Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, active travel is a subjective label. It can be a heart-pounding adventure or a leisurely pursuit in a scenic setting. Many types of active travel call for a certain degree of physical vigor, but others can be enjoyed by any fitness level. Most active travel takes place outdoors, although that doesn’t have to be the case, either. But enough dancing around (which, by the way qualifies!). Let’s talk about some examples.

Get Footloose

Walking is the most basic mode of active travel, but the experience can be profound. Just ask anyone who has walked the 500-mile El Camino de Santiago through Spain. Another life-changing walk is trekking through the jungles of Rwanda to sit with a troop of mountain gorillas.

Active travel isn’t always so deeply reflective. It also includes fun hobbies that you do on vacation. You can play golf on the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland, shop the Grande Dame of flea markets, the Marche aux Puces in Paris, and birdwatch in Costa Rica.

If strenuous foot work is more your style, try rock climbing in Colorado, hiking up a mountain or skiing down one.

Get the Wheels Moving

If you want your active travel to be a bit faster than by foot, grab some wheels and go. Traveling by bicycle is a wonderful way for riders of all skill levels to explore at your own pace. You can spend an afternoon of your AmaWaterways river cruise pedaling through fairy-tale villages along the Rhine or spend a week in the saddle with Backroads challenging the epic climbs of Utah’s Bryce and Zion National Parks.

To move faster still, try a scenic drive along California’s iconic Pacific Coast Highway or Maui’s winding Road to Hana. When you want to add a little adrenaline to your wheel-based active travel consider a game drive across the Serengeti with Big Five Tours and Expeditions. Getting so close to the animal kingdom is breath-taking. Or if Dubai is on your itinerary, “dune-bashing” through the Arabian Desert in a 4-wheel-drive is certain to get your heart pumping as you fly over the hilly expanse of sand.

Get Wet

As every water-lover knows, water sports are synonymous with active travel. Whether you’re in the water or on top of it, there are myriad ways to explore. Some, like surfing, windsurfing, and kiteboarding require practice and skill. Other water activities such as kayaking, canoeing, and fishing have a lower learning curve and can be enjoyed by novices.

Swimming opens a world of active travel possibilities. The Great Belize Barrier Reef system is second only to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia and home to one of the most diverse ecosystems of the world. Snorkeling and diving there are nothing short of amazing. Or you can enjoy swimming with a number of marine (and some special non-marine) animals in other places:

• Green sea turtles in Maui, Hawaii
• Whale sharks in the Gulf of California
• Manatees in Crystal River, Florida
• Pigs in Exuma, Bahamas
• Stingrays in Grand Cayman
• Horses in Jamaica
• Sea lions and marine iguanas in the Galapagos
• Portuguese water dogs at the Conrad Algarve, Portugal

If you prefer to stay above water, white water rafting on the Colorado River definitely qualifies as active travel. Spoiler: you’re still going to get wet and very possibly get in the water anyway. A bit tamer boat ride that is still a unique active travel experience is a Norwegian fjord cruise with Hurtigruten.

Get a View from Above

Active travelers get some of the most spectacular views from up in the air. Floating peacefully in a hot air balloon over the magical landscape of Cappadocia, Turkey is like living in a dream world. The more adventurous might try parasailing for an aerial view of the coast as a speedboat pulls you and your canopy high above the water.

Motorized flight counts, too. On a scenic helicopter ride over the lush Napali Coast of Kauai, Hawaii you can see plunging waterfalls and rugged rock formations where no roads exist. For the ultimate in luxurious active travel, let a private jet whisk you away to any fabulous destination you dream of.

Active travel is whatever you make it.

This list of active travel experiences is far from exhaustive. There’s cliff diving, ziplining, riding a camel, or riding a gondola. Climb up steps to the Great Wall of China or spend a day at Disney World with a child. The list can go on forever.  

By definition, travel itself is active. You don’t have to be super fit, brave, or skilled to enjoy active travel. The only thing you must do is physically go out into the world and experience it. When you’re ready to do that near or far, ask your Covington vacation advisor to make all the arrangements.