How to Stay Active on Vacation

Maintain your fitness level anywhere with a little ingenuity

Vacation Fitness
Photo: Nathan Cowley

Summer vacation season is finally here and while you’re away, your usual fitness routine will likely fall apart. But that doesn’t mean you can’t stay active. Instead of giving up on your workouts, use your vacation to explore new locations, try something new and have fun while staying fit. Here are a few ideas to keep active while travelling.

1. Be Creative

Choose to go on an active holiday. You don’t need to get to the gym or do your normal workouts to stay active. Take a walking tour, rent a bike or explore on foot. Find a local running group or sign up for a running tour and go for a sightseeing run.

2. Be Realistic

It all adds up. Any time you do a mini workout it helps you stay fit. Do squats, lunges, push-ups and sit ups in your hotel room. Driving? Every time you stop, do squats or push-ups against a bench. Stuck at an airport? Walk laps or the stairs. You don’t need any equipment, use your body weight to keep fit. Embrace your surroundings and use what you can to get moving.

3. Plan Ahead

Take a class or try a new sport while on vacation. There’s nothing like being a beginner to burn a lot of calories. Sign up for tennis lessons, learn how to mountain bike, try surfing or stand-up paddle boarding.

4. Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself

You don’t want to spend your holidays inside a gym, but a short workout is better than nothing. Aim for maintenance and if you can’t use the gym, do bodyweight exercises.

5. Have Fun

A vacation is a break from your regular routine and that includes your exercise routine. Being active during the day, even if it’s not at the same intensity as your normal workout, makes a big difference.

Whether you’re walking the streets of New York city, playing in the surf on a Mexican beach or visiting museums and castles in Scotland, if you find ways to squeeze in a bit of fitness, you might be surprised at how active you can be when on vacation.