8 Travel Workout Tips for Staying Active on Vacation

Things might look a little different these days, but something that’ll always do your body — and mind — some good is to get up and moving!

Finding something that you actually enjoy that also motivates you to work out will keep you at your healthiest. And one silver lining to COVID-19 is that there are more options than EVER to find travel workouts and stay active while on vacation.

Whether fitness is a New Year’s resolution or already a part of your daily life, it might sound hard to fit a workout in while traveling. But your workouts don’t have to stop while you’re on vacation or traveling for work.

You’ll actually find that there’s a whole bunch of NEW options at your fingertips when you’re in a different location.

And no, you don’t HAVE to work out while on vacation. No shaming here! But if you do want to stay active while away from home, check out our fitness tips and inspiration.


^{CycleBar Winter Park instructors Molly, Christine and Jessica}

As your unofficial travel fitness gurus, all three of us teach indoor spin classes at CycleBar in Winter Park, Florida. It’s literally our full-time job to inspire YOU to find time to be your best, healthiest self — and to have fun while doing it!

You could say we’re professionals at keeping your mind, body and spirit healthy whether you’re here in the studio with us in Central Florida, you’re out traveling and getting your blood pumping while exploring a new city, or you’re taking a hike, skiing or doing a marathon vacation.

Here are our top tried-and-true tips for conquering travel workouts and staying active and healthy while you’re on vacation.

1. Livestream a class on your device

Molly says... I love getting outside and exploring, but when that’s not possible, there are so many apps these days that I find helpful for hotel room workouts.

I’m a HUGE Peloton app advocate. (You don’t have to own the bike to subscribe to its digital classes, by the way.) Not only are the workouts structured and amazing, but the instructors and owners of the company are also awesome people.

It’s nice to stand behind a company that stands behind its people!



Random Abs is also good because I get free, daily, randomized ab routines that I can do really quickly and it makes me feel like I did something amazing ... because those workouts are really hard!

Jessica says... When I’m in a jam or trying to find a hotel room workout, I always livestream my Pure Barre or CycleBar workouts on my phone, modifying the equipment when needed.

Washcloths work great in place of sliders or you can use a rolled-up towel in place of the Pure Barre Ball!

No bike? No problem! Jump, dance, box, run ... we CycleBar instructors never lack great music and motivation. Sometimes you just have to create your own class energy in your hotel room or vacation villa!

2. Get outside

Christine says... A few months ago, several friends and I went on a trip to the mountains, so it was very easy to incorporate hikes, tubing and anything outdoors.

Of course, I convinced everyone to do the long hiking trails and to keep a good pace, so when we hit the breweries later, we were nice and thirsty!



Pro Tip: Hiking with your kids is also a great way to keep everyone in the family active and get outdoors (and away from social media for a bit 😉).

Molly says... When I was in Switzerland, of all places, my boyfriend and I decided to hike down a mountain. This was less about wanting to be super fit and more about the fact that we were terrified of the alternative cable car system.

But … it took us about three hours to get down the mountain.

Picture it: We had no water. No proper hiking shoes. No snacks (obviously important). And no understanding of proper hiking etiquette. But IT WAS THE BEST DECISION WE MADE IN OUR ENTIRE TWO-WEEK TRIP.


^{Molly pointing to her epic hike in Switzerland}

Every time we talk about that vacation, we come back to those three hours on the mountain. Our feet hurt, but our souls were fulfilled. That’s what you have to remember when you’re away from home.

What’s going to fill your soul? What’s going to move your body AND mind to be better?

We were together. We were moving TOGETHER, and that’s what was important. (Plus, this was the first, and only time, in our relationship that he actually posed for a solo picture, and I was in literal shock.)

3. Hit the resort gym

Jessica says... Typically for staycations (and we do a lot of these since we live in the tourist capital of the world here in Orlando), I always first check what the resort or hotel’s gym facility includes.


^{The fitness center at the brand-new Holiday Inn Club Vacations New Orleans Resort}

Pelotons, group fitness classes, free weights, yoga studios. Upon arrival, I always check it out in person, so I take the guesswork out of where it is, what I need to bring, etc.

My go-to travel workouts at hotels or resorts are Peloton rides (Alex T is my favorite!) and group fitness activities, such as yoga.



One time in Cabo, I signed up for a sunrise yoga class, and turns out it was just tennis star John McEnroe, his daughter and myself! We did yoga on the beach and watched humpback whales jump in the background as the sun rose over the Pacific.

Random, I KNOW! But that’s the beauty of group fitness! You never know what’s going to happen or who you’ll end up in class with! Nonetheless, you get a good workout and a story out of it.

Molly says... I’ll usually try to find a treadmill. Boring? Sometimes. I put on my Netflix app and am finished with a 50-minute run in what seems like 10!

Most Holiday Inn Club Vacations resorts have fitness centers where you can actually mix up your daily routine and do something different each day.

Go for a jog on a trail or do a quick bike ride and lift weights at the gym. The fitness centers have great equipment for whatever you’re feeling up to on your vacation.


^{Water’s Edge Fitness Center in West Village at Orange Lake Resort}

4. Take a family ski trip

Jessica says... Travel has been bleak in 2020 (thanks, COVID), but my last long-distance trip (and most FAVORITE family trip to date), was when I traveled to Park City, where my 5-year-old had her very first experience with snow and skis!



Planning exercise wasn’t an issue on this trip because the activity level was already built into our family ski trip routine.

Not only is it a workout to lug all your gear up REAL hills in 50 lbs. of ski clothes and ski boots, but to ski down REAL mountains was a treat for us Florida girls!

5. Try a new class in a new city

Jessica says... One of my favorite things to do when I travel and have some time on my hands: I find the closest CycleBar or Pure Barre near the hotel. I map out drive time, transportation and try to attend a class (or more) if I can.



I love to experience other studios teaching the same brand that I love! Did I mention I don’t like to worry about what or how much I’m eating or drinking on vacation?? Ha! So, I like to make sure my output can keep up with my intake!

Christine says... Since I teach at CycleBar Winter Park, whenever I go to a new place (used to be a lot more often...), I look up the local studio to see what it’s like. Also, each studio has different and awesome merchandise ... so I get to shop, too! Fitness, but make it fun.

6. Sightsee while walking

Jessica says... Now that my daughter Rylie is older (6), I like to sightsee with her. We walk around the hotel, the city, find a park, etc. The point is to move!

When she was younger, yes, I brought that stroller everywhere! Having the Apple watch (or any activity tracker) helps keep me motivated.

Maybe I won’t hit my normal goals, but I’m on vacation, so I tell myself at least I did SOMETHING!



Christine says... Life is all about balance. Even walking around the city was a workout in the mountains!

Wherever you go, find a way to get outside and move. It doesn’t have to be super strenuous or a “workout,” but bring your friends and family along for a little fresh air and get that heart rate up!



Molly says... I was 5,000 miles away from home and decided to sign up for a spin class ... IN GERMANY. When I woke up that morning, I “suited up” and was so excited to take on this new adventure.

Long story short, I couldn’t read the street signs and ended up missing the class. I was BUMMED!

Instead of skipping my workout for the day, I decided to go for a run back to my hotel. I saw a street fair, a tai chi practice and a screaming match between two restaurant owners that I would have otherwise missed.

So I got my workout in and I saw the city. See? There are ways to take care of yourself when you least expect it.

7. Plan a marathon vacation!

Christine says... My mom and I have girls’ trips to run marathons, and I’m always looking for one in a fabulous new place, so the marathon is basically just an excuse for a trip! It started local with the Disney marathon and a weekend at a resort.



Then I let my mind wander, and we expanded our travel radius: Savannah, Chicago, New York, Key West.

But my favorite trip was a week out to California for the Big Sur marathon. The marathon itself was INSANE (so many mountains for this Florida girl), but the course was on the Big Sur Highway and absolutely breathtaking!

Now when you do something around a race, plan to get there a day before the event, and then stay longer after, so you can enjoy food and wine and not worry about anything getting in the way of you crossing the finish line!

After the race, we stayed for a couple days, enjoying Monterrey Bay, Cannery Row and every single restaurant we could find. Whatever your distance, it gets you motivated to train and motivated to travel. It’s a win-win!

Molly says... Years ago, I decided that I was going to run 50 marathons before I turned 50. One marathon in every state. My first was Chicago.

When you pay for something, it’s easier to stay motivated on that goal, am I right? So, I paid for that race. I paid for the hotel. And I paid for the plane ticket.



What I didn’t pay for was the feeling of accomplishment. The pride behind the race. The pride BEFORE the race.

It doesn’t always have to be a marathon. It doesn’t even have to be a race. But when you feel pride for what you’re doing, the reward comes tenfold.

8. Plan ahead

Jessica says... All of these suggestions take effort. You have to plan to pack additional workout attire/spin shoes/headphones/sticky socks, etc.

You have to plan to look for the studio you want to attend, see how much it costs, decide how you’ll get there and then book your spot to ensure you can get in.



If you’re working out at the hotel, research if they have Pelotons or simply map out what workout you’ll do when you’re there.

Pro Tip: Pinterest is where I grab any workout when I need some inspiration.

In short, I’m a planner. I like to plan how I’ll stay active, what I need to make that happen and how I’ll incorporate it into the rest of the family’s vacation without disturbing the overall agenda. I find that if I do my part, it’s fairly easy to get the workout sesh in.

And if it doesn’t happen ... guess what? That’s ok, too. I’m on VACATION!

Christine says... Hiking or skiing are easy ways to stay active while on vacation. A trip to New Orleans? That’s a whole different story...

Again, outdoorsy travel is easy peasy, but for a boozy trip to NOLA or Vegas, it’s all about the motivation!

Believe me, it’s difficult when you wake up in a fog, but I had planned ahead and prebooked a bike at the local CycleBar in New Orleans both mornings (not too early) and made myself accountable.

Even if it’s painful to get there, sweating out the night before is the fastest cure for a hangover!


^{Christine visiting the CycleBar New Orleans studio}

Molly says... Let’s talk about work. I haven’t even been traveling for work this year, which has been a blessing and a huge change of pace, to be honest.

But in the last year, I was so fortunate to be in several different cities and countries, navigating my fitness journey through all of them.

One thing that I learned about working while traveling, and even being on vacation, is that you have to make yourself a priority. Yes, you are in a new place and experiencing different things, but personally, if my mental health isn’t right, none of that matters.

Every day at CycleBar, I tell my riders that they have to take care of themselves before they can fully commit to anyone else. I think that certainly applies when you’re out of your element and out of your comfort zone.

Fitness Stories & Inspiration

Jessica says... I’ve been with Cyclebar Winter Park since we opened our doors four years ago and as the Lead CycleStar, to say I am quite passionate about it would be an understatement! Indoor cycle, and more importantly CycleBar, has transformed my life from the inside out.

It has improved my overall health, lowered my pre-hypertension blood pressure, and given me a hold on my anxiety and depression. Not to mention my overall cardiovascular stamina. I live in a house with stairs. This is very important, LOL!



Staying on top of my fitness game has also made me a better mom with more energy and confidence and keeps me in fighting shape for all the challenges that come along with having an almost 6-year-old?! (How did that happen??)

Christine says... Staying healthy over the holidays or any day this year is not always the easiest or top priority, but a good sweat is the best way for me to clear my mind and feel my best.

It’s only taken me 37 years to figure out that working out is way more than just a workout; it may even be a daily therapy session.

I have a full-time job in the office of a construction company, a fabulous quarantine crew of friends to keep up with, and a wonderful boyfriend that never causes me any headaches ... so a little therapy break is useful ... every day.



I’ve been active my whole life: high school sports teams, college dance teams, and now running an occasional marathon and teaching spinning every day; I’ve made fitness part of my daily routine.

But when I travel and routine goes out the window, I’ve learned that I still need to get my sweat on — for my sanity and the welfare of those around me.

Molly says... When I was in college, I really started my fitness journey. I had a bad breakup, like many of us do, and decided that I was going to get “hot.”

Little did I know that my goal of making my loser ex-boyfriend jealous would turn into a lifestyle, and eventually, a career path for me.



I think in 2020, what I’ve learned most is that when you move your body, it works for you. It works your mind. It works your soul. It makes you strong. And it makes you resilient.

It can be scary sometimes. It can be intimidating to sign up for a new thing. To get motivated to start your travel workouts. To ask your friend to run with you or walk with you. People will tell you no.

But when you start to tell yourself yes, when you start to say, yes you can ... your life is going to change. Trust me.

Wondering how to start? Just ask.


^{Jessica, Molly and Christine after an Orlando Pride ride at CycleBar Winter Park}


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