel room workout if I’m jet lagged or under the weather. But I do think staying active when traveling for longer periods of time is a good practice to get into!
Side note: if you’re really into fitness, you can pack lightweight objects like carpet sliders and resistance bands to intensify your hotel room workouts.
I hope this post has inspired you to stay active on your next vacation! If doing a proper workout or signing up for a class isn’t how you want to spend your trip, that’s totally fine. I don’t think anyone should feel guilty about taking some much needed time off to rest both their mind and body. If I can’t be bothered to do one of the things on this list, I make myself walk from one attraction to the next if it’s 20 minutes of walking or less, according to Google Maps. It’s small, but it keeps my heart pumping!
Tell me: Do you like to workout while traveling?
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