Sweating on an elliptical in a hotel gym probably isn’t what most people have in mind when they take off for vacation. Thankfully, you don’t have to, since there are a ton of other fun ways to fit cardio into your trip. In fact, you might actually find that you end up seeing a side of your destination that other tourists miss, because your run, hike, bike, or paddle takes you off the beaten track.

Try using Runkeeper to track your outdoor activities. Even if you don’t have cellular service where you are, you can still track your route using GPS on your smartphone. You can upload a map of your route as soon as you connect to wifi and share it with all your friends back home. They’ll all be so jealous when they see where you’ve been!

So get out there and go for a run around the city, rent a bike, or find out if there is good hiking in the area. It’s a great way to explore your destination and work in some cardio!

After finishing 30 minutes on a treadmill, I expect to walk out of the gym to find that construction projects have finished and all my friends have aged. 30 minutes on a treadmill feels like years to me, so who can blame you for dreading going to the gym if that is what you have to look forward to? Especially since you’re already busy enough?

But it’s still important to work cardio into your exercise program.  You’re never going to reach and maintain your goals if you hate the physical activity you do.  Here are some fun ways to get exercise and burn calories.

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