Urban Hiking

It is a beautiful day, you want to get out and get some exercise and enjoy the scenery but you are not in mood to gear up and head out into the back country. Why not try an urban hike?

I really enjoy urban hiking. Whether I am “hiking” in my home town or a new city, I am always amazed and how much I discover on an urban hike.

Before you head on an urban hike, there are just a few things you should do. First decide where you want to explore (if you are in a new area, you should ask someone if the area you want to explore is a safe area to walk around). It is a good idea to take a map with you. Second, you will want to dress appropriately. This means you should wear good walking shoes and dress in layers. I like to carry a backpack when I go for an urban hike. I always carry a cell phone, a bottle of water, sunglasses, a map and some cash.

I like to explore new neighborhoods and will often spend sometime wandering thru the local shops (thus the need for a backpack to carry anything I purchase along the way). I also like to try new cafes and will stop and enjoy a cup of coffee or a light meal in the neighborhood that I am exploring. Urban hiking has helped me discover hidden gems in neighborhoods that I wouldn’t normally visit. It is amazing how many things you notice and discover by walking around a neighborhood. I am always surprised by how different my impression of an area is when I walk through it in comparison to my impressions that I have had after driving around it.