America’s top 10 fittest cities + a travel guide
By Brittany Anas
Raise your glass of kale smoothie and toast to the fittest cities in America, places where people are bicycling to work, running marathons and taking advantage of the outdoor playground that surrounds them.
The American Fitness Index is a project compiled by the American College of Sports Medicine and that takes a wholesome look at metropolitan areas, considering health indicators — like the proportion of the population that is obese or suffers from hypertension combined with the number of public parks, recreation centers and outdoor farmers’ markets.
Whether you’re looking to move or just searching for a vacation spot, check out these fitness-friendly cities.
Here are the healthiest cities in America and some ideas for how to enjoy the outdoors:
(1). Minneapolis, Minnesota: In winter months, skaters can play hockey or just ice skate at the Guidant John Rose Minnestoa OVAL, which features a 110,000-square-foot sheet of ice. When the weather warms up, the rink transforms into a place for inline skating and skateboarding.
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(2). Washington, D.C.: A trip to our nation’s capitol doesn’t need to be all about politics and history. You can monkey around in a treetop that is just a short drive away from the city. The “Go Ape Treetop Adventure” in Rockville, Maryland allows visitors to explore a forest canopy that spans the length of more than seven football fields, and includes obstacles that are 50 feet above the ground. The course includes ziplines, Tarzan swings, ropes and ladders and a bridge.
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(3). Boston, Massachusetts: Take a tour of Boston on bike. All tours through Urban Adventours are $50. The “City View” tour allows you to bike from the historic Beach Hill neighborhood up to Fenway park and through Back Bay, showing off Boston’s contemporary and classic neighborhoods.
(4). San Francisco, California: Combine two popular work-outs: Hiking + yoga. The 90-minute “hiking-yoga” trip begins in the city’s financial district and is a way to see San Fran while getting in a good workout.
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(5). Hartford, Connecticut: A must-visit spot in Connecticut is the “Riverfront Recapture,” a network of parks and recreation centers along the river. The riverfront hosts multi-cultural events and festivals. There’s also a ropes course and places where you can go rowing.
Curious what other cities scored well on the index? These cities also ranked in the top 10.
(6). Sacramento, California
(7). Portland, Oregon
(8). Seattle, Washington
(9). Denver, Colorado
(10). Austin, Texas
(Photos: Top photo is of “Go Ape Treetop Adventure” just outside of Washington, D.C. Bottom photo is a snapshot of the Riverfront Recapture scene in Connecticut).
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