Ah, that sweet, sweet warm weather. If you live in a cold weather climate, when it’s summer, you want to be soaking up as much sun as possible because you only get that weather once a year, and if you live in a place with year-round summer weather, it’s because you love the weather and probably always want to be outside anyway. Gym time can take away from that time outdoors, but it really doesn’t have to.
Whether you’re a resident or just visiting, check out the awesome compilation list below and see where you can take your gym workout outside in different cities around the U.S. this summer (or year-round).
**Note: consult a certified health care professional prior to engaging in any physical activity.
New York City: East River Park Track
PHOTO SOURCE: MILO HESS, THE VILLAGE SUN
Along the East River, just steps away from NYC’s forever-bustling Lower East Side, runners and fitness buffs head to East River Park, where there’s a beautiful public track to run some intervals on and an outdoor gym, which is essentially a fitness playground for adults.
Los Angeles: Muscle Beach
PHOTO SOURCE: LOS ANGELES PARKS FOUNDATION
The name says it all. Often referred to as the “Home of Bodybuilding” and home to some of the biggest names in bodybuilding film including Franco Columbu, Lou Ferrigno, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Frank Zane, Muscle Beach is nestled right in the heart of Venice Beach, and it’s been a mainstay for Los Angeles gym rats since 1963.
Chicago: The Lakefront Trail
This flat, 18.5-mile-long trail that runs right along the Chicago lakefront offers incredible views of the city skyline and Lake Michigan at the same time. You can go for a run, bike, and even swim right in Lake Michigan (there are lifeguards on duty at Ohio Street Beach, a popular place for triathlon training, in the summer!)—or just pull off at any of the beaches along the path for a bodyweight workout.
Phoenix: Camelback Mountain
PHOTO SOURCE: VIATOR
Just 20 minutes from downtown Phoenix, Camelback Mountain attracts thousands of hikers every year for a reason. Trade in your gym shoes for trail shoes for the day and challenge yourself with one of two difficult trails that ascend 1,420 feet to a summit, resembling the hump of a camel's back, for those 360-degree views of the surrounding city.
San Francisco: Golden Gate Park Fitness Trail
Just steps away from the Pacific Ocean, within the 1,017 acres of beautiful Golden Gate Park, you can walk—or run—around a fitness trail, which is marked by stations and has rings, pull-up bars, slanted sit-up benches, and more, providing a scenic switch-up from your indoor gym routine.
Denver: Red Rocks Amphitheatre
PHOTO SOURCE: THE DENVER POST
One of the most breathtaking state parks in Colorado and, thanks to the amazing acoustics of the ancient sandstone, one of the most renowned music venues in the country, it’s also an awesome place to work out during the day. The many weathered stairs make the perfect exercise space for running, lunging, pushups, yoga, and more.
Houston: TC Jester Park
PHOTO SOURCE: 365 HOUSTON
A seven-mile running and biking trail, a swimming pool, an 18-hole disc golf course, and lots of room for group or solo fitness sessions, TC Jester Park, located just outside the 610 Loop near Oak Forest, really has all you could want in an outdoor park.
Miami: Muscle Beach
PHOTO SOURCE: LINCOLN ROAD
This popular area with over 30 workout components for local and visiting weight lifters, gymnasts, and other fitness enthusiasts proves that Los Angeles isn’t the only city that gets to have a Muscle Beach.