Be Fit While Sightseeing

Are you ready for a fun, relaxing, exciting vacation? However you might describe your dream vacation, it can be "healthy," too. Getting more sleep, taking time away from daily life, tasting new foods, and enjoying new sights and sounds can all improve physical and mental health. So can staying active while away from home, and it is not that hard to do when you fit activity into your sightseeing. These are a few ways.

Ditch the car. If you want to see the sights away from the car, you'll need to ditch the car. You might consider parking on the outskirts of the city or town and walking or taking public transportation into the city center. Depending on your feet and on busses and metros can give you plenty of exercise while allowing you to stop anywhere you want, for as long as you want, to get a better glimpse of the town. Added benefits include not worrying about finding parking in crowded destinations.

Chase your interests on foot. Official walking tours are available in many cities and towns with general tours or tours focused on themes such as gourmet food, local architecture, or history. They may vary in length and in miles covered during the tour so you can choose tours that are appropriate for your fitness level. Tours with local guides can give you insider information, while audio tours are easy to download to your phone so you can go on your time, at your pace, and with little to no cost.

Design your own walking tour. It is not the end of the world if your dream walking tour is too expensive or does not exist, since you can make your own by choosing any number and type of destinations and mapping out a route that you can walk to hit them all. How far to walk, which sights to see, where to stop, and how long the tour will take are all up to you. Your tour could range from seeing a couple of famous landmarks or facades in an hour, to checking out some monuments, parks, and landmarks over the course of a day, with stops for lunch and a snack in local restaurants.

Rent a bike. Bikes let you move a little faster than walking, and are easier to park and stop than Municipal bike programs may let you rent a bike by the hour or day without needing to worry about reserving in advance or drop off the bike in the same place you picked it up. Just be careful to know the rules of the road before you start riding, since they may be different than in your hometown.

Break up bus tours. Bus tours can be wonderful, ways to see the city and get an expert tour at an economical price, but their drawbacks can include sitting for too long and passing by attractions too fast or from too far. Many bus touring companies offer a package where you can hop off the bus and hop on another one on the same route, at your leisure, for the whole day. That way, you can get moving while you get up close and personal with any of the attractions you like.

Talk a lot. Strike up conversations with locals or other tourists at your hotel or in museums, and you may meet people who are willing and eager to walk with you while you are in town. As you walk with these like-minded health-focused buddies, you may learn insider secrets about local sites or sow the seeds for lifelong friendships.

Vacations can be healthy: there is no doubt about it. From getting a much-needed break from daily life to eating new, healthy foods to getting active as you see the sights, you can come away from your trip feeling relaxed and healthier. Lark DPP can help keep you on track and focused on your goals at home and away from home.