Exercise has always been very important to me. It’s my time in my head, my way to sweat out the stress, and the best way to keep the balance in my life of occasional indulgence. Eat the wings, drink the wine, then go for a run (but maybe wait till the morning, ha!)…the punishment fits the crime. This desire for a healthy lifestyle did not stop when I had my two boys, 1 and 3, it just evolved. A single jogger stroller for my first son, soon morphed into a double when second son arrived 2 years later.

While I lived in Newport my two tiny tots I had no lack of places to walk. Safe and interesting “loops” were right out my front door. However when I moved to the Westerly side of Charlestown in June I found myself in slightly uncharted territory.

The Beast

Living on a cul-de-sac off an extremely hilly and curvy road in the deep woods meant that I’d need to be creative and figure out new routines and places to get my adrenaline rush. This pretty much meant strong arming the double stroller, aka: THE BEAST, into the back of the SUV and driving to my walking/running locations, but I knew that would likely be the new rules of living here and I’ve been ok with that.

While lumbering behind such a bulky contraption may not always be ideal, beautiful scenery in the great outdoors certainly eases the burden and this area is chock–a-block, full of them! I have highlighted a few of my current favorites below.

Ninigret Park

An old air field from the 30’s, this 227 acre property is now an impressive park. The old runways make the perfect walking paths and there is no lack of different directions in which to head. You can go by the tennis courts, swimming pond, picnic area, dog park and out to the nature trails.

I found most of these trails to be very stroller friendly, but just make sure to wear bug spray; the mosquitos are vicious in the summer, and there are warning signs about ticks. Side note: If you head out there and see an abandoned Micky Mouse toy, make sure you say hi from the McGregor’s…sadly we lost him there this summer and my toddler now believes him to be camping somewhere in that spot!

 

My boys love to finish at the playgrounds, one for little kids, and one for older kids. Parking is ample, and the park seems to be quiet year round unless there is a concert of festival happening- the annual Charlestown seafood festival is a fun one!

Watch Hill

While the ease of parking for this spot depends on which season you’re heading there for, it is quite picturesque and definitely worth the effort. I like to park in the little village of this seaside resort town, quite busy in summer but quite abandoned in the winter.

I walk past the stores, the merry-go-round and out to the lighthouse (which is only accessible by foot unless you’re a senior citizen). If I’m looking for a longer loop, I will head down Ocean View Highway, to a brief section of Shore Road and back down Watch Hill Road, about 5 miles in total and worth every foot fall. Fair warning: the longer loop definitely puts my 1 year old to sleep and pretty much kills any later naptime.

Mystic, CT

Like Watch Hill, parking can be quite tricky in the heart of summer but if you’re a determined exerciser like me, if there is a will, there is a way. A terrific walk is along the Mystic River. You can cut back behind the stores of W Main Street, onto Pearl Street or Gravel Street and before you know it you are right along the river; it feels like you are back in time as you gaze across to the schooners and historic buildings at the Mystic Seaport, another great spot for adults and kids alike that I will expand on another time. Sometimes we like to stop by Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream for a cone and put the calories burned right back in the system (hey, you only live once right?!).

I am constantly looking for new spots to add to stroller-friendly repertoire, and have already discovered a few, but I will save those for a future time. If you’re a mom like me who enjoys a little workout pick me up in the great outdoors with the little ones, then the above places are a great trio to start with. Enjoy!