Well None of my friends can get away this summer.
I was thinking of trying something I never did before & travel alone
1) any suggestions???
Im 40 so Contiki is out.
2) i also figured this might be a great time to tone up Etc
so any suggestions on that?

Where are you located and what sort of budget do you have? spafinder.com is one option. Are you looking to meet people or just to get away?

A vacation is not really enough time to get fit, I would suggest:
1) join a gym at home
2) join weight watchers at home
3) then take a beach vacation somewhere

Sign up for a hiking vacation---Canadian Rockies, Italy, Switzerland, etc.

While I agree with you Suze, very often you need a "head start" to a program and going on vacation when you're not so stressed can be a good time to start. It's also a good way to travel alone.

How about one of those bike tours? They usually have variations for people at different levels of fitness. You'll be meeting other people, getting fit and having fun - and still have decent places to stay.

Kayaking the San Juan Islands. Check out REI's vacations. They have several walking, hiking, biking and kayaking vacations.

Rancho La Puerta in Baja California Mexico is awesome. You can totally go alone, be as busy or as free as you want, and you'll meet a ton of great people. Plus you are exercising as much or little as you want, the food is good but healthy, and the spa is awesome. www.rancholapuerta.com. Trust me, it's great-just went in April 2006 with my mom and we absolutely loved it.

Also Ojai Oaks, someone on fodors was just there and reported back that they liked it.

Here's the report on Ojai Oaks
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34820150

You probably want to get away this summer, whether you're fit or not. Maybe you do or don't have the funds for a spa, or a bike trip; I don't know, but I do know they are not inexpensive.

So let's look at travel alone first. I found a book that I have given to friends who are shy about travel alone. It is "A Foxy Old Women's Guide to Traveling Alone (Around Town and Around the World)" by Jay Ben-Lesser RN, MS, MA

Whether you are old or young, male or female, this is a pretty decent book. In the first section, Jay Ben-Lesser offers awareness exercises to help women learn how to eat out alone, go to movies alone and finally to travel alone -- first around town, then around the world.

In the second section she gives tips on budgeting money and time, planning excursions and choosing appropriate clothing. A special chapter is devoted to garments which women can make or have made, in which valuables can be stored. Ben-Lesser has traveled by car, RV, plane and ship and explains the delights and downside of each. The tips alone are worth the price of the book. ISBN 0-89594-789-7 - and no, I've no financial interest in it.

During summer and fall, a number of organizations like Lung Association, Diabetes, MS Society, etc. sponsor bicycle rides, some overnight, to raise funds. Having been on staff for some, I can assure you that people of all sorts for condition and bicycle skills attend these. You receive plenty of support - with the route, food, water, mechanical, and emotional support, as well as a "sag wagon" to pick you and your bike up if necessary. Assisting with these for 4 years, the only time I saw someone NOT have a good time was a hung-over college student who'd had WAY too much the night before. In addition to helping the goals of the organization, you also get to have friends, family, co-workers and strangers help fund your vacation, altho it can even be worthwhile to self-pay the entire fund-raising requirement.

Best of luck with both your goals; maybe you'll post later with a screen name of "gladiwasthere"!

I usually lose weight on my vacations alone because I walk miles and miles a day, and I'm usually too cheap to take a taxi. Last fall in Eastern Europe I lost about 5 pounds in two weeks and probably walked 20 miles or more, often with camera equipment. I'm starting to think that these vacations are a great way to lose those extra pounds! Maybe I should go for a month next time.

If you want to tone up and/or lose a few pounds, I suggest you join a gym and take exercise classes. It's fun, it's social, and it's a great workout, at least if you find a good instructor, and after it becomes habit, it will become a regular part of your life for years to come.

Andrew

Go to a walking city and walk everywhere, find out ahead of time about eating healthy. chowhound.com can usually help.