Running and Boxing in New York City

Calories burned: Up to 2,200 per day

Call to action: Forget taxis and horse-drawn carriages. As anyone who's run the New York City Marathon knows, lacing up the sneaks and hoofing it is the best way to explore the Big Apple. But you don't need a marathon entry, or months of training. Guests of the Upper West Side's Empire Hotel can hook up with City Running Tours for an informative five-mile jog past iconic city sites, such as Central Park's Strawberry Fields, Riverside Park's 79th Street Boat Basin, and the Hayden Planetarium. The tour is free for guests, departs three times a day, and earns you a 10 percent discount at the Empire's spa. To experience the big city in a more hands-on way, check into Midtown's playfully retro Ace Hotel. Its Below the Belt package scores you a two-hour boxing workout at the legendary Kingsway Gym, a boxing-style bathrobe, a can of Red Bull, and a kit of 12 bandages. Alas, no free "punch" at the hotel's Breslin Bar.

The warm-up: The Empire's tours aren't for lollygaggers: Be able to run five miles without stopping, or bring cab fare to get back to the hotel. No boxing experience is needed for the Ace Hotel workout.

When to go: Go for the jogging jaunt in spring, when the weather's mild and the city's parks are in bloom; the boxing package is available through June 2010.

Doubles at the Empire Hotel from $300; Below the Belt package at the Ace Hotel from $489

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