Be Green, Stay Fit and Save Money with a Vacation to a Pedestrian-Friendly City

It’s no surprise that walking is good for you, on a variety of levels. For one thing, it burns calories and helps to maintain a healthy weight. It gets your heart rate up, lowers your blood pressure, decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease, and strengthens your body. Beyond the purely physical benefits, walking is a great stress relief; it provides you with time to reflect and meditate, away from the concerns of daily life. Then there are the benefits to your pocketbook: unlike gym memberships or yoga classes, walking is free. All you need is a good pair of sneakers, a sidewalk or a trail, and you’re off. With the cost of gas today, choosing to walk rather than drive on a daily basis can produce some impressive savings. And, of course, walking is a ‘green’ choice—by putting your feet on the sidewalk rather than the rubber to the road, you’re doing your bit to protect the environment.

Okay, so you’ve incorporated walking into your daily fitness routine, and perhaps even into your commute, if that’s a possibility. But now it’s time for vacation…how will you keep up the pace?

No worries. Prevention Magazine has compiled a list of the top walking cities in each state, so that when you venture into unfamiliar territory, you won’t have to leave your walking shoes behind. Since it’s the fall, we’ll focus on some stellar pedestrian Southern cities—places where the weather will permit winding your way on foot for months yet to come.

In North Carolina, Charlotte and Wilmington were Prevention’s top two choices—and small wonder. With its vibrant downtown, public art scene, and the largest transit system between Washington, DC and Atlanta, GA, it’s easy to see why the Queen City tops the list. As for Wilmington, its charming historic downtown, chockablock with restaurants, art galleries and beautiful homes, is the perfect place for pedestrians to explore.

South Carolina’s top walkable cities were Greenville and Charleston, in that order. Most of us are familiar with Charleston’s easy Southern charm, where shaded sidewalks abut jazz clubs, boutiques, dining establishments, and more. As for Greenville, its wide sidewalks, pedestrian-friendly roads, high park-to-land ratio and low number of cars per household granted it the top spot.

In Florida, St. Petersburg took center stage, followed by Miami. Georgia’s top claim to fame was Atlanta—the state’s capital, it’s also Georgia’s most populous city, and has the highest percentage of people riding mass transit of any city in the state. A close second was Savannah; its famous squares and walkways connecting pedestrians to cultural, epicurean and retail establishments helped the Hostess City of the South secure a place at the top of the list.

Memphis topped the list in Tennessee—with all that Beale Street has to offer, how could it lose?—with Chattanooga not far behind. In Texas, Austin led the pack—it was also rated #25 in Prevention’s list of top 100 walking cities in the country. San Antonio came in 3rd, with the small town of Plano a surprising second. For a full list of Prevention’s best walking cities, visit http://www.prevention.com/bestcities/

So the next time you go on vacation, avoid the hassle and forget the cost of renting a car. Choose a destination known for its pedestrian-friendly streets, get yourself a map, and start walking. You’ll be glad you did.