There are so many great cities to discover on foot. I wear a fitness tracker and love to count my steps especially while on vacation. In this post, I share some of my favorite walking cities. With a little planning, you can hit your step goal and enjoy some fantastic sights.
Niagara Falls, Canada
Located just a three and a half hour drive from Detroit, Niagara Falls is a wonderful city for walking. The Falls are the main attraction of course, but there is the Niagara Parks Botanic Gardens just a short walk down the road from the Falls. After walking the garden, you can take a self-guided walking tour of the Butterfly Conservatory which is home to over 2,000 species of butterflies.
After dinner, there are many fun tourist things to do. We stayed downtown near Centre Street on Clifton Hill and were able to walk to the Falls and to all the attractions on Clifton Hill each night. With a Skywheel, a Midway and the new Niagara Speedway, there is plenty to see while you are walking through town.
Boston, Massachusetts
The Freedom Trail is a fantastic walk in any weather. We visited in the spring and had just about every kind of weather from rain to sleet to snow. You can adjust your pace to read the facts in the monuments and buildings along the way. And there are several indoor museums to stop in and warm up if needed.
For a great afternoon stroll, we took the subway to Fenway Park and walked around the neighborhood surrounding the stadium. We were lucky to have tickets to the Red Sox game. With the sun shining on us to keep us warm, were able to walk the whole park and check out some of the great historical displays inside.
Kyoto, Japan
The winding streets in downtown Kyoto guarantee a glimpse of the city and even a geisha. But the Fushimi Inari Shrine is a walker’s dream. It is quite a hike up to the shrine but well worth it. The small sub shrines surrounding the main torii are immensely interesting. Be prepared for a day long adventure with lots of stairs and a steep incline.
While in Kyoto, we also did a side trip to Arashiyama. This city is known for its Bamboo Forest and Monkey Park. Again, be prepared for a steep climb to see the monkeys. The Bamboo Forest is unforgettable.
Chicago, Illinois
We stayed in the River North area and walked to the Navy Pier in the morning. It was great to see the city vibe and smell the restaurants and coffee shops along the way. Navy Pier itself is a wonderful walk through 50 acres with lots to see and do such as the Ferris Wheel, boat cruises and sweeping views of Lake Michigan.
The next day we walked the Museum complex and saw the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum. We wanted to walk Miracle Mile too so ended up taking a car to get there and shopping and walking back to our hotel from Michigan Avenue. And the third day we saw the SkyDeck and the Art Institute. My average number of steps on this trip was 20,000 per day.
Mackinac, Michigan
We stay at The Grand Hotel every year in July so each day we walk to and from the hotel to town. Even though I treat myself to one pecan ball on this trip, it is no problem to walk it off. There are no cars on the island to it truly is a walker’s paradise. Read my blog for more about walking the gardens at The Grand Hotel.
Orlando, Florida
I have been to Orlando more times than I can count but one thing that never changes is that you will walk 15,000 – 20,000 steps per day depending on what you are doing. The parks such as SeaWorld, Walt Disney World and Universal are fabulous walking amusements. When I am there on business, I am often visiting the Orange County Convention Center which is huge. And at night, I enjoy walking Disney Springs and Disney’s Boardwalk and soaking in the night life. See my blog post on Disney’s Boardwalk.
New York City, New York
What can I say – I love New York. I celebrated my 50th Birthday here and wrote about it in my blog.
It is a definitely walking city. I stayed near Broadway and walked everywhere. Even though I visited in November and it was chilly, I had no trouble getting 15,000 steps per day.
If you are a walker, consider planning your next trip to a destination that makes it easy to do what you love.
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Lovely suggestions. I’m from Ireland but have family who frequently visit several of these locations in the states and love walking! I also hope to visit Japan myself so day and I too love going for a nice, relaxing walk while on vacation!
Pinning this for future reference.
– Nyxie
Thank you for your comment and happy travels!
I love that you go into detail about the different cities. I’ve been wanting to travel more and at least 3 of these places are on my list to visit especially Michigan before my sister moves.
We would love to have you visit the Mitten State! Thank you for commenting. ❄
I’ve been to Orlando but not any of the others! I would love to visit these, especially Kyoto ☺️
Kyoto is so much fun and very walkable. Thank you for commenting.
I loved this because I absolutely love walking in new places. Even better than riding my bike which is saying a lot!
Something about the pace really lets u take the world in. This list did make me wonder, what are the most affordable walkable cities out of your favorite?
I would say Mackinac Island because you can get there by car, stay in Mackinaw City and take the Ferry over for the day if cost is an issue.
Thanks for commenting and keep walking! 🙂
I’m in New York right now! I’ll definitely be reading your 50th birthday post 🙂 and about Orlando, YES, lots of walking, but I find it easier if you’re in one of the theme parks. Outside it can be a little nutty! But there are so many other beautiful things to see… and Disney Springs, now revamped, is gorgeous! Great ideas!!!
Yes! I love Disney Springs. 💗 Thank you for commenting.
I love New York to just wander in. So much to see (and do of course)! I haven’t been to Niagara in years but I remember it being gorgeous, I’d love to go there just to wander as well! This is a fun list, thank you for sharing!
I really want to go back when the weather is warmer! Thank you for commenting.
I have walked a few of these cities too, so I second your choices! 😏 Walking is my go-to and favorite way to travel and visit a new place, especially here in Europe!
I am a walker and I agree with you on the 3 cities that I’ve visited on your list (Chicago, Orlando and New York.) My all time favorite city which also very walkable is New Orleans!
Some great suggestions and destinations. My takeaway is realizing that you can get out walking and keep up your walking routine when you travel. Thanks for sharing.
Mark / Mark’s Tavel Journal
https://www.markstraveljournal.me
Great suggestions!
I live in Pittsburgh and I don’t think it’s very walkable which is upsetting.
I visited Boston last year and it was very walkable with lots to see and do. Such a beautiful city!
Very informative post! Walking through a historic city is definitely the best way to capture its atmosphere. ☺