Destination run club: Why are so many travelers packing their sneakers and running on vacation?

The morning is hushed, the early light casting long shadows across Philadelphia’s neoclassical architecture. I stand at the base of the 72 stone steps that lead to the Philadelphia Museum of Art as runners sprint up one of the most iconic staircases in cinema history.

The ‘Rocky Steps’, immortalized by Sylvester Stallone in his 1976 underdog classic Rocky as he trains for his big fight, have long been popular with local runners. Now, they have been joined by travelers—runners from across the world who arrive with sneakers and route apps, eager to explore the city at their own pace. Some join early-morning group runs that wind past landmarks like Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell; others take solitary jogs along the Schuylkill River Trail. And running up the Rocky Steps has come to symbolize determination and celebrate personal strength, whether you’re chasing fitness goals or soaking in the spirit of Philly. I run up too, completing a rite of passage that’s a must for every traveler.

Whether for history, culture, architecture, festivals, food or something else, travel has always been a personal pursuit, shaped by the passions of every individual traveler. In recent years, though, a new kind of traveler has emerged: The runner.

As work-life boundaries blur, in good and ‘bad’ ways thanks to remote and flexible working, and wellness takes center stage, running has evolved from a solitary fitness habit into a fascinating way of engaging with the world.

The numbers reflect this shift. According to running and route app Strava’s 2024 Year in Sport report, global participation in running clubs soared by 59 percent last year, pointing to a growing sense of community and shared adventure. According to Europe’s largest hospitality company Accor, “athletic adventures” are one of 2025’s biggest travel trends, marked by a 50 percent rise in workout holiday searches.

The COVID-19 pandemic is another factor that accelerated outdoor socializing. While the restrictions have gone, people’s preference for fresh air, open spaces, and lower-stimulation environments has lingered.

Whether it’s training for a race abroad, joining a destination running club, or exploring a new place, running has become the new form of immersive, active tourism. Nicholas Smith, author of Kicks: The Great American Story of Sneakers, finds running a great way to see many parts of a city.

“You see a city you wouldn’t normally see. No matter where you go, there’s that weird mix: People from a long night out, folks getting an early start, those exercising first thing,” he tells me. Smith says he too combines most of his travels with running. “It’s always nice to give a nod to other morning runners; we may be from different places, but we speak the same language.”

The rise of ‘runcations’ has led to a boom in travel companies, and there are a lot. Adventure Running Co., focuses on trail running vacations; Run the World Adventures whose ethos centers on running as the best form of discovery; Run the Alps for guided and self-guided trail running vacations in the Alps and Dolomites; Runcation Travel, which offers adventure running vacations retreats; Run Wild Retreats for small group, women-only retreats; and Rogue Expeditions, which combines running tours with sightseening.

Not everyone joins a group or tour though. Kasia Lindhorst, a pediatric dentist from Houston, Texas, US, has been on many running breaks across the world, and for her, it’s a way to combine fitness, adventure, and cover more ground. “I often run on my own when travellng, without a running group, or I travel with adventurous friends and family,” she says. “That said, I’ve also signed up for local challenges if I happen to be in a place.”

Texas’s Austin-based Rogue Expeditions offers a range of running vacations, the most popular being to Morocco, Alpe Adria (Slovenia and Croatia), the Dolomites, and Patagonia. Its CEO Michael Mazzara, who went on his honeymoon to Japan and ran through the streets of Tokyo, Kyoto and into the wilderness, feels running is the best way to experience a city.

“When you’re in a car or Uber, you whizz by everyday life,” he says. “You can see the broad strokes of a city, but you miss the small things: People having breakfast, the cobblestones of the park paths, the construction sites, the architecture. Running lets you see them in an intimate way.”

The popularity of running vacations is also a reflection of a broader cultural shift that prioritizes wellness, fitness, and meaningful experiences. After moving from India to Portugal, Gauri Jayaram, founder and CEO of Active Holiday Company, which focuses on marathon tourism, has noted how in recent years, wellness has evolved from a niche interest into a global movement. “It’s no longer limited to spa retreats or yoga studios,” she says. “It’s integrated into how people live, work, and travel.”

The COVID-19 pandemic is another factor that accelerated outdoor socializing. While the restrictions have gone, people’s preference for fresh air, open spaces, and lower-stimulation environments has lingered. “Running is an anytime, anywhere sport. All you need is a pair of shoes and active wear; you can run on your own, or you can be part of a community,” Jayaram says. That shared connection has now created global communities of runners who bond over routes, training tips, and meet-ups. Solo runs still stand for freedom, but running clubs offer motivation, support, and community.

“When I moved to Lisbon, I joined a weekly founders’ run club. Running fosters connection much better than any other social networking group that I am part of.”

- Gauri Jayaram, founder/CEO, Active Holiday Company

And there’s another factor too. Gen Z drinks about one-third less beer and wine than previous generations, according to Statista, and is adopting alcohol-free options at a much higher rate. What began in North America in the early 2000s has grown into a global shift. Gallup reports a 10 percent drop in alcohol use among US adults aged 18–34 over the past decade, while a UK study shows 20–24-year-olds are nearly half as likely as those aged 75+ to prioritize alcohol for home consumption.

This rise of the ‘Lo/No’ alcohol lifestyle isn’t a passing fad; it reflects a deeper cultural change. Health consciousness, evolving social habits, and the ‘sober curious’ movement are reshaping how Gen Z approaches leisure and wellness.

Socializing is slowly moving out of bars and restaurants—once key ‘third spaces’—to parks, running trails and city streets as more and more people use these new social arenas to meet, connect—and run. Numerous companies, including Friday Night Lights, which offers guilt-free nights out running in London, Read & Run Tours, which operates book-themed guided running routes; and Go Running Tours, which offers ‘sightrunning’ options, are letting travelers hit the road running.

Millennials and Gen X are leading the charge, but others are joining in. “Late 30s to early 50s is our primary age group with 60 percent or more of bookings coming from solo travelers. A whopping 65 percent of the runners signing up are women,” Rogue Expedition’s Mazzara says. Gen Z is also signing up for these runs.

Jayaram says the strong social aspect is a key draw. “When I moved to Lisbon, I joined a weekly founders’ run club. Running fosters connection much better than any other social networking group that I am part of,” she says. “Runners tend to be hungry people, people who always want to be better, want to do more… they have a special energy.”

That vigor often leads travelers to join local chapters of running clubs such as Parkrun, which offers free, weekly, 5k and 2k community events, and Frontrunners, an affiliation of LGBTQ running and walking clubs. Brian Lip, a Perth-based lawyer who started running last year, is among them. “Frontrunners has 130 clubs around the world and I try to run with them wherever I travel,” he says.

Lip embraced running as a way to better his health a couple of months before he turned 50. He combined that with his love for travel and has run marathons in 15 different countries since then. “Marathons bring out the best in people,” he says. “You make long-lasting friendships with runners, people with who you have shared common pain and felt a sense of accomplishment at the finish line.”

Strava reported a nine percent increase in the number of marathons and ultramarathons logged in 2024. For Active Holiday Company, which focuses on marathon tourism, this has translated into a range of runners: Corporate workers, students, mothers, athletes, retired folks, father-and-sons, mother-and-daughters, friends, and more. “Running often becomes a way to overcome a personal challenge,” Jayaram tells me. “A marathon works as a gateway to overcoming things like obesity, depression, empty-nester syndrome, illness, and loss.”

More marathoners may be hitting the road, but so are the number of people who run to reap health benefits: Lower blood pressure and cholesterol, enhanced immune system, weight management, and improvements in sleep, mood and mental clarity.

Writer and photographer Trisha Mohanty who’s based in Pune, 97 miles (156 kilometers) southeast of Mumbai, finds running a deeply meditative practice, and it’s helped her battle mental health issues. “My running shoes always travel with me. But I’m not a very technical runner; I don’t fuss over timings and pace,” she says. “Running brings a lot of joy. If I can hit the road while the world is asleep and silent, and watch it stir and wake up as I finish my run, that’s good. That’s great.

Running doesn’t just take you places—it changes how you see them. As more people lace up for landscapes instead of lounges, running is becoming a new and exciting way to see the world. And at the top of the Rocky Steps, with the city stretching out below, I understand why this simple act endures. It isn’t about being Rocky, or even about the steps. It’s about claiming a little victory of your own; a reminder that sometimes, the best way to see the world is to run right into it.

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