Travel News

Travel Deals: Top Spots & Savings for Healthy Living

Locations in this article:  Minneapolis, MN Phoenix, AZ

Worried that a vacation will interfere with your  fitness goals for the new year?  Don’t put off that trip, just combine fitness with pleasure. Experience some of America’s fittest locations where you can enjoy the resort lifestyle while still keeping in shape. Plus, we have the top fitness destinations and a comparison of the rates that you can get online with opaque and direct deals.

Minneapolis

It might surprise you to see that Minneapolis is a top fit spot. The city has topped the Shape‘s list as the fittest city in the country. The city’s residents are committed to healthy living with 86 percent of resident exercising in the past month.

The four-star Westin Minneapolis has rates that start at $86 a night from CheapTickets, includes rooms with flat screen TVs, MP3 players, and Internet access and heated indoor pool. It’s minutes from Highland Golf Course and Stonebrooke Gold Club, hotel includes B.A.N.K. restaurant offering American dining, and a wine cellar that has been converted from a bank vault.

The five-star Le Meridien Chambers Minneapolis has rates online at $104 a night from CheapTickets, which includes rooms with LCD televisions, iPod docking stations, and wireless Internet. It’s also home to Burnet Art Gallery which holds more than 200 original pieces of contemporary art, seasonal outdoor ice bar, and is walking distance to several theaters and museums.

On Hotwire, a 3-star hotel in University of Minnesota area is $55 a night, and includes free Internet in all rooms, indoor pool and fitness center, outdoor pool, restaurant, business center, and nearby golf.

Palm Springs

If you’re looking to beat the winter chill, head to the desert. Palm Springs has spas and resorts for all your wellness needs. Plus, there’s hiking and biking and more outdoor adventures.

The four-star Riviera Palm Springs Resort, has rates that start at $127 a night from Orbitz, and features 1960s-era design throughout hotel. Rooms offer patios or balconies, iPod, DVD, and computer stations, an amenities include a restaurant, outdoor fire pits, gardens, and tented pool area, Thai-inspired spa which includes 18 therapy rooms, Watsu pool, hot tub, steam room, fitness center, and full-service salon.

The three-star Palm Mountain Resort and Spa has rates that start at $74 a night from Orbitz, and in includes tree-lined pool terrace, spa, poolside Cabana Bar, and access to a complete health and wellness center.

On Hotwire, a 4-star hotel in La Quinta – Indian Wells, starts at $98 a night and has resort facilities generally include a spa or fitness center, swimming pool, and dining options, business center, nearby golf and tennis, and a children’s activity program.

Scottsdale

Another desert option is Scottsdale. The same indoor resort amenities and outdoor fitness options apply in this Arizona suburb.

The four-star Zona Hotel and Suites, has rates that start at $148 a night from Orbitz, and include option of regular room or up to four-bedroom suites, free Wi-Fi, complimentary transportation within 5 miles of the resort, free-form pools with waterfalls and adjacent spa tubs. The property can also arrange hiking trips, mountain biking, hot-air ballooning, and Jeep tours.

The four-star Saguaro Scottsdale has rates that start at $126 a night from Orbitz, which includes complimentary use of the fitness center, daily newspaper, use of Saguaro bicycles, Wi-Fi, and valet services, two heated pools surrounded by cabanas, and a poolside bar.

On Hotwire, a four-star hotel in Central Phoenix is $115 a night, including a fitness center, pool, restaurant, business center, high-speed Internet access, nearby golf and tennis, and spa services.

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By Steven Knight for PeterGreenberg.com