How far will you walk?
Jan 13, 2014 | 11:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Moderator: Manufactured Spending
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,710
How far will you walk?
I was staying at a hotel with a colleague last week and the front desk recommended a restaurant for dinner. Per Yahoo Maps, it was 0.43 miles away.
I grabbed my wallet and started to head out on foot, but my colleague reached for his car keys. I told him it we might as well walk because it would be only 10 minutes, and he looked at me like I was crazy.
So this got me thinking, what is your threshold for walk vs. drive? Mine is around 3/4 of a mile. Maybe 1 mile if I'm in a pedestrian-friendly downtown area, or if I'm feeling in the mood for some exercise. If I don't have a car and I'm relying on transit, then perhaps a bit more.
I grabbed my wallet and started to head out on foot, but my colleague reached for his car keys. I told him it we might as well walk because it would be only 10 minutes, and he looked at me like I was crazy.
So this got me thinking, what is your threshold for walk vs. drive? Mine is around 3/4 of a mile. Maybe 1 mile if I'm in a pedestrian-friendly downtown area, or if I'm feeling in the mood for some exercise. If I don't have a car and I'm relying on transit, then perhaps a bit more.
Jan 13, 2014 | 11:55 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Toronto, ON, CANADA
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Bonvoy LTE
Posts: 1,940
Ir really depends on where I am. If I'm in the middle of NJ, where i usually find myself along US 1, then I wouldn't walk even if the restaurant was just across the street, as there is no safe way to cross US 1.
However, if I'm in a city with a more pedestrian friendly atmosphere, I'd be willing to walk up to 25 mins, weather depending.
Where I'm currently travelling to for work, anything within a 15min walk is acceptable to me. Outside of a 15min walk, I'd take a cab as it gets pretty far from downtown, relatively speaking.
However, if I'm in a city with a more pedestrian friendly atmosphere, I'd be willing to walk up to 25 mins, weather depending.
Where I'm currently travelling to for work, anything within a 15min walk is acceptable to me. Outside of a 15min walk, I'd take a cab as it gets pretty far from downtown, relatively speaking.
Jan 13, 2014 | 11:59 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Cypress Hills Research Center
Posts: 5,295
If just going out for a meal is the intent, then maybe a mile or so depending on factors like: pleasantness of the walk, the weather, companionship, convenience of parking at destination, etc. Time wise, maybe 20 minutes - if I'm not in heels. 
Also have to think about the prospects of the walk back.
Also have to think about the prospects of the walk back.
Jan 14, 2014 | 12:46 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,174
How far will you walk?
I agree with the OP's time frames, although if I'm starving then I likely would take a cab. Also as another poster said, the walk there is easy... sometimes its the walk home that gets ya. But likely 1km for food each way.
Jan 14, 2014 | 2:07 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 7,190
Some of us live in places where normal people can't afford to have a car (read - Singapore). But I live 6 bus stops away from my office and unless I am running late, I try to walk from home to office and back. Everyone in office considers this to be crazy.
Jan 14, 2014 | 2:34 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 627
I definitely have a higher tolerance for walking distance than most people. Especially if I know parking is going to be an issue, I prefer to walk every time. I might walk up to a mile. But I'll always defer to the others with me.
Most recent example... I walked from LAS to the strip because it was a nice night and to save money. It's a couple mile walk but easy when it's night and the sun isn't out.
Most recent example... I walked from LAS to the strip because it was a nice night and to save money. It's a couple mile walk but easy when it's night and the sun isn't out.
Jan 14, 2014 | 2:56 am
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: 10 months VLC, 2 months everywhere else
Programs: *A
Posts: 3,770
We live in Valencia, so we walk everywhere. My daily commute is 40 minutes each way on foot, about 7 km total. When traveling, I can clock around 10 km a day before tiring out.
Jan 14, 2014 | 3:33 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: All around the world
Programs: Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 614
In a polluted, unsafe city? To the taxi stand.
In a very nice place? No limit.
I've once walked from Amsterdam to Breda because I wanted to experience the Dutch countryside. I've also walked the West Highland Way in Scotland, one of my favourite place in the world. I walked from British Columbia to Oliver in Washington state once because I wanted to try a restaurant there. The CBP agent I talked to at the border couldn't believe I was walking there, he even offered me to wait for the end of his shift so that he could give me a ride.
In a very nice place? No limit.
I've once walked from Amsterdam to Breda because I wanted to experience the Dutch countryside. I've also walked the West Highland Way in Scotland, one of my favourite place in the world. I walked from British Columbia to Oliver in Washington state once because I wanted to try a restaurant there. The CBP agent I talked to at the border couldn't believe I was walking there, he even offered me to wait for the end of his shift so that he could give me a ride.
Jan 14, 2014 | 3:34 am
#11
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,651
Depends on a lot factors: distance, terrain (uphill vs. downhill vs. flat), weather, my physical condition, cost and convenience of public transportation (since I don't own a car). Generally, up to about a mile and a half each way assuming flat terrain and good weather.
I did walk from the Apple Store on 59th and 5th, through Times Square down broadway to Union Square at night in NYC in the dead of winter once. That was a ~45 minute walk in NYC sludge.
If I'm starving or extremely tired, off to Seamlessweb I go.
I did walk from the Apple Store on 59th and 5th, through Times Square down broadway to Union Square at night in NYC in the dead of winter once. That was a ~45 minute walk in NYC sludge.
If I'm starving or extremely tired, off to Seamlessweb I go.
Jan 14, 2014 | 4:12 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Singapore
Programs: SPG LTP, HH D
Posts: 733
OTOH, I could walk 15-20mins in a suit in Paris. Not too long ago, I walked a roundtrip of 50mins daily from lodging to school, including a handful of mornings in fairly heavy snowing conditions (Western European not North American standards)
Jan 14, 2014 | 4:16 am
#13
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,446
walking to SFO from my hotel recently, I lost count of the number of times I had to cross a 6-10 lane road just because the sidewalk switched sides
Jan 14, 2014 | 6:20 am
#14
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Virginia City Highlands
Programs: Nothing anymore after 20 years
Posts: 7,190
Plus if I would not walking, I would miss plenty of interesting sights nearby.
Like this, 100m from our office.
Jan 14, 2014 | 6:30 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: Enough
Posts: 961
I walk *everywhere.* If the walk is over 1H and the weather is meh, I might take public transit. I even walk in suburban US cities with no sidewalk!
A couple months ago I felt like I didn't see enough of "real" Sydney, so I walked from the harbour to the airport with my rollaboard. That was fun, rewarding, and interesting.
A couple months ago I felt like I didn't see enough of "real" Sydney, so I walked from the harbour to the airport with my rollaboard. That was fun, rewarding, and interesting.