While the mild Carolina climate (high elevations excluded) generally guarantees no dashing through the snow over Christmas, you can balance out your Christmas cookie consumption with a host of fun fitness activities for all ages! These exciting holiday workouts offer a Christmas concoction of physical activity, camaraderie, and the great outdoors.
Challenge your precision in a disc golf tournament, compete in the festive Holiday Olympics, or savor the scenic views (and celebratory sips) in a 5K through a vineyard. For a unique adventure, join fellow Carolina travelers in a sleepover and scavenger hunt at a state park, perfect for families and nature enthusiasts.
Reindeer Games In Wilmington
Let’s be clear – no one has 100% accuracy of the North Pole wonder himself who can somehow manage to sink presents into billions of chimneys across the world – but you can try your wrist when you register for the Reindeer Games Invitational disc golf tournament in Wilmington, North Carolina!
Combining the precision of traditional golf and the accessibility of frisbee, disc golf is a fun outdoor holiday workout where participants aim strategic throws at targets in a relaxed, social setting. This year’s tournament unfolds on December 16 at Castle Hayne State Park, an area renowned for its rare geological formations.
Holiday Workout: Olympics In Oak Island
Experts estimate that the odds of winning an Olympic gold medal are about 1 in 662,000 – slightly more optimistic than winning the lottery, but perhaps not as accessible to most Carolina travelers. At the Oak Island Recreation Center in NC, you’ll find the odds significantly more in your favor when you sign up for the Holiday Olympics!
Sign up your holiday workout team of 4-7 players to compete in holiday-themed games and challenges on December 7 as part of Oak Island’s Twelve Days of Christmas. At least one team member must be under 18, so gather your friends, family, neighbors, and keen kiddos to compete in this festive face-off!
Vineyard Stomp Christmas Run In Mt. Airy
The Vineyard Stomp Christmas Run is the holiday workout event we didn’t know we needed. Runners of all skill levels are invited to participate in a quartet of cross-country races on December 9 at Serre Vineyards in Mt. Airy. Each event spans 5K and stretches across an uneven yet scenic terrain.
Your exertion will be rewarded with a victory pour of wine. Runners and walkers of all ages (including dogs!) are eligible to register for this event, where a significant portion of the proceeds will benefit the W Connection – a national nonprofit helping widows rebuild their lives after the loss of a spouse.
World Pickleball Tour In North Charleston
The World Pickleball Tour has landed in the Lowcountry, igniting a craze for this fast-paced sport. Combining elements of tennis, ping pong, and badminton, pickleball offers accessible fun for all ages. If you think you have what it takes to knock the novices off the court, register for the WPT Charleston Challenger in North Charleston.
The strictly amateur event will kick off from November 17-19 at Collins Park Community Center, dividing competitors into brackets by skill level and age. Round Robin-style eliminations guarantee each player will participate in eight matches, with gold medalists earning a ticket to the 2024 championship and $175K cash winnings!
Atalaya Sleepover In Murrells Inlet
A one-of-a-kind holiday workout at Huntington Beach State Park merges an affinity for architecture and an active lifestyle during select weekends in November. The Atalaya Sleepover transpires in the Moorish Revival-style winter home of American sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington, best known for founding and designing the nation’s first outdoor sculpture museum at Brookgreen Gardens.
Your adventure begins with a sunset campfire, where participants can enjoy s’mores and storytelling before commencing a scavenger hunt around the park the following morning. All ages are welcome to join in on the fun, which includes a guided tour of the Atalaya house and departure breakfast.
