Fitness and the Family Vacation: The Way to Go

Time away with family means reconnecting with loved ones, visiting new surroundings … and staying active. Whatever your budget and whatever the ages of your youngsters, with a little organizing you can plan family travel that combines fun activities, exercise and new experiences for everyone.

If exercise is part of your daily routine, there’s no reason why it should be neglected just because you’re on the road. To begin with, one of the best ways to de-stress is to workout. So since relaxing is a major reason that you take a vacation, keeping active will most likely keep any stress away.

For your vacation to be an active one, start by choosing a destination that offers a number of activities that will be fun for the whole family. This can be as simple as choosing something that no one in the family has done before. This way, everyone will be excited to try it.

Exercise can involve anything from exploring the streets of a new city to snorkeling. There are many opportunities to get in some exercise while bonding with family. Depending on your vacation spot, these activities can involve everyone:

• Tennis — Singles or doubles

• Hiking — In any season

• Frisbee — On the beach or in a park

• Swimming — Indoors or outdoors, pool, lake or ocean

• Beach volleyball — Rent a net and ball or bring your own

• Skiing — Cross-country or downhill

• Walking — Great for any age

• Biking— Great for almost any age

Traveling as a unit can have its comings and goings, and expectations can make or break a vacation, especially if they’re too high, so set reasonable expectations. If your destination is a sports resort, check the activities schedule during the planning stage of your trip, to see what's going to be available while you're there and which activities your children will be eligible to participate in.

It’s also important that children know beforehand that they might need to be flexible about the activities you’ve planned. Factors beyond anyone’s control, like weather, could ultimately affect what you are all able to do.

With proper planning, you can make your next family outing a great, active experience that everyone will remember fondly for years to come.