Staying fit while having fun – active vacations offer both
By Kelly A. Goff
For many people, the word vacation conjures the sound of deep blue ocean waves, drinks with tiny paper umbrellas and a lot of time spent relaxing in lounge chairs. Merriam-Webster defines vacation as a period in which activity or work is suspended. If you’re all about a sloth-like break from work, then you’ve no need to read any further. But if the thought of bellying up to the cruise ship buffet three times a day leaves you feeling queasy and bingo makes you bonkers, perhaps you’re one of the growing numbers of people looking for a nontraditional holiday – an active vacation.
Whether rooted in an adventuresome spirit, driven by a dedication to physical fitness or a little of both, those looking for active vacations can find them for all fitness levels and interests.
“Living healthy is permeating people’s lives. It’s not just about being a weekend warrior, but about building health-promoting habits into our daily lives,” said Janet Seaman, executive director of the American Association for Active Lifestyles and Fitness. “You don’t take a vacation from fitness, just as you don’t take a vacation from life.”
Beyond the groundswell of interest in healthy lifestyles and in making physical activity part of everyday life, another draw is that all the arrangements are made for you in advance — all you have to do is show up. Not only is it easy, “it saves people a lot of time, which is a big commodity these days,” says Seaman.
So what’s out there? There’s everything from exploring the Texas Hill Country by bike to hiking Nicaragua’s rain forests to sea kayaking in the Sea of Cortez. Here are some of the hot trends and locales making a splash in the active vacation marketplace.
Options close to home
Texas offers a huge variety of landscapes and activities for the fit-minded. Here are a few ideas for those who want to stay close to home:
Ride with Lance Armstrong:
Join Trek Travel in Texas for a private ride with Lance Armstrong and cycling’s most inspiring and exclusive event, the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s annual Ride for the Roses. Celebrate cycling and celebrate life on this weeklong trip designed to bring you closer to Lance,and the world closer to a cure for cancer.
You’ll enjoy days of riding in the Texas Hill Country, an exclusive ride with Lance, access to private Peloton Project events, and special activities surrounding the unforgettable Ride for the Roses weekend. Have fun and feel good, because $15,000 of your trip price will go to the LAF to support cancer research and, ultimately, find a cure. (www.trektravel.com)
Visit Schlitterbahn:
Get wet at one of the top water parks in the country. Schlitterbahn Beach has water slides and rides for visitors of all ages and also features restaurants and evening entertainment.
Go fishing:
How can you be surrounded by water and not want to go fishing? South Padre Island boasts some of the nation’s top inshore and offshore sport fishing.
Dive or snorkel in the Gulf of Mexico:
American Diving offers a wide array of diving and snorkeling expeditions in the clear Gulf waters surrounding South Padre Island.
Windsurf:
With miles of shallow, calm water in the Lower Laguna Madre and strong winds coming off the Gulf of Mexico, South Padre Island is a windsurfer’s dream.
Play a round of golf:
Located across the bay in Laguna Vista, the South Padre Island Golf Course is just a short drive for visitors wishing to play a round of golf.
Ride a horse on the beach:
South Padre Island’s Island Equestrian Center offers kids and adults alike an opportunity to ride a horse on the desolate stretches of beach on the north side of South Padre Island.
Explore your inner cowboy:
Stay at The Mayan Dude Ranch (or any of the other fabulous dude ranches) in Bandera, and you can be a part of the western tradition that has produced seven world champion rodeo cowboys. Fish, swim, hike, play tennis and ride horses surrounded by picturesque trails that wind over 340 acres from the lowlands of the Medina River.
Honeymoon hotspots:
According to Susan Breslow Sardone, the Web’s foremost expert on honeymoons and romantic getaways, African safaris are on the rise.
“We have seen a lot of interest in safaris to places like South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Tanzania, as well as rainforest treks,” said Sardone. “There’s also a rise in really active vacations like heli-hiking and mountaineering.”
Explore the unspoiled:
No need to fly 12+ hours to Hawaii for surfing and volcanoes, for Central America’s largest nation, Nicaragua, offers customized surf adventures and spectacular hiking/canopy tours through rainforests punctuated by a mountain range scattered with volcanoes. This friendly country is full of parks, reserves and more lakes than any other Central American nation. It’s working hard to overcome a decades-old reputation of political instability and is on the cusp of becoming the “next Costa Rica” with its unspoiled landscape and relatively low prices. It’s located between Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south, with long coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. A growing number of Americans are investing in land and visiting regularly. It’s a best-kept secret among the surfing crowd. If you’re looking for a unique active adventure, look into Nicaragua. www.nicaraguasurfreport.com.
Volunteer vacation:
At first the volunteer vacation phenomenon seemed to appeal only to altruistic college students who built houses or dug irrigation trenches in Third World countries during spring break. It’s no longer for the young and naïve. In fact since 1984, once a year former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, spend a week building homes with needy families through Habitat for Humanity. Last October, President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, joined volunteer builders in Covington, Louisiana, helping victims of Hurricane Katrina build houses for themselves.
Touted as “a vacation you’ll never forget,” these global village trips need volunteers of all ages and skill levels for projects all over the world. In addition to the college crowd, Baby Boomers are signing up for these heart-felt, back-breaking excursions where the body gets a workout and the spirit flies home flush with satisfaction. As a volunteer, you spend two weeks or more working side-by-side with local people, sharing their hospitality and their culture as you help them rebuild their lives. There is even a special program for RVers who join up into “hot-spot” squads of 20 vehicles to go where volunteer builders are needed in a hurry. For more information, visit the Habitat for Humanity Web site at www.habitatforhumanity.org.
Ready, set, go!
No matter what type of active vacation you choose, be sure to research thoroughly the location, accommodations and tour company. Check on the guides’ certifications (such as CPR and SCUBA), ask questions about the intensity of the trip and how you need to prepare physically, and ask about what to bring. Inquire about the amount of attention from guides, training for novices and what type of medical aid is available. And finally, since these types of trips can be pricey, examine any escape clauses in the travel contract in case the unforeseen occurs.
Happy travels!
