Admittedly, the locations aren't as exotic as some of the places Schlosberg has been to, but they're certainly the top business and pleasure spots you're likely to pass through when you travel. She also offers some sage advice for fitting in a workout while you're on the move, and she recommends important websites for travel-weary workout buffs.
NEW YORK CITY
CLUB: The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers
LOCATION: Pier 60, off West Street
WHAT IT OFFERS: Pool, rock climbing wall, indoor track, boxing ring, volleyball pit, group classes, basketball courts, extensive array of weight training and cardio equipment, juice bar, spa.
WHY IT'S A STANDOUT: Just about every physical activity imaginable is offered at this fitness mecca. If the large and comprehensive strength training and cardio areas aren't enough for you, sample one of the more than 100 group classes a week, sprint laps around the indoor track, scramble up the 60-foot rock wall or do laps in the Olympic-sized swimming pool. After your workout, indulge yourself with a pineapple smoothie and an antiaging facial.
THAT LITTLE EXTRA: Still need a fitness fix? Check out any of the adjacent facilities, including a golfing range, ice-skating rink, halfpipe skate park and equestrian center.
PRICING: Guest passes are $50 a day.
CONTACT INFO: (212) 336-6000, .com
CLUB: Plus One Fitness, Soho
LOCATION: 106 Crosby Street at Prince Street
WHAT IT OFFERS: Weight training and cardio areas, physical therapy unit
WHY IT'S A STANDOUT: This tiny gem shines in a city jampacked with fitness options. The talented team of certified personal trainers specializes in everything from weight loss to training for serious competition. In fact, all this ultra-exclusive gym offers is personal training and physical therapy by appointment only. It's an underground fave among celebrities and the high-powered business set.
THAT LITTLE EXTRA: You get your own private bathroom and shower.
PRICING: $88 per session and up.
CONTACT INFO: (212) 334-1116, .com
CHICAGO
CLUB: Lakeshore Athletic Club, Streeterville
LOCATION: 333 East Ontario Street
WHAT IT OFFERS: Spacious cardio and weight training areas including a women's only section, indoor pool, racquetball, indoor tennis, squash courts.
WHY IT'S A STANDOUT: Located just steps off Michigan Avenue, the main shopping drag in Chicago, this newly renovated club offers the most extensive indoor tennis and racquet sports program in the city. Even if you're not a tennis buff, this 66,000-square-foot facility is bound to offer some other workout to pique your interest: Why not try Krav Maga martial arts or scuba diving? There's also a full spa to help you unwind after a workout.
THAT LITTLE EXTRA: Streeterville's two sister locations--Lakeshore Athletic Club Downtown and Illinois Center--though not as new, are also pretty awesome.
PRICING: Guest passes are $15 a day; complimentary day passes for guests of the Holiday Inn in the same building.
CONTACT INFO: 312-944-4546, .com
ATLANTA
CLUB: Concourse Athletic Club
LOCATION: 8 Concourse Parkway
WHAT IT OFFERS: Cardio, strength training, racquetball and squash courts, indoor running track, outdoor clay tennis courts, indoor basketball courts, indoor and outdoor pool, cafe, spa, salon.
WHY IT'S A STANDOUT: You almost won't know what to try first at this outrageously luxurious facility. Do you take a boxing class? Work your core muscles in a one-on-one Pilates session? Pump it up with a personal trainer? Sign up for a free swim stroke analysis? The club offers all that and so much more ... you can't possibly experience it all.
THAT LITTLE EXTRA: Tons of down-home Southern hospitality from the super-friendly staff help this mega club retain a cozy and personal appeal.
PRICING: Guest passes are $16 a day.
CONTACT INFO: 770-698-2000, .com
LOS ANGELES
CLUB: The Sports Club/LA
LOCATION: 1835 Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles
WHAT IT OFFERS: 10,000 square foot weight training gym, cardiovascular machine loft, physical therapy, rock wall, flexibility/balance center, group classes, pool, roof top golf range, squash, paddle tennis, racquetball, volleyball, full court basketball, kids center, sun deck, spa, and various other amenities.
WHY IT'S A STANDOUT: Though the club is more than 100,000 square feet, it's not so big that you won't rub elbows with some of Hollywood's hottest bodies in your yoga class or on the elliptical trainer. Of course, as you would expect from a club of this magnitude, the facilities feature the latest in exercise equipment, cardiovascular classes and weight training, but there's also hair replacement therapy, facials, microdermabrasion, acupuncture, chiropractic treatments and sports massages.
THAT LITTLE EXTRA: You can have your suits cleaned, and a concierge will help you obtain theater tickets or dinner reservations. You may never want to leave.
PRICING: $25 if you're with a member, less if you're a member at one of the other Sports Club/LA locations.
CONTACT INFO: 310-473-1447, .com
DENVER
CLUB: Athletic Club at Denver Place
LOCATION: 1849 Curtis Street
WHAT IT OFFERS: 25-meter pool, basketball court, group classes, indoor cycling studio, volleyball, expansive free weight area and tons of cardio equipment.
WHY IT'S A STANDOUT: This is where Denver's elite work out. Known for its innovative class schedule, which includes the basics like indoor cycling, kickboxing, and Pilates, it also offers some more offbeat fare, like Neuromuscular Integrative Action (NIA), a low-impact aerobic workout that's a blend of tai chi, modern dance and martial arts. The plush locker room facilities are also a draw; they're large and luxurious and stocked with every possible amenity you can think of.
THAT LITTLE EXTRA: A Starbucks on the premises is a nice wake-up call for early morning workouts.
PRICING: Guest passes are $15 day.
CONTACT INFO: 303-294-9494, .com
MIAMI
CLUB: Crunch at South Beach
LOCATION: 1259 Washington Ave.
WHAT IT OFFERS: Spacious cardio and weight training areas, group classes, boxing, sun deck.
WHY IT'S A STANDOUT: The South Beach Crunch is almost as much nightclub as it is health club. High-energy music sets the tone here and this gym attracts more than its share of hard bodies, supermodels and celebs. They come to shape up via the club's wide array of equipment and extreme class schedule. And, of course, they come because this is the place to see and be seen. There's even a boxing ring where you can work out your aggressions.
THAT LITTLE EXTRA: If you're feeling a little unmotivated, a "Whipped" session might be in order. This outrageous class, taught by a leather-clad dominatrix, administers a demanding workout to "submissives" wearing black eye masks. OK, maybe it's not for everyone, but it's nice to know it's there if you need it.
PRICING: Guest passes are $21 a day; complimentary day passes for guests of any number of South Beach hotels.
CONTACT INFO: 305-674-8222, .com
SEATTLE
CLUB: Sound Mind & Body--Fremont Club
LOCATION: 437 N 34th St.
WHAT IT OFFERS: Spacious cardio and weight training areas, basketball, volleyball, group exercise, hot tub, steam, sauna.
WHY IT'S A STANDOUT: It's all about the views here at this cavernous 40,000-square-foot gym that offers something for every exerciser. Enormous windows overlook the Fremont Cut, where you can watch boats drifting by between sets. The exercise equipment is abundant, well-maintained and frequently updated. There's basketball and volleyball and a busy group fitness program. True, the class schedule isn't all that creative, but it's broad in scope and accessible enough for an exerciser of any level to join right in.
THAT LITTLE EXTRA: The wireless TVs offer no overhead sound (thank goodness!), which adds to the gym's laidback attitude.
PRICING: Guest passes are $12 a day.
CONTACT INFO: 206-547-3470, .com
RELATED ARTICLE: ROAD RULES
ACCORDING TO Schlosberg, staying fit on the road requires a little more effort than usual, but it's worth it. Below, her top tips for staying in tip-top shape when traveling.
* Be ready to adapt according to what you have time for and the available facilities. Who knows? Maybe trying something new will force you out of a rut you didn't even know you were in.
* Call ahead to find out if there's a place to work out in or near where you're staying. Ask questions--when the hotel concierge says there's a gym on the premises, she may be referring to a tiny room with a dusty treadmill and a rusty set of dumbbells. If you know that beforehand, you can make alternate plans.
* No gym option at all? Improvise. Turn the hotel staircase into a stair-stepper, the edge of your bed into a dip bench, your bath towel into a yoga mat. To make sure your workout is covered no matter what, pack a pair of walking shoes, a jump rope and a set of exercise bands.
* Be prepared when exercise opportunities present themselves. Carry your workout gear in your briefcase or pack it away in the trunk of your car. You never know when a business meeting will let out early or you'll get some unexpected downtime to squeeze in a workout.
* If even your best efforts to maintain some semblance of a fitness regimen fail, don't beat yourself up. It's unlikely you'll be derailed for more than a few days, and you'll get right back in the swing of things as soon as you return home. Besides, a little rest will probably do you good.
RELATED ARTICLE: WORLD WIDE WORKOUTS
SUZANNE SCHLOSBERG recommends these useful websites for the fitness-minded globetrotter:
: This site features more than 6,000 clubs in the United States and abroad, complete with maps and driving directions.
: The "Gym Locator" on this fitness and nutrition site includes 10,000 gyms and health clubs nationwide. The site also includes an in-depth report on airline meals.
: Use this site to locate thousands of YMCA locations in the United States and around the world.
: A handy site to shop for travel-friendly fitness tools like pedometers, heart rate monitors, sports watches and exercise tubing.
: Here you can find CDs designed to keep you motivated--or relaxed--during yoga, biking, jogging, aquatic exercise and weight workouts.
Michele Bibbey is a Chicago-based freelance writer.
