Exercise on the go – 12 ways to stay active

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: September 2026 | How do you keep your body moving when you travel? We have to admit that we are periodizers ourselves. Sometimes we exercise really well and sometimes much less. But especially on longer trips we try to incorporate movement into our everyday lives – through everything from walks and simple exercises to hiking, paddling and other active experiences.

Do you need to exercise on the trip?

If you're going on vacation for a week, it might not matter that much whether your workout routines also get a vacation. However, if you're away for several weeks or months, it's a different matter. Then the trip becomes everyday life and we think it's important to try to keep your body moving.

That doesn't mean we always succeed. We've always been a bit of a periodizer when it comes to training. In some periods we're good and train regularly, while in other periods we get carried away. During our last long trip, unfortunately, we weren't very good at training at all.

And as we age, it hardly feels like exercise becomes less important. Quite the opposite. So yes – we probably need to sharpen up a bit.

However, there is one thing we almost always do: we are walking. If a travel day has passed without us getting a proper walk, we usually make sure to get out and take a walk.

We also like to combine traveling with activities that allow you to both experience the destination and use your body. Here we have collected some ways to get more movement on your trip – from the simplest to much bigger adventures.

1. Walking – the easiest way to keep moving

Walking is our most common form of exercise on the trip. It requires no equipment, costs nothing, and works almost anywhere.

Above all, it is also a fantastic way to discover a destination. When you walk through a city, you see details that you easily miss from a car or bus. You find small alleys, parks, shops and restaurants and get a completely different feeling for the place.

If we are out exploring a city for a whole day, we don't necessarily need to add an extra exercise walk in the evening. But if it has been a sedentary day, perhaps many hours in the camper, on a plane or in front of the computers, we try to get out and walk. It doesn't actually have to be any more difficult than that.

2. Hike and discover nature on foot

The next step from the walk is the hike. It can be anything from an hour or so on an easy trail to a much more demanding full-day trip. For us, this is above all a travel experience. We don't hike to be able to tick off a workout, but to get to places we want to experience.

One example is the Pulpit Rock, or Preikestolen, in Norway. To stand on the famous cliff overlooking the Lysefjord, you first have to get there on foot – and then the exercise comes with it, so to speak.

It's perhaps the form of exercise we like best: when you barely think about exercising because you're having a fantastic experience at the same time.

3. Jogging on the go

Jogging doesn't require much equipment either. A good pair of shoes and workout clothes will go a long way. We've run more during some periods and less during others. The advantage of the trip is that the run can also be a way to get to know the surroundings.

Of course, it's important to choose an environment with a little care. A beach promenade, park or quiet walkway is much more pleasant than a busy road where you have to spend most of your workout watching out for cars.

4. Bring your own training program

During some of our longer motorhome trips, we have been significantly more ambitious than we have been recently.

Among other things, we have had our own training programs with exercises that can be done almost anywhere. Squats, lunges, push-ups, sit-ups and various exercises for the stomach and back do not require any advanced equipment.

The advantage of course is that you don't have to find a gym or stick to any opening hours. All you need is a small space and a little motivation. The latter is sometimes the hardest part.

5. Pack a yoga mat

A yoga mat or other thin exercise mat can be good to have with you, especially when traveling by motorhome and don't have to think as much about the weight of your luggage.

We have sometimes rolled out the mat outside the camper and done various exercises and stretches. It doesn't have to be a long workout. Ten or twenty minutes of movement is much better than nothing.

The big advantage of the mat is that you can suddenly create your own little training area almost anywhere.

6. Build a workout gym in the awning

Yes, we actually did this. During a long motorhome trip, we wanted to get our training better organized. When we were in Roquetas de Mar in Spain, we found a used awning that we bought and transformed into a portable training facility.

There we could train in front of the TV and follow different training programs without having to think about the weather, wind or curious glances from the neighbors in the parking lot.

It may be a rather advanced solution to the problem of "how do you exercise while traveling?", but during a long motorhome trip it actually worked really well.

7. Take advantage of the hotel gym

If you're staying in a hotel, there may of course be a gym just a few floors away. We're not going to claim that we're always exemplary hotel guests who jump out of bed and run down to the gym before breakfast. That's definitely not the reality.

But sometimes we use the hotel gym and do some simple exercises. It doesn't have to be an advanced workout. A little time on a treadmill or an exercise bike and some strength training can go a long way. And when the gym is already included in the hotel price, it's a shame not to at least consider it.

8. Swim a few lengths

If there is a pool where we live, we sometimes take the opportunity to swim a few lengths. Here too, of course, there is a difference between pools. A small pool full of bathing holidaymakers and inflatable flamingos may be better suited for relaxation than for serious exercise swimming.

But if possible, swimming is a great way to get your whole body working. And if you're by the sea, a dip can of course also provide a little extra movement – although our sea baths should probably be considered more of a swim than a workout.

9. Cycle at your destination

Renting a bike is another way to combine transportation, sightseeing and exercise. You can travel much further on a bike than on foot, but you still get to experience the surroundings up close. You can stop whenever you want and don't have to look for a parking space for a car.

Some destinations have regular city bikes, while others have electric bikes or mountain bikes. The amount of exercise you get can vary considerably – but at least you get out and get some exercise.

10. Go kayaking or canoeing

Paddling is another activity where we primarily think about the experience and get the exercise in return.

With a kayak or canoe, you can discover coastlines, lakes and waterways from a completely different perspective than from land. At the same time, your upper body, in particular, gets to work significantly more than during a regular walk.

The beauty of activities like paddling is the combination. We would hardly get into a kayak just to ”work out our arms.” We do it because it’s fun to paddle – and it happens to work our bodies at the same time.

11. Try horseback riding, climbing, or mountain biking

When traveling, there are sometimes opportunities to do activities that you might not engage in at home. For example, we have gone horseback riding on trips, and other opportunities can be climbing, mountain biking or different types of adventure activities.

Of course, this isn't about squeezing in as many forms of exercise as possible during your vacation. Choose something that you actually find fun and that suits your experience and physical ability.

Then the activity becomes first and foremost part of the trip – while you get some exercise in the process.

12. Go skiing or try other seasonal activities

If you travel in the winter, there are completely different possibilities. Downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing can involve a lot of physical activity.

Similarly, the destination and the season can determine which activities are suitable. On a beach holiday you might swim and paddle. In the mountains you might hike. In the winter you might ski.

Instead of trying to stick to the exact same exercise routine as at home, you can let the destination determine how you move.

Travel training doesn't have to be so fancy

It's easy to think that exercise has to mean workout clothes, a gym and a proper workout. But when traveling, we think it's just as relevant to think about how much you actually move.

One day, after walking 20 kilometers through a big city, you may not need to feel guilty about not going to the gym. And a hike up a mountain can provide significantly more exercise than a planned workout – while also providing memories to last a lifetime.

For us, walks are the basis. We try to do them every day, no matter where we are. Beyond that, the level of ambition varies greatly. Sometimes we have a training program, a yoga mat and even a whole training tent. Other times it is much less.

Lately, we've actually been a bit bad at more regular exercise. So this text should also serve as a reminder to ourselves: Keep walking – but pick up the yoga mat and do some exercises every now and then. The body is unlikely to protest.

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