Huntington Beach State Park

Distance: 3 miles (6 miles round-trip)
Difficulty: Easy
Address & Parking: Huntington Beach State Park is located at: 16148 Ocean Hwy, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576. Parking is $8 per adult.

Beautiful wooded trail in South Carolina's Huntington Beach State Park

Just a short drive from the crowds of Myrtle Beach lies Huntington Beach State Park, a beautiful oasis featuring 3 miles of beachfront, several miles of hiking and biking trails, and over 100 beautiful camping sites. Fortunately, it is close enough to Myrtle Beach that it can easily be incorporated into any vacation.

The Waccamaw Neck Bikeway crosses through Huntington Beach State Park and provides 3 miles of beautiful paved path, which is perfect for jogging or biking due to the flat, maintained surface. Huntington Beach is an ideal place to jog, the perfect spot for a weekend morning workout. The peaceful, scenic surroundings make the 3 mile journey seem like a breeze.

The wooded trail provides a much needed escape from the hot, sunny skies of South Carolina. Take a break from the beach and enjoy a healthy workout surrounded by natural beauty. After your run, treat yourself to a little R&R at a beautiful Grand Strand beach.

Take the opportunity to leave the beach behind and enter this beautiful maritime forest. The views of the marshes and pine and oak trees along the way are just what you need for a picture-perfect run.

Tip: Visit in the summer mornings before the temps become intolerable. Or better yet, plan your visit for the much more comfortable fall and winter months.

Flatwoods Park

Distance: 7 miles (an additional 1-2 miles to get to the loop)
Difficulty: Easy
Address & Parking: There are 2 parking points to access the park. One is located at: 18205 Bruce B Downs Blvd Tampa, FL 33647 (from this point your will have an 11 mile total loop). Alternatively, you can park at: 14302 Morris Bridge Rd, Temple Terrace, FL 33592 for a slightly shorter route. Parking is $2 per car.

Views along the Flatwoods Loop in Tampa's Flatwoods Wilderness Park

The 7 mile Flatwoods Loop at Flatwoods Regional Wilderness Park is the perfect place to take a relaxing jog. If you park on Bruce Downs Blvd., you will have a nice 11 mile total loop, the perfect half marathon training distance.

The views of the pine forests and swamps provide a nice, natural running setting. Flatwoods Park is a nice change of pace from the heavily congested Tampa metro area. Escape the insane beach crowds and enjoy a leisurely jog away from everything at Flatwoods.

You will almost forget you are in the densely populated Tampa metro area as soon as you enter this park. The vibe is so peaceful and natural, a drastic change from surrounding suburbia. Flatwoods is easily one of the best places for long distance running in the Tampa area. With ample shade coverage, beautiful views, and very sparse traffic, it’s a perfect running destination.

The towering pines, ample wildlife viewing opportunities, and lack of traffic noise provide a wonderful wilderness running setting, and more importantly, an escape from the hustle and bustle of the suburbs.

Tip: Another great park to visit in the same area is Lettuce Lake Park, just a 10 minute drive away. This gorgeous park features incredible swamp and river views and ample gator sightings.

More info on the Flatwoods Park Loop

Myles Standish State Forest

Distance: 13 miles of hiking trails & 15 miles of biking trails are available for runners.
Difficulty: Hard
Address & Parking: Myles Standish is located at: 194 Cranberry Rd, Carver, MA 02366. Parking is free.

Fall at Myles Standish State Forest - Massachusetts

Southeast Massachusetts’ massive state park offers the perfect running conditions: beautiful wooded views, peace and quiet, and a variety of terrain.

Whether you choose to run on the paved bike path or along the hiking trails, you are bound to enjoy a wonderful, invigorating run. The 15 miles of biking trails are very hilly, and thus, perfect for anyone training for a hilly course. Despite the challenging route, you can go on for hours and never tire of the gorgeous woods, streams, and ponds. The biking path is an even better place to run than the hiking trails as the path is wider, smoother, and even more scenic.

At Myles Standish, you have 3 seasons of great running conditions. Summer offers a nice shady escape from the city crowds. Spring features beautiful moderate, often rainy days. Fall offers the chance to take in the amazing colors of the season, beautifully reflected on the ponds.

If you ever find yourself in beautiful Southeast Massachusetts, you must carve out some time to enjoy a run in this peaceful state forest.

Tip: Check out the Myles Standish Trail Map before your visit so you can plan your route.

More info on Myles Standish State Forest

Long Beach Shoreline Pedestrian Path

Distance: 3 miles (6 miles round-trip)
Difficulty: Easy
Address & Parking: You can find side street parking around: Alamitos Ave and Ocean Blvd Long Beach, CA 90802. There is also a large public lot available near Alamitos Beach.

A scenic portion of the Long Beach Shoreline Pedestrian Path

Long Beach, California, located just a short drive from Los Angeles, is home to numerous great attractions including a picturesque 3 mile oceanfront pedestrian path.

This paved path is flat and fast, making it ideal for runners. There is a separate pedestrian and cycling section which makes the path even more desirable. During the morning hours, the traffic is so low that you can easily enjoy the entire beach view for yourself! A portion of the Long Beach Half Marathon travels along this gorgeous path.

Not only is the path well-maintained, it’s absolutely gorgeous with unending views of the Pacific Ocean. On any given day, you will see other athletes out enjoying the year-round beautiful mild weather of Southern California.

If you prefer to save your joints some stress, go down near the beach and run directly on the sand! Nothing beats listening to the waves while taking in the gorgeous views! The sand here is smooth, non-sloping and very easy to run on. During the morning hours no one is around, so you can fully take in the secluded water views. Jog up to the lighthouse for a fantastic overview of the city.

Tip: If you want to increase your mileage even further, you have the opportunity of continuing on until you reach Shoreline Village, a beautiful section of Long Beach, home to the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary, and various cruises.