Last updated December 30, 2025
The runcation has arrived. Runners are booking trips based on where they can run, not where they can sleep. But what gives? Why are runcations having a moment, like now? The simple answer: runners want to keep running, even on vacation.
For people who run regularly, a week off feels like a setback. Training plans get disrupted, and bodies grow restless. Instead of skipping runs entirely, runners are opting for hotels near good trails and scenic routes, booking trips around destination races, and selecting cities with great running infrastructure or mountain towns with trail access. The run isn’t an interruption to vacation. It is the vacation.
Taking Your Miles on the Road
Non-runners don’t get it. Why would you wake up at 6 a.m. on vacation to run? For regular runners, though, not running leaves them antsy. A week without running means coming home sluggish and spending the next two weeks clawing back to where you were. And honestly, running in new places offers different terrain, new challenges and oftentimes better scenery than the same neighborhood loop back home.
Some runners stick to pavement, seeking out cities with waterfront paths, historic districts or a network of parks that deliver miles without the demands of trails. Others want the opposite—rocky switchbacks, elevation gain and terrain that requires focus. Runners who normally pound sidewalks get to test themselves on mountain trails or desert paths.
Then there’s the race angle. Destination races have become badges of honor. How many marathons can you knock out in a year? Boston, Berlin, San Francisco, Paris. Runners collect cities like stamps in a passport, and while your non-running friends think you’re insane, fellow runners are already asking which race is next.
Where to Hit the Ground Running
Runners travel differently. They scope out routes before booking hotels, check elevation profiles and join local running club Facebook groups to ask about the best morning loops. Here are our top ten runcation destinations where the running is good enough to build a trip around.
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago’s 18-mile Lakefront Trail delivers uninterrupted water views and skyline backdrops. The path stretches from Hollywood Beach down to South Shore, passing beaches, marinas and parks. It’s flat, fast and crowded on weekends in a good way.
The Chicago Marathon in October draws slightly over 50,000 runners. But the lakefront works year-round. Winter running is brutal and beautiful, with summer mornings staying cool off the water.
New York City, New York
Central Park’s 6.1-mile loop might be the most famous run in America, but the Hudson River Greenway stretches 12 miles up Manhattan’s west side with unobstructed river views. The East River path adds another segment, meaning you can run nearly the entire length of Manhattan on dedicated paths.
Think the Brooklyn Bridge at sunrise or loops through Prospect Park. The New York City Marathon is the world’s largest, and running clubs welcome visitors to group runs most evenings throughout the five boroughs.
San Francisco, California
The run from Fort Mason along Crissy Field to Fort Point sits under the Golden Gate Bridge with water views the entire way. Looking north shows the bridge and Marin Headlands; south reveals the skyline. It’s 3.5 miles one way and mostly flat, which is rare for San Francisco.
Golden Gate Park offers 7.5 miles of paths if you want trees instead of water. The city’s hills punish legs but build strength, and runners don’t avoid elevation—they seek it out.
Portland, Oregon
Portland’s Willamette River paths run for miles on both banks, connected by the longest floating pedestrian bridge in the world. Forest Park adds 80-plus miles of soft trails within city limits, making it the largest urban forest in America.
Rain falls from November through March, turning trails muddy, but runners keep going anyway. The culture embraces weather, and local shops organize group runs year-round regardless of conditions.
Boston, Massachusetts
The Charles River Esplanade stretches for miles on both sides of the river, with bridges connecting the Boston and Cambridge sides to create endless loop options. It’s flat, scenic and packed with runners at all hours.
The Boston Marathon is the oldest in America, and running here carries weight. The city takes it seriously, with Boston Common and the Emerald Necklace adding park miles for variety beyond the river paths.
Santa Barbara, California
The path between Shoreline Park and East Beach runs five miles along the coast, passing beaches, the marina, piers and palm trees with mountain views behind you. It’s postcard running, and the weather stays mild year-round.
Nearby trails climb into the Santa Ynez Mountains if you want elevation, but most runners come for the flat coastal miles. The scene is active and welcoming, with coffee shops and running stores catering to the morning crowd.
Boulder, Colorado
At 5,328 feet, every run in Boulder becomes altitude training whether you want it or not. The Mesa Trail and Chautauqua loop climb through red rocks with Flatirons views, and your lungs work harder as your heart rate spikes on climbs that would feel easy at sea level.
The town runs on outdoor culture. Coffee shops fill with muddy trail runners at 8 a.m., and Olympians train alongside weekend joggers. Boulder Running Company hosts evening social runs most days, and you just show up.
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona’s landscape looks like another planet, with Cathedral Rock and Devil’s Bridge trails staying relatively short but delivering on scenery. The rocks glow orange at sunrise, and rain makes the desert smell like juniper.
The terrain is rocky and uneven, so you watch your footing constantly. But that focus is part of why people come to Sedona. Your brain can’t wander when you’re picking lines through boulders.
Asheville, North Carolina
The Blue Ridge Parkway offers mountain running without the altitude punishment of Colorado. Trails climb through forests to overlooks, and while the elevation gain is real, it’s manageable. Fall foliage draws crowds, but the running stays excellent year-round.
Downtown Asheville packs in breweries, coffee shops and running stores, and the French Broad River Greenway provides flat miles through town. Still, most runners come for the mountains, with trail access happening within 15 minutes of downtown.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle’s waterfront paths run along Puget Sound from T-Mobile Park north to Discovery Park—that’s miles of uninterrupted water views. The Burke-Gilman Trail adds 27 more miles heading north and east through neighborhoods and along Lake Washington.
Rain happens often, so runners own good rain gear and use it. The city’s hills provide built-in strength training, although Green Lake offers a flat 2.8-mile loop for recovery days when you need something easier.
Run Away: The Practical Stuff
Match terrain to your training, especially if you’re planning your first runcation. Flat-road runners shouldn’t book mountain trips as their inaugural adventure. Your body needs prep time for new demands, such as altitude or technical trails.
Skip guidebooks and hit the local running shop instead. Ask about group runs, learn which trails flood and where not to go alone, then find out which coffee shop runners actually use for post-run fuel.
Bring trail shoes if you’re running trails, because road shoes on rocks equals twisted ankles. Pack layers too, since mountain weather changes fast. A rain shell weighs nothing but matters when clouds move in unexpectedly.
Jet lag makes you an early riser, so use it to your advantage. Streets are empty at 5:30 a.m. when the light is soft and you get to see places before everyone else wakes up.
Rest days aren’t negotiable when you’re dealing with new terrain, different elevation and travel fatigue. Take at least one day off for every three days running. Walk, stretch, sleep. Skip this and you’ll get injured, which defeats the entire purpose of a runcation.
Snapshot
- Discover how runcations are reshaping travel as runners book trips based on routes rather than hotels, turning morning miles into the main event.
- Explore ten top U.S. destinations from Chicago’s 18-mile lakefront to Sedona’s red rock trails, where running infrastructure makes trip planning effortless.
- Learn why destination marathons have become collector’s items as runners chase races across Boston, Paris and beyond like passport stamps.
- Pack trail shoes for technical terrain or stick to waterfront paths in cities offering flat, scenic miles without elevation demands.
- Plan rest days into your runcation since new terrain and travel fatigue require recovery time to avoid injury.
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