Walk-Friendly Weekend Getaways to Boost Creativity

“All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking,” Nietzche once wrote, and today there’s scientific evidence to back that up. A Stanford study has uncovered a brain-body connection between even a short walk and heightened creativity. So for aspiring artists, authors, entrepreneurs, innovators and anyone else seeking to unleash their creative potential, it’s time to pack those walking shoes and hit the trail. We’ve gathered a few great ideas for a walk-friendly weekend getaway in settings that range from mountains to beach to bustling city streets.

Mountain Musings

Sometimes it takes a new perspective to get the creative juices flowing, and it only stands to reason that the higher that vantage point the loftier the thoughts.

• Peak thinking in the Adirondacks: Artists and writers have long been drawn to the wild beauty of upstate New York’s Adirondack Mountains and its renowned 46 High Peaks. Guests at Whiteface Lodge, an all-suite resort inspired by the Adirondack Great Camps of the Gilded Age, have access to numerous hiking trails of varying lengths and challenge levels in the surrounding woodlands, then retreat to the comfort of a cozy suite with cast-iron fireplace to put pen to paper. Whiteface Lodge’s concierge can recommend the best trails to match guests’ interests and ability.

• Go high, GoPro on Camelback Mountain. Ancient caves and a sandstone rock formation dubbed the Praying Monk add intrigue and creative inspiration to a hike on the challenging trails of Scottsdale’s Camelback Mountain. Guests who book the Hike-Tech package at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa can document their adventure on their own GoPro Hero Session. The package features a two-night stay for two, daily breakfast, a guided hike, GoPro Hero Session to keep, and a 60-minute spa service per person at the exclusive Sanctuary Spa – the perfect reward for a day on the trails.

Emerald Isle Imaginings

• Castles in the air. From their gift for storytelling to their love of music, the Irish have an undeniable creative streak. Perhaps it has something to do with the remnants of ancient and medieval cultures that add a sense of magic and mystery to a simple walk through just about any Irish town or countryside. CIE Tours International's Irish Myths and Legends tour includes several inspirational walks within its eight-day itinerary, including guided walks through Galway and along the Shannon River in Limerick as well as time to self-explore the towns of Kilronan in the Aran Islands, Kinsale and Blarney. Travelers who act fast and book by March 20 for a tour anytime in 2018 (no blackout dates) can take advantage of CIE Tours' best airfare offer of the year, with roundtrip tickets from the East Coast to Dublin or Shannon starting at $399 ($699 from Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle).

Beach Brainstorming

Salt air stimulates the senses while the rhythmic sound of the waves invites meditation, making the beach the perfect spot for a contemplative stroll.

• Hatching ideas (and baby turtles) on Singer Island. Guests can step right out to the sand from Palm Beach Marriott Singer Island Beach Resort & Spa, located on its own private beach on Florida’s Gold Coast. Considered one of the top five beaches in Palm Beach County, this 4.7-mile stretch is among the most important nesting beaches in the U.S. for loggerheads, green sea turtles and leatherbacks. March and April are the ideal months for a nighttime stroll to observe turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs, while September and October invite morning strolls to see hatchlings make their way to the water’s edge. Beachcombers will also find excellent shelling during the morning’s low tide.

• A lighthouse moment on Martha’s Vineyard. Just steps from the historic Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown, Lighthouse Beach beckons with gentle waves and serene scenes of fishing boats and sailboats straight from an artist’s canvas. This seldom-crowded stretch of sand is just one of nearly 20 beaches on Martha’s Vineyard that invite enlightenment and quiet contemplation. And farther inland, a number of wildlife sanctuaries and preserves offer miles of trails where guests can wander through woodlands, past ponds, and along salt marshes and shorelines.

Coastal Cogitations

The Central California coastline is equal parts rugged, romantic and refined – the perfect tinder to spark that creative flame.

• Pondering in Pebble Beach. California’s Pebble Beach Resorts is rightfully renowned for the visionary design of its championship golf courses, but some of its greatest treasures are the work of Mother Nature. Guests seeking an inspirational ramble will find more than 27 miles of trails that meander through the dense Del Monte Forest, open meadows and along the rugged coastline – at any moment offering a glimpse of Monterey wildlife from deer and raccoons to foxes and coyotes. Pebble Beach Company maintains all forest trails and is committed to their protection and restoration.

• A stroll through Steinbeck country. Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail stretches 18 miles along the Central California coastline from Castroville south to Pacific Grove along the route of the old Southern Pacific Railway. Along the way, walkers with literary aspirations will recognize settings from Steinbeck’s beloved novel Cannery Row, from Doc’s Lab to Hovden’s Cannery (now the Monterey Bay Aquarium). The newly renovated Embassy Suites by Hilton Monterey Bay Seaside is just two blocks from the beachfront and offers direct access to the trail.

City Scheming

While coastal and mountain settings are a “natural” choice for an inspiring walk, there’s plenty to be said for the stimulation of an urban stroll, particularly along streets steeped in history.

• A trek through time in Syracuse. Guests of Marriott Syracuse Downtown are living history with every stay at this hotel – a stunning restoration of the former 1924 Hotel Syracuse. And now a Living History Package encourages visitors to put on their walking shoes and explore the rich legacy and current renaissance of New York’s “Central City.” The package includes a choice of two self-guided tours that lead guests through two centuries of growth and change in downtown Syracuse, including dozens of historic, architectural and cultural points of interest.

• Carolina on my mind. Just minutes from Charlotte, North Carolina, downtown Concord’s Historic District offers a self-guided walking tour showcasing the beautiful Queen Anne and Colonial Revival homes of some of its most influential residents as well as architecturally significant commercial buildings dating back to the Civil War. After strolling Concord’s tree-lined streets, visitors can stop by the Cabarrus Arts Council, housed in the historic former courthouse – itself an architectural gem – where they can draw further inspiration from  four galleries of curated artwork. Highlighted artists changing every eight weeks, ensuring fresh creative fuel with every visit.

• Revolutionary ruminations in Boston. With the highest concentration of top-tier research universities in the U.S., there’s no doubt that Beantown inspires breakthrough thinking. Green-from-the-ground-up Element Boston Seaport and forward-thinking Aloft Boston Seaport both offer visitors a strategic Seaport District locale just minutes from the best of the city. From either hotel, guests have easy access to the Harborwalk, a near-continuous 43-mile park with breathtaking views of Boston Harbor and the Boston skyline, and the Freedom Trail, a 2.5-mile, red-lined route that wends past 16 historically significant sites dating back to the American Revolution.