By Lisa Niver Rajna Los Angeles “When the travel industry went into a tailspin after 9/11, I lost my job as a senior assistant cruise director. Heartbroken, I was back at home, consoling myself with ice cream and chocolate-covered almonds. I was at my heaviest when I met my future husband, George, who had spent...Read More
By Helene Sayad – Original Article As we set off for a morning hike on Mount Etna in Sicily, we peered up at clouds circling the top of the volcano, which had erupted several days earlier. Our route had been altered to a safer path, and we’d been advised to bring layers because the weather...Read More
By Charu Suri – Original Article Physique 57, known for its “barre-based” workouts, has partnered with Escape to Shape, which specializes in fitness travel, to offer its regimen on several overseas trips. Jennifer Vaughan Maanavi, a founder of Physique 57, selected destinations that allow travelers to see landmarks without giving up their exercise routines. The first trip,...Read More
By Sarah Purkrabek – Original Article Erica Gragg knows her stuff when it comes to travel fitness. An acclaimed yoga teacher and a co-founder of the hybrid travel and fitness retreat company Escape to Shape, Gragg spends most of her time abroad in places like Cambodia, Germany, Morocco, and Ecuador, leading small groups on hybrid fitness...Read More
By Lucy Maher – Original Article Biking Berlin to Dresden, May 2015Prefer to see your sights on two wheels? Then join other road cyclists on a six-day journey through post-unification Eastern Germany. Meet in Berlin, depart in Dresden and enjoy Michelin-starred dining, 20-52 miles of daily countryside and urban biking, and wine tasting in the Elbe...Read More
By Molly Gallagher – Original Article Time to pack your wicking capris, again—and in something a little larger than your gym bag. Earlier this summer, we brought you some of the hottest fitness getaways of early summer—and we’re back for round two. I hope you’ve been saving up your summer Fridays! Cool studios, top instructors,...Read More
By Molly Creeden – Original Article Summer weather means a mass exodus from the gym in favor of the beach, the trail, or the playing field—making it an opportune moment to break out of a tired exercise rut. Answering the call is an elevated breed of fitness retreat that takes vacationing as seriously as sweating....Read More
By Ruby Warrington – Original Article When meditating, the author Gabrielle Bernstein avoids belts or drawstring pants. “Tying anything to your body blocks the energy flow,” she said. The athletic-wear company Lululemon, known for its yoga togs, introduced a meditation-specific capsule collection in fall 2012, with pieces retailing at relatively affordable prices, including a Devotion...Read More
By Linda Dyett – Original Article As co-founder of tour outfitter Escape to Shape, Erica Gragg creates trips that combine cultural adventures, yoga, power walks, and healthy meals. NAME: Erica GraggAGE: 41BORN IN: Sacramento, CaliforniaRESIDES IN: San FranciscoTIME SPENT ON THE ROAD: 10 months a yearPLACES VISITED IN THE LAST YEAR: Bali, Belgium, Cambodia, Colombia, Croatia, France, Guatemala, Hong Kong,...Read More
By Hannah Elliott – Original Article Lately, I’ve been drinking lots of kale. Kale and apples and celery, actually. Blame Nicole Gimmillaro, a chef with flawless skin who cooked for me and a dozen others for four days recently out at The Surf Lodge. The meals she prepared during Escape to Shape, a wellness program led by one Erica Gragg,...Read More
