There’s some excellent waterfront running in Natal, centered on the city’s popular beach and dune areas. It’s a mix of dedicated waterfront promenades and decent sidewalks alongside the road. There are also some runnable beaches. There are four distinct sections, described below.
Ponta Negra Beach Promenade & Beach
The waterfront run along Ponta Negra Beach is a favorite among runners in Natal. A dedicated waterfront path, the Calçadão de Ponta Negra, runs alongside the beach for 2.3 km. This is the most bucolic, as there’s no road alongside. It’s a festive scene, with lots of folks walking & running, and great views of the beach & sea, with the dunes in the distace. The beach is also runnable, with fairly firm sand, tide-dependent.
Waterfront Run Along Parque das Dunas
Section Along Parque Das Dunes. Google Street View
Just north of Ponta Negra Beach is Parque das Dunas, a park famous for its towering dunes. There’s a fairly wide path/sidewalk alongside the Via Costeira road, featuring wonderful views of the water on one side and the dunes on the other (author note: it’s a pity they built this road separating the beach & dunes). Note that this is a busy road, two lanes in each direction. It’s ~4 km from the Natal Convention Center north to near the end of the Parque at Costeira Palace Beach Resort.
NOTES: Can combine with Ponta Negra path, 0.75 km to the south. Can also attempt one of the dune trails, most notably the Trilha do Vale, accessed from near the Costeira Palace Beach Resort.
Petrópolis Area
Just north of the Parque das Dunas, there’s some nice waterfront running in Petrópolis. The best section is the 3.2 km from Praia de Maiame headed north, to just north of the Estátua de Iemanjá. There’s a wide sidewalk/waterfront path, and lovely views. There’s also a dedicated cycle path in parts, which you can run on. This road is alongside several beaches, which are also runnable. NOTE: Work ongoing to extend the promenade north to Praia do Forte
At the northern end of the peninsula in Santos Reis, there’s some decent running on the Praia do Forte (beach), and on some of the roads and paths around the historic Fortaleza dos Reis Magos. A highlight is the 0.5 km Av. Dr Zenilton Elias da Silva Douétts, which has beautiful views of the bay and Pte. Newton Navarro (bridge). Can also run across the bridge!
Praia de Redinha Area
In the Redinha area, there’s a short, but spectacular, pier called the Barra do Rio Potengi, which juts out for 0.7 km. There are great water views. At the end is the Quebra-Mar maritime museum. It’s 1.5 km out & back, and then you can add on the 6+km runnable beach.
There’s some excellent waterfront running in Natal, centered on the city’s popular beach and dune areas. It’s a mix of dedicated waterfront promenades and decent sidewalks alongside the road. There are also some runnable beaches. There are four distinct sections, described below.
Ponta Negra Beach Promenade & Beach
The waterfront run along Ponta Negra Beach is a favorite among runners in Natal. A dedicated waterfront path, the Calçadão de Ponta Negra, runs alongside the beach for 2.3 km. This is the most bucolic, as there’s no road alongside. It’s a festive scene, with lots of folks walking & running, and great views of the beach & sea, with the dunes in the distace. The beach is also runnable, with fairly firm sand, tide-dependent.
Waterfront Run Along Parque das Dunas
Section Along Parque Das Dunes. Google Street View
Just north of Ponta Negra Beach is Parque das Dunas, a park famous for its towering dunes. There’s a fairly wide path/sidewalk alongside the Via Costeira road, featuring wonderful views of the water on one side and the dunes on the other (author note: it’s a pity they built this road separating the beach & dunes). Note that this is a busy road, two lanes in each direction. It’s ~4 km from the Natal Convention Center north to near the end of the Parque at Costeira Palace Beach Resort.
NOTES: Can combine with Ponta Negra path, 0.75 km to the south. Can also attempt one of the dune trails, most notably the Trilha do Vale, accessed from near the Costeira Palace Beach Resort.
Petrópolis Area
Just north of the Parque das Dunas, there’s some nice waterfront running in Petrópolis. The best section is the 3.2 km from Praia de Maiame headed north, to just north of the Estátua de Iemanjá. There’s a wide sidewalk/waterfront path, and lovely views. There’s also a dedicated cycle path in parts, which you can run on. This road is alongside several beaches, which are also runnable. NOTE: Work ongoing to extend the promenade north to Praia do Forte
At the northern end of the peninsula in Santos Reis, there’s some decent running on the Praia do Forte (beach), and on some of the roads and paths around the historic Fortaleza dos Reis Magos. A highlight is the 0.5 km Av. Dr Zenilton Elias da Silva Douétts, which has beautiful views of the bay and Pte. Newton Navarro (bridge). Can also run across the bridge!
Praia de Redinha Area
In the Redinha area, there’s a short, but spectacular, pier called the Barra do Rio Potengi, which juts out for 0.7 km. There are great water views. At the end is the Quebra-Mar maritime museum. It’s 1.5 km out & back, and then you can add on the 6+km runnable beach.
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Essentials
Ponta Negra: 2.3 km; Parque das Dunas section: 4 km (can combine with Ponta Negra); Petrópolis: 3.2 km. All one-way
This iconic bridge above the Potengi River, completed in 2007, is both a scenic and running highlight in Natal. There are pedestrian paths on both sides of this 1.8 km bridge. Great views! Good options to extend the run on the north & south sides.
The best option for running in Natal outside the waterfront paths. Lovely, lush city park with a 2.5 km stone-surfaced trail running through it. Mainly forested, with some section alongside dunes, with nice views. Good shade option!
A unique experience is to try your hand running on Natal's famous dunes. It might only last 15 minutes but you'll remember it! A guide is required at Parque Das Dunes. Freer roaming is permitted at Dunas de Genipabu, in Extremoz. A challenge...
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Essentials
Ponta Negra: 2.3 km; Parque das Dunas section: 4 km (can combine with Ponta Negra); Petrópolis: 3.2 km. All one-way
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