Sustainable outdoor activities for those who don’t feel like hiking Marilou Cabatingan, 06/20/202508/15/2025 Vergiss die Wanderrucksäcke und umarme die Natur – 25 Outdoor-Ideen für deinen nächsten Urlaub.Not too long ago, I asked a hotel if there were any outdoor activities besides hiking. The answer: “Sure, of course.” I was told I could go for a walk! But I wasn’t satisfied. There had to be more! Thankfully, I received more original suggestions from our network of sustainable accommodations—and, of course, I’m sharing them with you. Here, you can learn how to experience nature sustainably without lacing up your hiking boots! More than 25 sustainable ways to enjoy nature and the outdoors while on vacation Although hiking is one of the healthiest forms of exercise, I understand why some people don’t enjoy it. Not everyone enjoys spending hours walking through the countryside with a heavy backpack. However, we all want to experience nature, and that’s healthy, too! Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to do so without hiking. A gentle exploration of the Croatian island of Iž Dolphins in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia. The island of Iž is only 17 square kilometers in size and has a population of just over 500. If you stay here at the Hotel Korinjak, you’ll naturally spend all your time outdoors. Swimming at the wild Adriatic beaches, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), and going on a boat trip to watch dolphins are just some of the water activities available there. The holistically oriented hotel also offers guided yoga on the terrace or forest meditation under pine and olive trees. “The island’s gentle landscape is perfect for a leisurely exploration and sensory experience” – Hotel Korinjak A sustainable, active vacation by the water offers a selection of sustainable hotels with direct access to natural bodies of water. In Germany, for instance, you’ll find the luxurious Hotel Der Birkenhof * Spa & Genussresort atop a hill in the heart of the Upper Palatinate Lake District. The region has over 800 hectares of water and is the most water-rich area in eastern Bavaria. Enjoy activities such as boating, wakeboarding, water skiing, sailing, rowing, and swimming — no hiking boots required! The same is true of Lake Constance, the second largest Alpine lake in Europe spanning over 500 square kilometers. On its German shore, you’ll find the Naturresort Gerbehof , surrounded by apple trees and pastures. If hiking, swimming, or boating aren’t your thing, the Nature SPA and its garden area are ideal places to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Wild river rafting If you would prefer to have your own vacation home, we recommend the Summit Lodges Pfunds. These two Tyrolean log cabins have their own fireplace, sauna, and sleeping accommodations for up to six people. The region’s natural beauty and diverse landscapes make it a perfect destination for hiking enthusiasts, but even those less interested in hiking will find activities to enjoy: “You can go rafting and canyoning in Pfunds. The company is located directly in the village, and the starting point is nearby, depending on the route.” – Summit Lodges Pfunds Take a vacation at a lake in northern italy At the South Tyrolean Hotel Weihrerhof, you will find yourself in an idyllic setting, situated on the shore of Lake Wolfsgruben. At an elevation of over 1,200 meters, the lake is one of the cleanest swimming lakes in Italy and offers many activities, including swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, and rowing. You can even enjoy breakfast on the natural “breakfast island” in the middle of the lake. Your children can experience nature here while you relax with a good book on the lawn. Sports on the Baltic Sea The Lifestylehotel SAND in Timmendorfer Strand, located on the Baltic Sea, offers more than just a beach vacation. It also supports a wide range of sports on site. Every year, the “Triathlon Heroines” come to the hotel to train for their triathlons with running, swimming, and cycling. Furthermore there ist the German Beach Volleyball Championship and Beach Hockey, as well as the annual Baltic Sea Run, where the winners of the women’s and men’s races receive an overnight stay at the hotel. A vegan active vacation in South Tyrol “Our hotel is located in the Vinschgau region of South Tyrol. In addition to hiking trails, the surrounding area offers excellent opportunities for running, cycling, climbing, and Nordic walking.” – LA VIMEA Vegan Hotel By the way, LA VIMEA is not only vegan but also exclusively for adults. For active vacationers, there is a three-day package called the “Active Vegan Getaway,” which includes e-bikes. The famous Seiser Alm is home to yet another entirely vegan hotel. The Paradiso Pure.Living Vegan Hotel reports the following: “Our home is the Seiser Alm, Europe’s largest high alpine pasture located over 2,000 meters above sea level in a UNESCO-protected area. The Schlern-Rosengarten Nature Park offers great opportunities for summer and winter sports: skiing and snowboarding in the winter and cycling, mountain biking, e-biking, running, climbing, Nordic walking, golfing, paragliding, and horseback riding in the summer. You can also spend quality time with your children at the barefoot park or meditate in front of picturesque panoramic landscapes. The unique charm and beauty of the Dolomites allow you to enjoy extraordinary energy no matter what you do.” – Paradiso Pure.Living Vegan Hotel Enjoy forest bathing and tranquility at My Arbor Of course, there are quieter ways to enjoy the outdoors. The Hotel My Arbor, located near Brixen in South Tyrol, recommends that those who are not very keen on hiking simply take the gondola up to the Plose. “Once you reach the top, you can enjoy the fantastic view from the mountain station, grab a bite to eat, and sample some local dishes.” Incidentally, “My Arbor” means “my tree,” and the entire hotel is built among the treetops, fostering a special relationship with the forest. You can experience this during guided forest bathing, forest yoga, or outdoor meditation sessions. Chillin’ in nature At the Aparthotel OLM Nature Escape in Sand in Taufers, South Tyrol, you can live life at your own pace and enjoy nature, perhaps by sitting on a bench by the Ahr River with a good book. Or, you can visit the horses and cows in the green valley and say hello to the fish in the Thara fishing pond. The STURM hotel in the Rhön Biosphere Reserve in Germany features a natural swimming pond and a large garden with snacks. Ideal for yoga sessions. Hotel Das Rübezahl, located in the Allgäu region, has built a yoga platform at its Rohrkopfhütte hut specifically for outdoor yoga. If the climb up there (about an hour) is too strenuous for you (it is more like a hike. . .), the wellness garden with views of the mountains and Neuschwanstein Castle is also a great option. Scavenger hunts, escape games, and city tours All you need for an outdoor escape game is a smartphone. If you’re interested in exploring the area in a fun way and learning more, you can book a city tour during your vacation. In Freiburg, the “Green City Tour” in the Vauban district will show you what ecologically progressive urban development looks like and demonstrate how nature and the big city can coexist. The Green City Hotel Vauban has been a showcase project for green urban development since its inception, so you can experience this concept firsthand during your stay. The Hotel Luise in Erlangen offers recommendations for special city tours, such as a night watchman tour or a beer and cellar tour. You can also play the Outdoor Escape Game Erlangen, where you solve a “criminal case” in the city center and discover a treasure. In Bad Herrenalb in the Black Forest, you can also sign up for an outdoor escape game and start your journey to find a monastery’s hidden secret. During the two-hour tour, you will discover and experience various sights in this historic spa town. Then, you can enjoy a slice of cake from the organic kitchen at the Schwarzwald Panorama or relax in the hotel’s thermal baths and sauna. Discover Peru’s plantations Rainforest adventure Vacations often offer a wonderful opportunity to learn about local plants and products. At Inkaterra Reserva Amazónica in Peru, for example, you can visit several rainforest plantations. For instance, you can take a half-day excursion to a cocoa plantation where you can see cocoa plants and follow the entire process of producing chocolate, from roasting and grinding the cocoa beans to tasting the final product. You can also go with a guide to the Brazil nut trees on the hotel grounds. Here, you can learn more about the nuts and try different traditional methods of cracking their hard shells. Both excursions are also suitable for children. Bees and api wellness in South Tyrol If you’re interested in bee colonies and honey, no one in our network can give you a better introduction than Paul Rinner from the APIPURA hotel rinner. Paul is a passionate migratory beekeeper who gives lectures, produces organic honey, and has set up a bee trail on the hotel grounds. He also offers his guests the unique Api Wellness experience, where they can breathe in the air of the beehive. The Api Wellness experience takes place in a cozy wooden hut with a view of nature. The boundary between inside and outside is blurred by natural materials, the buzzing of bees, and a large panoramic window. Suspension bridge and lunch in East Tyrol You can savor a meal at a mountain hut without embarking on a lengthy hike. Even at the Naturhotel Outside, a designated hiking hotel in East Tyrol, hiking is by no means a must! If you’re looking for a little adventure, you can cross the suspension bridge over the Isel Gorge, or simply stop for a leisurely lunch at the Kräuterhexenkuchl Strumehof. Barefoot trail at the Adler Lodge Ritten How about going barefoot instead of wearing hiking boots? The ADLER Lodge RITTEN just built a barefoot trail in the forest this year. It fits perfectly with the resort’s mindful lifestyle, which includes a natural swimming pond, a farm-to-table concept, and sustainable wooden lodges with fireplaces. Cycling Otherwise, exploring the vacation area by bike is always a great option. At the Klosterhof — Alpine Hideaway & Spa in Bayerisch Gmain, you can rent an e-bike right from the hotel and comfortably explore the Berchtesgadener Land with a little extra help. The same is true at the Relais del Maro in Liguria. The Albergo Diffuso is located in the picturesque village of Borgomaro, nestled in the mountains behind the coastal town of Imperia. E-bikes are an ideal, environmentally friendly means of transportation there. At the Eco-Hotel Okelmann’s in Warpe, Lower Saxony, you can explore the rather flat area on classic bicycles. The Okelmann family’s head is a passionate cyclist himself and is happy to recommend the best cycling routes to his guests — which you can save directly to your phone. Horseback riding Recently, the ADLER Spa Resort SICILIA promoted horseback riding as an eco-friendly outdoor activity. Read more about horseback riding in the Valley of the Temples. (Our colleague Mara, an avid horse rider, wrote this lovely article about sustainable horseback riding vacations.) The ABCs of sustainable outdoor activities In the end, we compiled a list in alphabetical order of all the suggestions and ideas from our network. Even the ideas that didn’t make it into the article are included here. Now, you can find inspiration no matter where you are. Barefoot trails Sightseeing Bird watching Archery Bouldering Camping Dolphin watching E-bike tours Escape games (outdoor) Golf Gondola ride to a viewing platform Suspension bridge Outdoor journaling Kayaking Canoeing Climbing Knipping Herbal workshops Reading Meditation Mini golf Visiting plantations Cycling or MTB Rafting Horseback riding Rowing Scavenger hunt Swimming Sailing City tours SUP Forest bathing Forest meditation Whitewater rafting Outdoor yoga Did we forget something? Most likely! So, help us make the list even longer by adding your ideas in the comments! Lifestyle Travel