A road trip with your friends or family is a special kind of vacation. It’s all about the thrill of driving around to great music and wondering where your next exciting stop might be. It can also be an excellent excursion for you and your kids to enjoy the scenery and strengthen family bonds while making lasting memories.
But all road trips have one unfortunate thing in common: you spend much of the day sitting.
So you might be wondering, can we make road trips healthier?
Read on to learn how to stay active when your family takes an epic road trip.
1. Do a Walking Workout
When you take breaks during your road trip, try to stretch your legs and walk around as much as possible.
If you’re visiting a city or town, explore as much as possible on foot.
You can even take a “walking tour” in some cities. They tend to last about one to three hours. You’ll learn about the place you’re visiting while also getting your steps in.
2. Find Time to Exercise
When you’re taking a long road trip, you can still take time to do some exercises in a hotel, hostel, or campground. Consider exercises that need little or no equipment.
Here are some options:
- Push-ups
- Crunches
- Stretching
- Jumping jacks
- Squats and lunges
You can do these exercises nearly anywhere, including a rest stop. If you’re short on time, even five or ten minutes of exercise will loosen up your stiff muscles from sitting all day in the car.
4. Eat Healthy to Stay Active
Healthy meals and snacks can boost energy levels, making it easier to stay active while on your family excursion. Having these snacks on hand in the car will also help keep the kiddos in a great mood.
You should bring snacks that are packed with protein and fruits or veggies. Healthy trail mix and peanut butter and banana sandwiches are just a few options.
Here’s another idea. Help support the local economy by purchasing food like wild-caught seafood, organic chicken, and fresh produce while you’re in town.
6. Take a Refreshing Dip
During a traveling trip, taking a swim can add variety to your daily exercise. It can help you feel fresh, cool, and relaxed in a swimming pool, lake, or waterfalls. Taking a dip can also help energize you for a full day of driving down highways and byways.
7. Follow the “Never 2” Rule
Suppose you spend an entire day on the road during your trip. If you didn’t exercise in the last 24 hours, avoid missing two days in a row.
The “never 2” rule can help you maintain healthy habits during long trips. The best way to stay motivated is to try to be as consistent as possible, even while on a road trip.
8. Hit the Trails
Hiking can be a great workout, especially if you’re climbing up and down hills. You can even integrate a short hike while driving through a city or town.
If you download an app like AllTrails to your phone, you can filter for kid-friendly hikes nearby or try Googling "kid-friendly hikes near me" to find easy trails that will get you out of the car and enjoy a little nature.
Another plus of hiking is it’s low-cost. All you really need is a good pair of walking shoes and a water bottle.
Another plus of hiking is it’s low-cost. All you really need is a good pair of walking shoes and a water bottle.
9. Do Some Yoga Poses
Yoga is an activity that you can do nearly anywhere and requires little or no gear. You can even do yoga in places like public parks and parking lots. After a long drive, stretching would definitely feel good by loosening up your stiff muscles.
That’s not all! According to this article, combining hiking and yoga can benefit your body and mind by lifting your mood, lowering stress levels, and improving physical fitness and stamina.
10. Visit Parks and Playgrounds
Google Maps and other navigation apps can help you find nearby parks to visit during your road trip. Many parks also have playground equipment for kids.
Parks sometimes even provide exercise equipment you can use. If they don’t, you can do bodyweight exercises like planks and dips.
While visiting a particular city, you can also check online for workout groups using the park for running, yoga, and tai chi.