How to Keep Up Your Fitness Routine While Traveling

Travel is all about fun, food and relaxation, but it's easy for the normal exercise routine to go out of the window. Many travelers who visit the gym daily back home find it hard to resist the call of a beach lounger while on vacation. Many eager runners dutifully pack their running shoes, then find reasons to leave them unused in the suitcase when they travel.

So how do you keep up your fitness routine while traveling? Well, there are ways to make it easier for yourself, and that doesn't have to mean booking an expensive hotel with an on-site gym. If you set off with good intentions when you travel, but never seem to find the time to exercise, this guide is for you.

My normal day at home typically involves keeping consistent work hours followed by an hour at the gym. While away, however, my day could be spent at the beach sipping on sugary drinks and eating my body weight in local food. The last thing on my mind at the end of a long day of sunbathing is hitting the gym.

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However, as someone who is away more than I’m at home, I’ve made it my mission to find fun and unique ways to incorporate exercise into my travels. I used to think that the only way to get in an actual workout was going to a crowded hotel gym, but I’ve discovered many other ways to stay fit amid frantic travel days.

In the process, I've found that keeping fit has also helped me learn more about the local culture and meet fellow travelers. If you struggle to balance travel and exercise, here are some of the best ways to keep up your fitness routine on your next trip.

Work a Workout Into Your Travel Schedule

If you pick a hotel with a gym, the only thing preventing you from using it is making the decision to go. Even mid-range hotels often have a fitness center, and free-to-use outdoor exercise machines are found in many parks. However, fitting a workout around a busy day of sightseeing or relaxing requires commitment – and that gets harder the later in the day you leave it.

My advice is to get up early – hotel gyms are usually quiet first thing in the morning, and you'll work up a healthy appetite for breakfast without eating into your sightseeing time. Also look out for exercise classes, yoga sessions and other fitness activities run by your accommodation. Many hotels in Asia, for example, offer daily morning yoga classes for guests for no extra charge.

Another easy and underused way to stay active is to sign up for free trials of workout classes with local gyms and fitness centers, or to find a drop-in class using apps such as ClassPass. Search online for free and drop-in classes, and check out flyers posted in traveler-oriented places to stay and cafes.

When I first moved to London, I wasn’t familiar with all of the workout classes the city had to offer, but using apps and free trials, I was able to try different Pilates, CrossFit and boxing classes, and even a twerking class. The best part was that when friends and family visited, they could download the app and join me for a class as well.

Let the Water Be Your Workout

The hotel pool – or the nearest ocean, lake or river – can provide cost-free exercise if you like swimming. The only gear you need to bring from home is your costume and goggles, which you may be carrying anyway. However, hotel pools get busy during the day, so take a swim early in the morning or late in the evening if you want to enjoy your laps uninterrupted.

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When swimming outdoors, it's important to check currents and swimming conditions. Ideally, swim where there are lifeguards, and use a high-visibility swim float if you are swimming where there might be boat traffic. Swimming outdoors is even an option on a city break – cities such as Paris and Copenhagen set up dedicated outdoor swimming areas on rivers, lakes and inlets every summer.

Life in coastal hubs such as Barcelona and Sydney is famously oriented toward the beach. Look out for open-air swimming pools fed by seawater on the waterfront – they're often free to use, and the water will usually be calmer than swimming directly in the ocean.

Ditch Public Transport and Use Muscle Power

The easiest way to get your steps in while traveling abroad is to walk or cycle to your destination rather than using public transportation or taking a rideshare. When I lived in London, I always made a point of walking where I needed to go, whenever time allowed, and I do the same when I go into Manhattan today.

Walking around a city allows you to get a feel for its culture, people and atmosphere in a way that traveling by bus, train or taxi cannot. I also use it as a way to scout out different restaurants and coffee shops that I want to visit in the future.

In many countries, taking an early morning walk is a much-loved local custom, while Italy is famous for the afternoon promenade known as the passeggiata. Joining in either is a great way to take some gentle exercise and plug into the local culture (just resist the temptation to stop too much gelato in Italy).

If you love walking, mapping apps such as Google Maps are invaluable. Think about your plans for the day and plot out a walkable itinerary, or seek out local bikeshare programs and sign up to use them as soon as you arrive. Look for greenways and shared-use trails that will allow you to enjoy a more ambitious cycle ride while avoiding the city traffic; cities such as Seattle and Washington, DC, are famously well set up for cyclists.

Take Part in Traditional Forms of Exercise

If you want to exercise and experience local life at the same time, you’ll need to do some research beforehand. Read up on the physical activities that are commonly practiced or associated with the country you’re visiting, such as tai chi in China, muay thai (Thai boxing) in Thailand, or dancing the tango in Argentina.

When I was in Vienna with a friend, for example, we decided to take a Viennese waltz class together. What we thought would be a low-effort dance class turned out to be an intense, hour-long workout where we simultaneously broke a sweat and enjoyed a fascinating Viennese cultural experience.

One friend of mine took a Sumo wrestling class in Japan, and in India, another friend joined an intense 4-hour yoga session. Taking a class in a traditional activity such as wrestling, dance or yoga will give you a chance to enjoy some physical activity and also get an inside look at the country’s history and values. This hack has been my favorite way to stay active while traveling by far.

To find classes, simply search for an activity and find a provider that offers courses suitable for visitors or beginners. I also recommend looking for experiences advertised on Airbnb, GetYourGuide or Viator for more tourist-friendly classes. While the classes may be more expensive there, the programs are tailored specifically for visitors.

Take a Hike or a Run

Not everyone has the energy or inclination to hike up a mountain, but taking even a gentle trek can be a great way to get from A to B and enjoy some bonus exercise into the bargain. As well as epic multiday hikes, look out for short day hikes and half-day hikes that will give you a view of the local scenery without taking up too much of your time. The AllTrails app is a good place to start looking for routes.

This is even an option in big cities such as Hong Kong (try the 2.8km Morning Trail up Victoria Peak), Edinburgh (point your compass toward Arthur's Seat) and Vancouver (hit the forested trails of Stanley Park). And in any hilly city, walking up to a hilltop viewpoint or landmark can be a great way to get in your steps, enjoy the vistas, and even get some quality cardio.

Taking a run is easier in some destinations than others, but your trainers won't take up too much space in your bag. If there's a park or beach nearby, that's an obvious choice – look out for dedicated running routes such as the impact-reducing rubber track in KLCC Park in Kuala Lumpur. The Strava app is a good source of suggestions for running routes. Alternatively, get up early and use a run as a way to scope out the local neighborhood before the heat builds and the streets get busy.

Look For Pop-Up Classes and Activities

Apps such as Eventbrite and Meetup are a good way to find pop-up classes and activities near your location. When I was in Nashville, I discovered a yoga-and-mimosas class I would never have found otherwise. During peak tourist seasons, plenty of cities host pop-up activities, which can cover everything from outdoor workout classes to paddleboard yoga. Many hostels and hotels also offer classes that you can sign up for upon arrival.

Keep an eye out for bulletin boards in coffee shops, restaurants and guesthouse and hostel lobbies with flyers for upcoming events. Not only are these kinds of classes a great way to get active, but they’re also a perfect way to meet other travelers who are searching for new ways to explore the city.

When I was solo traveling in Malaga, I met two German women on an organized hike of the Caminito del Rey. We bonded over the ridiculous look of the hard hats we had to wear and ended up spending the next 2 days together.