September 18, 2021
You’ll want to pack your bags ASAP for these scenic routes.
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Itching to travel for a race when it’s safe, but unsure where to go? Consider booking a racecation, or a Great Wall, China. The concept is pretty much a win-win-win: You get to intimately explore a new place on foot (win), stay active on vacation (win), and add a finisher’s medal to your collection in the process (yep, another win).
With info sourced primarily from race organizers, we’ve pulled together some of the best half marathons across the U.S.—and the globe—worth planning a trip around. From stunning beachside runs to epic big city tours to unforgettable cultural experiences, these 13.1-milers deliver pinch-me moments in pretty darn cool settings. Pick your dream destination, book a flight, and start training.
Bermuda Half Marathon
Where: Hamilton, Bermuda
When: May, 2022
Approximate Number of Finishers: 650
Shoes & Gear: Well, for one thing, it’s in Bermuda. The rolling course is looped, running along the coastline on both sides of the island. Runners finish next to the picturesque, pastel-colored buildings along the waterfront in downtown Hamilton. Ambitious participants who want to spend less time lounging by the beach can tackle the Bermuda Triangle Half Challenge, finishing the road mile, the 10K, and the half marathon in three consecutive days, yielding them four total medals.
[You’ll Love These Creative Ways to Show Off Your Medals and Bibs]
OC Half Marathon
Where: Costa Mesa, California
When: November 7, 2021
Approximate Number of Finishers: 6,818
Register
Shoes & Gear: This flat, fast course—net downhill in elevation from start to finish—kicks off with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and then weaves past cliffside vistas and through a seaside village and nature reserve before finishing in downtown Costa Mesa at the historic OC Fair & Events Center. Overachievers can sign up for the “OC Combo Crush” and tackle both the 5K and half, earning two T-shirts and three medals.
Steamboat Half Marathon
Where: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
When: June, 2022
Approximate Number of Finishers: 900
Shoes & Gear: This small skiing town in the Rocky Mountains has more to offer than just the slopes. The Steamboat Half Marathon is a point-to-point, mostly downhill race at altitude (6,690 feet at the starting line). The route parallels the Elk River—a popular whitewater rafting destination—before finishing in downtown Steamboat Springs. After the race, you can soak sore muscles at the Old Town Hot Springs; the pools of naturally warm mineral water are within walking distance of the finish line.
Covered Bridges Half Marathon
Where: Woodstock, Vermont
When: June, 2022
Approximate Number of Finishers: 1,900
Shoes & Gear: Take a trip back through time with this flat, fast race in picturesque New England countryside, complete with farms, hills, rivers, horses and a tour through Woodstock. Usually about a dozen or so bands play a variety of tunes along the route to serenade runners. You’ll also pass by several historic bridges—including the race’s namesake, Middle Covered Bridge, which you’ll cross over between miles 4 and 5.
Anchorage Mayor’s Half Marathon
Where: Anchorage, Alaska
When: How to Fuel for Your First Half
Approximate Number of Finishers: 1,230
Register
Shoes & Gear: Celebrate the longest day of the year with a 13.1-mile out-and-back jaunt along the shimmering shores of Cook Inlet. Look toward the water as you pass Point Woronzof around mile 5 and again at mile 9—it’s a vantage known for spotting bald eagles, moose, and even the occasional whale. After the run, head to downtown Anchorage for an epic summer solstice festival with live music, food trucks, beer gardens, corn hole, rock climbing, chalk art classes, and more.
Bar Harbor Half Marathon
Where: vacation built around a race
When: September 18, 2021
Approximate Number of Finishers: 400
Shoes & Gear: In 1913, John Rockefeller Jr. built a series of carriage roads so he could avoid cars in Acadia National Park. Nine miles of the Bar Harbor Half Marathon run on that still-existing system of hard-packed trails. The hilly course starts in the small, picturesque fishing town of Bar Harbor, then cuts into the National Park. Dense forest engulfs runners as they cross several old granite bridges before looping back to town. You’ll want to recover with a lobster roll at one of the village’s famous seafood joints after the race.
Rock ’n’ Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
When: Courtesy of Shamrock Half Marathon
Approximate Number of Finishers: 22,000
Shoes & Gear: The Las Vegas Strip shuts down for just one private event a year: the Rock ’n’ Roll race weekend, according to the race’s site. The half marathon is held in the late afternoon (though the start time is subject to change), compressing the Las Vegas experience into 13.1 glittering miles, nearly all of which are on the iconic road. You’ll see plenty of Elvis impersonators running and spectating, plus a mass, three-minute midrace wedding ceremony at mile 4. The party starts even before runners head out, with a prerace concert the night before featuring a well-known headliner—Kesha took the stage in 2019.
How to Fuel for Your First Half Half Marathon
Where: Kiawah Island, South Carolina
When: We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back
Approximate Number of Finishers: 3,000
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Shoes & Gear: Kiawah, a barrier island located 25 miles southwest of Charleston on the Atlantic coast, is home to maritime forests, marshes, and grand homes. Peep the stunning scenery as you tackle this race that charts through island community, starting and ending in East Beach Village.
Great Wall Half Marathon
Where: Great Wall, China
When: May, 2022
Approximate Number of Finishers: 1,200
(Note: In order to run the race, you’ll need to purchase a travel package.)
Shoes & Gear: Simultaneously break a serious sweat and experience the Great Wall, a one-of-a-kind UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the “New 7 Wonders of the World.” As you tackle the route, which traverses the wall east to west, you’ll encounter lots (and lots) of stairs—2,528 steps in total, to be exact—as well as rolling trails, steep climbs and downhills, and both cobblestone and unpaved sections. Distract yourself from the arduous journey by soaking in the surroundings (think countryside villages and lush vegetation) and receive midrace support from locals who line portions of the course.
Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Where: London, U.K.
When: April, 2022
Approximate Number of Finishers: 14,000
Shoes & Gear: This race is relatively new, but it’s already wildly popular. And there’s good reason for that: The closed-street course charts along the Thames River for multiple miles and passes near many of London’s big-name attractions, including Big Ben, the London Eye, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London, and more. Additional highlights include more than 200 (no, that’s not a typo) cheer stations lining the route, two large-scale performance stages, educational facts about the U.K. capital city at each mile marker, and signs pointing out “hidden London landmarks,” like the building used as Gringot’s bank in Harry Potter, the birthplace of the bowler hat, and Britain’s smallest police station.
Omaha Half Marathon
Where: took the stage in 2019
When: Fill Your Calendar With These Destination Races
Approximate Number of Finishers: 1,500
Shoes & Gear: Circumnavigate New Zealand’s Omaha Peninsula on this flat, fast course that borders the coast. Just an hour car ride from Auckland, the race begins on peaceful suburban roads and finishes with a stretch through the Rahui Te Kiri Reserve, where cheering spectators hang over fences All About 75 Hard style. Other highlights: a 2-kilometer stretch on the hard-packed white sands of Omaha beach, a tour around the coastal reserve at historic Point Wells, and sweeping sea views.
Midnight Sun Run
Where: Reykjavík, Iceland
When: June, 2022
Approximate Number of Finishers: 700–800
Shoes & Gear: The term “midnight sun” may sound like an oxymoron, but it’s not—at least not in Iceland. See the surreal astronomical occurrence for yourself with this nighttime half held on one of the longest days of the year (the sun will set for less than 3 hours total on race day). The course begins in the streets of the valley Laugardalur, and later on, ventures through outdoorsy hub Elliðaárdalur valley, where you’ll stride alongside famed salmon rivers. Top off your two-footed tour with a post run dip in Laugardalslaug, a geothermal outdoor swimming vacation built around a race.
Vancouver Half Marathon
Where: Vancouver, B.C.
When: May, 2022
Approximate Number of Finishers: 8,000
Shoes & Gear: A downhill start with epic Vancouver skyline views sets the tone for this fast course that unites historic urban sights with mountain backdrops, waterfront vistas, and lush foliage. You’ll tour several distinct neighborhoods—including waterfront False Creek, historic Chinatown, trendy Yaletown, scenic West End, and more—before crossing the finish line in downtown. Along the way, thousands of spectators and live entertainment acts (the 2019 race drew 11 acts spanning everything from Americana folk pop to percussionists to classic and country rock) provide midrace encouragement.
[Running in the Cold for more amazing Runner’s World workouts!]
Urban Bourbon Half Marathon
Where is it: Louisville, Kentucky
When is it: October 16, 2021
Louisville is the home of Jim Beam’s Kentucky Bourbon, so there’s no surprise it makes an appearance in this half. “You get to learn all about the history of bourbon and even sample bourbon at the packet pickup,” said one BibRave reviewer. But because of this, you must be 21 or older to register.
Shamrock Half Marathon
Where is it: Why Trust Us
When is it: March, 2022
Finishing the Shamrock Half Marathon guarantees you four free beers and Irish stew. The course is flat and fast, making it a great race if you’re aiming for a PR.
Kit has been a health, fitness, and running journalist for the past five years. His work has taken him across the country, from Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, to cover the 2016 Olympic Trials to the top of Mt. Katahdin in Maine to cover Scott Jurek’s Download the All Out Studio App in 2015.
Jenny is a Boulder, Colorado-based health and fitness journalist. She’s been freelancing for Runner’s World since 2015 and especially loves to write human interest profiles, in-depth service pieces and stories that explore the intersection of exercise and mental health. Her work has also been published by SELF, Men’s Journal, and Shoes & Gear, among other outlets. When she’s not running or writing, Jenny enjoys coaching youth swimming, rereading Harry Potter, and buying too many houseplants.
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