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Best City Running Paths Offer an Easy, Cheap Way to Explore

3/31/2015

Plot your route

Several apps and websites help you find a safe route to run. You can chart your own course/distance or use a route that has been entered and shared by someone who has been there and done that.

Try these:
MapMyRun.com
RunKeeper.com
TrailLink.com
Runners World Route Finder --rw.runnersworld.com/
route/routefinder.html

By John Roberts

Running along the roads and footpaths in the tiny village of Kinderdijk (pictured), we were surrounded on all sides by twirling giants. What a way to see this quaint destination in the Netherlands. We were away from the crowds and made our own way looping around from the water to the interior canals, and before an hour had passed, Colleen and I had spotted animals (many cows, horses and mallards), ships, trees, flowers, chatted with residents and seen every windmill in town.

This is often how we like to explore ports areas and other destinations. You get to see more, find a little piece of solitude and best of all, it's free and good for your health.

We have enjoyed runs in St. Thomas USVI, London, New York City, Key West, Orlando, Dublin and many, many more.

Many cruise-port cities offer great walking/running paths that are natural fits for excellent sightseeing while you get in your workout.

Just throw on your running shoes and grab your camera, then head out for a cheap self-guided tour in these spots.

Miami

Go for a morning or sunset run at Miami Beach Boardwalk in South Beach. The route offers continuous views of the ocean, sandy beach -- and interesting people. The route runs for 40 blocks north from the South Beach area, and you can pull off to find a wide variety of other things to see or do: eat, drink, shop on Lincoln Road or check out the Art Deco designs of the hotels and homes. How about, trying it all?

New York

Central Park (at left) gets busy, but there is plenty of room for everyone. Miles and miles of loops offer endless variation as you run within view of impressive skyline, trees, foliage and lakes and bridges. Also, you'll spot bikers, walkers, people playing Frisbee, softball, bocce and all sorts of activities. Or, try a run along the High Line Park, a 1.5-mile long path that has been built on a refurbished portion of an old New York Central Railroad section. The park on Manhattan's West Side extends from 34th Street to Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District and contains wildflowers and wild grasses as well as public art, food vendors and unique views of the bustling city life below.

Cozumel

Enjoy a scenic and sunny run along the Malecon that stretches from the International Cruise Port area all the way to downtown San Miguel (about five miles). Your run follows the ocean the whole way, and you can slip into the water to cool down after your run at several small public beach spots, many adjacent to quaint bars/eateries. I think it's awesome to start the day with a challenging, sweaty run and then reward yourself with a couple beers, chips and salsa and relaxing time in the cool, clear waters. But that's just me.

Houston

A slow-moving river, Buffalo Bayou, winds through the city, and you can run along the banks of this waterway. About 20 miles worth of trail segments form a park system shared by bikers, walkers and runners and goes through downtown Houston and features green spaces, a skate park, paddlesports, scenic waterfall, art installations and even an observation deck to view the nightly spectacle of the Waugh Bridge bat colony -- the creatures emerge at dusk to begin their hunt for mosquitos.

Montreal

The city's popular Mount Royal Park holds a wide variety of trails. You can challenge yourself with some elevation change up the mountain path to Montreal's highest point (at just 764 feet, Mount Royal is really a hill) or glide along to enjoy the green expanse of the Golden Square Mile. Paths are unpaved, making it easy on the knees and feet.

Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Trail is a 30-mile-long route that begins at Victoria Peak (pictured) and descends into wooded forests, and along the way includes climbs of some of the islands' highest peaks for amazing views. The trail contains eight sections and goes through five country parks. Don't worry. If you just want an easy run, you can plot out a mild section. (The first leg, from Victoria Peak, is a relatively easy four-mile stretch, for example.)

New Orleans

A section of the Mississippi River Trail goes through the Crescent City and is a hot spot for visitors and residents. Run on a levee atop the banks of the Mighty Mississippi after you set out from Audubon Park (pictured), which also features its own beautiful two-mile running path. In fact, the city is filled with options for runners who want to enjoy the sights. Check out the mansions on St. Charles Avenue from your route along the roadways' "neutral ground" median.

Please share spots you have discovered for your runs/walks around the world.

Thanks for reading. Travel fit and travel happy!

JR

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Mar-A-Mar Offers Fitness-Focused Sailing Trips in Greek Isles

3/27/2015

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By John Roberts

We all recall those vacation getaways to our favorite exotic destinations that triggered a special feeling of escapism.

Conversations start something like this: "Let's quit our jobs and make this our life!"

Well, Sandra Schmitt and her partner Sherman know that feeling well, and the couple is working hard to make it happen. They took sailing vacations in the Greek isles in back-to-back years. The trips were so rewarding that they decided to turn their passions into a business in an effort to share their love of free-spirited active travels with others.

"We fell in love with it. The feeling is so unmatchable from any other trip we've been on," Schmitt said. "So, we wanted to make it our business."

Sandra and Sherman, triathletes and all-around fitness and wellness fanatics, started Mar-A-Mar Travel, based in New York. The company begins its first season sailing the Greek Cyclades on a six- to eight-passenger 49-foot monohull Bavaria yacht. The company offers 10-day journeys with completely flexible schedules to suit the passengers onboard.

The cool thing is Mar-A-Mar's focus on wellness and active adventures. Trips are designed to accommodate people who want to hike, bike, snorkel, run, swim and just have fun among a group of like-minded travelers. You can even help the skipper manage the sails and ropes, and Mar-A-Mar has designs on providing onboard yoga sessions and other training options (triathlon, for example).

You'll sail on a 49-foot monohull yacht through the Greek island group.

I visited some of these islands on a major cruise line and had a wonderful time last year, and this type of voyage offers a unique way to get an even more in-depth experience in places like Santorini, Mykonos, Ios, Naxos and Paros. The skipper is Greek, providing special expertise and insight of the region. Sailing sessions typically will last no more than three hours at a time before you undertake a new adventure at another site or port.

"Our trips have a lot of freedom built in," Schmitt said. "We want passengers to explore, have fun, be active."

She says passengers are free to go off on their own for the day in port, or Mar-A-Mar staff will put together a tour or excursion and join them. Meals are equally flexible.

A light breakfast is included daily, and passengers are encouraged to try local restaurants for lunch. For dinner onboard the boat, the passengers say what they would like, and the crew shop for a barbecue (everyone chips in for the cost).

"During 10-day cruise, you really start to work together as a team," Schmitt said. "You pull ropes together. You are a family."

Additional costs outside the cruise fare tally about $400 per person for a 10-day cruise, the company says. Mar-A-Mar cruises start at $1,985 per person. A referral deal gives a $50 discount for you when a friend books a trip. Also, if you bring a group onboard, six people can sail for the cost of five.

Biking, running, snorkeling. . . . Ahhh, this all sounds like an exciting way to explore the Greek Islands.

Check out Mar-A-Mar at www.maramartravel.com

Thanks for reading, and happy sailing!

JR

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The Right Tour Guide Makes Your Excursion a Great Experience

3/16/2015

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We thoroughly enjoyed out time in Limon, Costa Rica, with tour guide Danilo Hall. He can be reached for tours by email at adventure_caribbean@yahoo.com.

By John Roberts

As we passed through the buzzing marketplace early in the morning, our heads were spinning.

The truth is, we felt a little overwhelmed and unsure of what the day held. CMac, Craig, Lisa and I had just left the cozy comfort of our cruise ship. This was my third cruise and the second for Craig and Lisa, so we were relative newbies when we landed in Limon, Costa Rica, in 2011.

By the third sailing and visiting a new country, a cruiser is always navigating something new and exciting. In Costa Rica, we booked an independent excursion (instead of using a ship-hosted shore excursion). We had decided to try to find most of our own tours on this sailing on Celebrity Equinox in an effort to save money and get a more intimate adventure away from the crowds. (Check my post on why an independent excursion can be great.)

On our morning of arrival in Puerto Limon and after a long stroll up the pier and through that craft market, we emerged into the sunshine on the other side to find a row of cabs and minivans lined up, with friendly Costa Ricans eagerly hawking their tours. Amid this chaos, we were trying to find Danilo, the guide with whom we had set up a customized outing for the day.

Months earlier a little research led us to Danilo Hall. He came highly recommended on Cruise Critic message boards and TripAdvisor reviews of things to do in Limon, Costa Rica. But he had no website. Just an email. CMac corresponded a few times, told him what we wanted to do and set up the appointment.

Now, it was time to meet up with Danilo. But how in the world . . . ?

A man approached eagerly wanting to sell us a tour, closely followed by a second and third -- all excitedly bidding good morning and "How about a tour today?" We quickly explained to the small crowd that we had an appointment already to meet with Danilo, and the men parted. "Oh, Danilo," I heard one say.

Another walked us over to our guide whom everyone seemed to know. We immediately knew we had made the right choice. I quickly started referring to Danilo Hall as the mayor. It seems he knows everyone, and he put his connections and easygoing way to use in showing us around his country.

To this day, our excursion in Costa Rica ranks as the best we've ever had. We had outlined that we wanted to go ziplining, tour a banana plantation and have some beach time. Pretty simple, right?

Our guide packed our day with so much more. Here is what we did after sliding into Danilo's minivan and heading off.

Not too far down the road toward the ziplining forest, Danilo spotted something in a tree. He pulled over, and we took time to get a good look at a sloth slumbering in a tree. We watched a tour bus packed with our fellow cruisers drive on by -- missing all the up-close creature spotting were undertaking.

A quick turn down a side road, and we soon are standing below dozens of howler monkeys inhabiting the canopy above. This is fascinating to see, especially for the first time.

What is that across the street on a giant web? Danilo gathers up the huge spider to show us. Eek!

After a fun time ziplining, we stop off at a roadside fruit market to sample fresh pineapple, coconut water and more (all included). Then, Danilo spots a tree he wants to show us, rolls down his window and calls to a resident who quickly jogs from his yard to meet us in the middle of the road and passes a strange-looking bulbous orange fruit to Danilo. He asks whether we know what it is. We are stumped.

It's a cashew plant, and Danilo peels it open to show us the familiar seed. We are already having a great time, and we've just got started. We exchange amazed looks at each other: "How can this guy know everyone in the country?"

Spotting kids along the road holding a sloth, we pull over and Craig gets to cuddle one of the unique creatures.

Conversation turns to Danilo's love for fishing (he goes often out on a boat with his brother-in-law) and our love for trying beers in the countries we visit. Seizing upon this knowledge, our host makes haste to a grocery store and takes me in to pick out some flavors. We return with eight cans of brew to pass around and sample (all included, just because that's how Danilo seems to roll, I suppose).

Later, we tour the amazing banana plantation to learn all about the process for the crucial industry for Costa Rica. Finally, we head to a beach to take a dip and enjoy a little sunshine. It's a popular beach for Costa Rican residents, and Danilo meets with friends and talks soccer as we head off for a spell on the sands.

By this time, I think we are more satisfied and worn out than our guide. It's about time to head back to the ship, and we thank Danilo for the immensely fun day and tell him his price of $65 per person is too great a bargain. We include a healthy tip for the great personal service and extras he adds to the tour (free fresh fruit and beers? C'mon!).

To this day, we rave about our time in Costa Rica (absolute pura vida), and we learned a key lesson about travel. It's most often the people that make the place, and you never know how you are about to be surprised in your journeys, so it's nice to go into things with an open mind.

Thanks for reading.

Travel happy!

JR

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Best City Running Paths Offer an Easy, Cheap Way to Explore

Mar-A-Mar Offers Fitness-Focused Sailing Trips in Greek Isles

The Right Tour Guide Makes Your Excursion a Great Experience

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