Sign Me Up: Where to Work Out During a Trip to the Fittest City in the US

Washington, DC, a top destination for foreign and domestic visitors alike, is consistently at the top of listings of the fittest cities in the US. While sticking to a workout plan while traveling can be tough, the proliferation of gyms and boutique fitness studios in the city can be can be an opportunity to try something new or attend a destination class.

The keywords to describe health in northwest DC are luxury, boutique, and niche. In addition to local, multilocation gyms like Balance and Vida, group fitness classes are the name of the game. From Zumba and cycling to Piloxing and Pound, DC has it all. For travelers, the great thing about these classes is you can often take a free first class or week, or buy just a single class or a small class package if you’re staying longer, instead of subscribing to a monthly membership.  

Here are the a&a picks:

Just a Room Key Away

Best hotel gym: Don’t want to leave the building after a long day? Stay at the Fairmont in West End and you can head down to Balance Gym on the lower level in your bathrobe to enjoy a wide selection of fitness classes before or after your day as well as a steam room, sauna, whirlpool, and indoor salt water pool.

Runner up: Just a block away, the Ritz Carlton in West End is home to Equinox, the cult luxury gym known for chilled eucalyptus-scented towels and Kiehl’s products. But beware, this Equinox is up to the brand standard- it has barely been renovated since being converted from an LA Sports Club, if you are a female over 6 feet the shower doors do not cover you at all (and yet they cater to athletes), and it seems rundown in comparison to the gleaming facilities of Equinox Toronto in the Financial District, for example. Plus points: indoor basketball courts, squash courts, and a pool.

The class offerings in both match those of the boutique studios.

This Is Your Ride

Most popular spin studio: Soul Cycle

Across the street from Equinox, and two blocks down from Balance (and a boxing gym and a soon-to-come Blast Fitness), is DC’s original Soul Cycle location (there is one on 14^th as well now). The upbeat spin studios cost a small fortune per class. Your first ride is $20, one class is $30, five classes is $145, and so on. Unlike other studios in the city, these all come with an expiration date.

Soul Cycle’s dual locations in West End and 14^th Street bring me to this: while 14^th street is the new epicenter of DC for food, bars, shops, and gyms, West End is rapidly exploding on the fitness scene. SoulCycle is a newcomer as of about two years ago, Equinox joined the neighborhood in 2015, and Blast Fitness is expected later this spring. Squash on Fire will soon arrive in a still under construction building that will house a fire station, squash courts, and condos. Add Balance, Equinox, and the boxing gym on 24^th street (previously UFC gym), that’s a serious concentration of fitness over a two block radius. Not to mention, West End is in a prime location for runs into Georgetown, Rosslyn, and down to the monuments.

Exhale Your Day

Most addictive yoga class: Corepower Yoga Sculpt

Yoga fuses cardio and weight training in this 90 F plus degree hot yoga class that leaves you drenched with sweat and feeling like a champion. 100% worth the cost, and if you are new to Corepower, you can feed your new addiction with unlimited classes for a week for free. This is an awesome welcome package (looking at you, SoulCycle), and class costs are cut for students, vets, seniors, and teachers. All classes, whether sculpt or more formal yoga, have music.

Want something with more ohm? Head to Down Dog Yoga, which has proliferated across DC and has a brand new flagship studio in Georgetown.

Instant Abs (well, it feels like they should be there now)

DC’s new favorite workout machine is the Megaformer, and classes are offered by Solidcore and Balance Gym. This “Pilates machine on steroids” works your muscles slowly and consistently over the entire class, leaving you shaking and burning by the end. It’s a challenge, but totally worth it. Top pick: Balance Burn at Balance Gym’s Glover Park location, which has the newest machines in the District, if not the country currently.

Try Me On

The Nike Store in Georgetown arrived just a few years ago in a sprawling space that previously housed a Barnes & Nobles (RIP). Check in to see if the store, which also clears its displays to create a workout studio to host classes, has any special events coming up while you’re in town.

The Great Outdoors

Not into paying DC’s workout prices? Craving the sunshine? If the weather is nice, DC hosts a plethora of outdoor fitness activities throughout the summer, and you can create your own as well. Workout with a monument run spanning the Reflecting Pool, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Monument. Take a break with Mr. Jefferson with a waterfront view, and find MLK looking over the Tidal Basin. Looking to up your cardio? The Lincoln Memorial steps are a perfect tool, especially early in the morning before tourists block your way.

Also look for free yoga on the Mall and by the Georgetown Waterfront.

No One Packed My Gym Clothes

Okay…want to keep it low key? Check out the national parks and the monuments littered across the Mall at a walking tempo, or hop on a CityBike to take in the city on two wheels. Warning- avoid rush hour at all costs. Biking in DC traffic is an acquired skill. Finally, looking to relax while burning a few calories? Grab a paddleboat and power one for an hour. I promise you’ll feel it.

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Enjoy your fitness-fueled visit to Washington, DC! Have a favorite destination fitness studio or form that I missed? Let me know your thoughts!