Best Ways to Find a Great Run ‘Near Me’

The keywords ‘running routes near me’ and ‘running trails near me’ are among the most frequent searches employed by runners. This is true whether the search is from a desktop computer, a tablet, or a mobile device. In this article, we will explore why this is such a popular term, and what are some of the best tools and resources for runners looking to find a great place to run near them!

Why is ‘Running Route Near Me’ So Popular?

Runners tend to be creatures of habit. When they’re at home, they tend to run a few of the same routes all the time, with variations mainly having to do with distance desired that day, mood, or weather. Lack of variability is even more pronounced when people run from their office. That escape for a ‘lunchtime run’ tends be one or two of the same routes, because lack of time generally trends toward familiarity.

But situations where runners do a search for ‘running route (or trail) near me’ fall into two categories. If it’s in the general area where they live (i.e. home city), these runners are looking for variability to cure boredom. Or, perhaps it’s a weekend, and they have the time to do a longer run or go somewhere speacial. 

The other situation that comes up is when a runner is traveling, whether it’s for work or leisure. Then, they are in unfamiliar territory, and are looking for a run near where they are staying. Or, perhaps when planning a trip to a new place, they’re doing research to find the best places to run, which might influence where to stay in that destination. This is hundreds of millions of runners who travel several times a year, so it’s no wonder that this is a popular search term.

The other factor here is that when runners are in a new (and unfamiliar) destination, not only are they looking for a running route that is interesting and scenic, they also have safety in mind. They want to make sure that a road is safe for running — for example that it has a sidewalk or a decent shoulder. Also, they are attentive to whether a neighborhood is safe, though that is a somewhat subjective and individual factor. 

Resources for Finding Running Routes

Alright, this is where we are going to do a plug for Great Runs. The whole idea for Great Runs arose from the fact that there are no good resources out there to help runners find good places to run when they’re traveling. Frankly, before Great Runs it was a crapshoot. Maybe the hotel front desk would have a running map, but that wouldn’t necessarily mean that the route is especially interesting or scenic. The route finding tools in apps like Strava and MapMyRun are rudimentary, generally relying on crowd-sourcing. 

Great Runs is the only resource with curated running routes in destinations all over the world. Every route is researched and designed by a team of editors, who use detailed maps and talk to locals — running stores, running clubs, tourism bureaus, expat groups, and so on. Every route map is created from scratch. Great Runs doesn’t aspire to have every possible route in a given destination or area. The orientation is on routes that are interesting, safe, and scenic. Every route has options for various distances, and keywords to describe the route’s features (along the water, park, hilly, etc.). 

There are some other resources out there. Popular fitness apps like Strava and MapMy Run have route discovery features. If you enter an address and desired distance, they will return with options. AllTrails is another resource. This popular app specializes in hiking, but there is some overlap between hiking routes and trail running. Usually these routes are crowd-sourced, with AI now also enhancing some of the capabilities. But even with these sorts of tools, the team at Great Runs believes there is still a strong desire for curation. Think ‘Lonely Planet’ for travelers. 

Other Tips for Finding Routes

In addition to Great Runs and some of the apps out there, there are some other handy tricks that can be used by runners. When looking at a map, especially of a city, look for a river. Often there are running trails along a river. Also look for large parks. Most major cities — especially older ones — have a major body of water and/or a large park near the center, and are generally popular places to run. 

Google Maps or other popular mapping apps can also be useful resources. We recommend clicking on the ‘bike layer’ on Google Maps (where applicable). This will show bike routes. The best ones for running are the dedicated bike routes or multi-use trails, rather than simply green dotted lines along a road. You can also use Maps  to easily determine the distance to, and the best way to get to, the route from where you’re staying (use the ‘walking’ option!). Another tip: in Google Maps, use the ‘Street View’ to make sure the street is safe (i.e. has a sidewalk or wide shoulder). Street View is also helpful in verifying that a road or trail is interesting or scenic. For example, if there’s a road that runs along the water, preview it with Street View to confirm that you can see the water from the road! 

These apps and tools are a great way to find a ‘route near you’ whether in your home city or when traveling. Best of luck and happy running!