EARNED RUNS 2018 VACATION SATURDAY

Smithsonian Natural History Museum Washington DC Taken by PKSenagore October 18, 2016. All rights reserved

TODAY IS THE OFFICIAL START OF EARNED RUNS 2018 VACATION WEEK. The blog is taking a break from fitness-related topics.  We're not going to be worried about meeting challenges or staying on schedule. The point is to NOT have a routine, but to enjoy activities that we ordinarily don't make a priority, but that help us relax and appreciate life.

Of course not everyone has vacation this very week. But these posts can be a source of vacation week activity ideas if your's is still to come.

SCIENCE SATURDAY INSTEAD OF FRIDAY: MUSEUMS, AQUARIUMS, PLANETARIUMS. This post was written last year for Friday.  But, looking back, Saturday seems to be the better day for this activity; it usually marks either the beginning or the end of a typical vacation period.   

For 'stay-cationers' Saturday might kick-off a week in which you remain at home nights but  seek day-time adventures.  If traveling away, check-in time at hotels is usually late in the afternoon; luggage can be checked with the hotel bell service, but the range of potential activities might be restricted until you get settled in a room.  

If at the end of vacation, by Saturday the return home might have already been accomplished to avoid weekend traffic. There’s the need to unpack and recover a bit, as well as prepare for the upcoming non-vacation week. 

Regardless of whether you're home or still away at vacation's end, perhaps the previous days were spent mostly outdoors, and a break from full-on physical activity would be a welcome change.  Yes, Saturday might be busier than weekdays at these institutions, but being surrounded by other happy visitors can add to the excitement and fun of a tour. Strolling through empty halls on less hectic days could be dull and kind of lonely.
 
Let’s start with museums. They’re not only about science. They can be about art, history, and sports too. Have you lived in or near a city with a museum, maybe even a famous museum, but never visited?  Or toured with your elementary or middle-school classmates more than a decade ago?  
 
Aquariums and planetariums fall into the same category of these often-neglected entertainment venues. Yes, entertainment! Today’s institutions are likely to have hands-on exhibits and moving parts that educate and provide a fun experience for adults as well as children. Taking a break or eating on site can also be a treat, as sometimes specialty foods are offered that relate to the institutions theme. 
 
If you've traveled far for vacation, there is sure to be a museum nearby, even if small. Local museums may focus on an important regional industry, like petroleum and oil (Texas), autos (Michigan), flight (Washington), motorcycles (Iowa), iron (Michigan), shipbuilding (Maine, Mississippi, Massachusetts, California), to name a few.  The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is likely the most well known, but there’s one in Baltimore too.
 
Washington DC likely has the greatest concentration of places to visit, especially related to government activities. Nearby Baltimore area has a fantastic National Cryptologic Museum adjacent to the grounds of the National Security Agency headquarters at Fort George G. Meade, one of the most interesting, in my opinion.
 
The end of summer vacation is perfect for slowing down and enjoying what doesn’t make it into hectic everyday schedules. Consider spending a few hours in buildings that are designed to awe and inspire! 

 RUN & MOVE & VACATION HAPPY!

NOTE: Check your step counter. Getting to and from the destination and viewing exhibits will require being on your feet for hours, and represent a walking workout. Tight calves can be stretched on a step (standing on the balls of your feet on the edge of a step,  drop one heel down  and hold for 30 seconds; epeat on the other foot.)
 
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-museums-in-america-ranked-2016-8/#25-diabeacon-1
 
https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Museums-cTop-g191
 
http://petroleummuseum.org/contact/about-the-museum/
 
http://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/about-us/
 
http://www.museumofflight.org
 
http://www.michigan.org/property/michigan-iron-industry-museum
 
http://penobscotmarinemuseum.org/pbho-1/ships-shipbuilding/ships-shipbuilding-introduction
 
http://www.thebmi.org
 
https://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic-heritage/museum/
 
http://www.msichicago.org
​