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Urban vacations can wreak havoc on a healthy lifestyle, as you succumb to the temptations of rich food and late-night partying. Even in the most decadent metropolis, however, it's easier than you think to live it up without paying the price, fitness-wise. Check out these healthy tips and strategies for visiting your three fave fun cities.

HIKING LAS VEGAS

Oasis

Luxurious Green Valley Ranch Resort, Casino & Spa (from $169 per night; greenvalleyranchresort.com, 866-STAY-GVR) is all about understated elegance. A full-fledged Las Vegas-style casino hotel without the over-the-top theme-park decor, it's an easy 10-minute cab or shuttle ride to action on Las Vegas Boulevard (aka the Strip). But you'll be tempted to stay put and enjoy the array of restaurants, gaming action and luxury treatments and activities at the spa and fitness center.

Healthy eats

Moderation can be tough when flashing neon signs steer you toward all-you-can-eat buffets and free drinks. But bypass the prime rib in favor of Little Buddha at the Palms Casino Resort (4321 W. Flamingo Road). Done up in sexy shades of red, the decor is opulent, with massive Buddha statues and velvet stools lining the restaurant's glowing bar. On weekends, feast upon light yet flavorful sushi and other pan-Asian treats while a DJ spins world music (from $6-$38; littlebuddhalasvegas.com, 702-942-7778).

Calorie blasters

After all those smoky casinos, you may need a dose of blue skies and fresh air. Just a 25-minute drive west of the neon glare, Red Rock Canyon (702-515-5350) is a Mojave Desert conservation area where petrified dunes, arches and cliffs come in a stunning palette of colors. There are more than 30 miles of hiking trails; try the moderate six-mile White Rock loop past trickling springs and rock formations. Keep your eyes peeled for desert tortoises, wild burros and red-tailed hawks, and bring plenty of water.

Nightlife

Book tickets well in advance for the top shows. The latest sensation is Cirque du Soleil's KA, at the MGM Grand (tickets $99-$150; 877-264-1844). This luminous production weaves pyrotechnics, acrobatics, martial arts and innovative staging into a spectacular experience.

After hours, make a beeline for the nightspots at the Palms. Drink in the views from an open-air deck hovering 55 stories above the Strip at Ghostbar (702-938-2666). Or maybe you'll spot your favorite celeb in the VIP skyboxes at Rain Nightclub (702-942-6832), the hottest dance club in Las Vegas.

Detox

Bright and airy, the Spa at Green Valley Ranch is a world away from the clanging slot machines. If you've overdosed on desert sun, your antidote is the orange oasis treatment (80 minutes for $180), a rejuvenating herbal cleansing scrub, orange-blossom mist and enzyme protein rubdown. To soothe your stressed feet, opt for the glycolic peppermint foot massage ($80 for 25 minutes; 702-617-7570).

More info visitlasvegas.com

BICYCLING NEW ORLEANS

Oasis

In the heart of the French Quarter, the Iberville Suites (910 Iberville St.) is a quiet retreat just a stone's throw from the nonstop party scene on Bourbon Street. Every room is a plush suite with a separate living room. Guests pay just $10 a day to use the Ritz-Carlton Hotel first-class spa and workout facilities located in the same building. The fitness center has state-of-the art treadmills, stair climbers and stationary bikes, and a separate weight room (from $139 per night; ibervillesuites.com, 866-229-4351).

Healthy eats

Can you really eat healthy in a town that's synonymous with amazing food drenched in heavy cream sauces? In a word: Yes! Legendary Commander's Palace (1403 Washington Ave., 504-899-8221) has teamed up with the local Ochsner Clinic Foundation Hospital to develop a variety of dishes low in calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium. The "Good and Hearty Menu" is available only at lunch--but that's also when you can enjoy an appetizer and entree for $14-$16. Start with roasted eggplant and garlic soup (210 calories), then opt for the gulf fish en papillote (roasted in parchment paper)--a mere 369 calories. But beware the 25-cent martinis, a weekday lunchtime-only special!

Calorie blasters

New Orleans is amazingly flat, making it easy to explore on two wheels. Rent bikes at Bicycle Michael's (622 Frenchmen St., 504-945-9505), and pedal five smooth miles to Audubon Park. You'll pass the city's splendid historic antebellum Garden District homes along the way. The park features a two-mile looping paved bike path. Add an extra 1.75 miles and spin past the popular Audubon Zoo (residents include white alligators and Bengal tigers). The Spanish moss-draped oak tree-lined trail overlooks the banks of the tea-colored Mississippi River, with plenty of idyllic places to stop for a picnic.

Nightlife

Go heavy on the music and lay off the sugary hurricanes to avoid a nasty hangover. See who's playing at Tipitina's (501 Napoleon Ave., 504-895-TIPS), the House of Blues (225 Decatur St., 504-310-4999) or The Funky Butt (714 N. Rampart St., 504-558-0872), all great places to work up a sweat on the dance floor.

Detox

The Spa at the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans (921 Canal St.) is the place to be pampered in exquisite surroundings. The Essence of Magnolia massage is pure indulgence: It starts with a sensual soak in a milky bath, infused with the healing fragrance of magnolia oil, and ends with a relaxing Swedish massage with hot oils (the entire 70 minutes of bliss is $135; ritzcarlton.com, 504-524-1331).

More info neworleansonline.com

PADDLING ABOUT MIAMI

Oasis

Miami Beach's Eden Roc Renaissance Resort Spa (4525 Collins Ave.) is old-school glam, with stylish velvet sofas nestled among gleaming hardwood columns in its flamboyant lobby. Just past the giant outdoor swimming pool and open-air beach bar, there's a prime stretch of white sand and warm turquoise waters. The Eden Roc's fitness center has panoramic vistas overlooking the Atlantic Ocean; it's also well equipped with everything from free weights to elliptical trainers. Join one of 70 free weekly exercise classes--including an hour of yoga instruction right on the beach (rooms from $229 a night; edenrocresort.com, 800-327-8337).

Healthy eats

Seafood doesn't get any fresher than the excellent local catch at Grill Fish (1444 Collins Ave., 305-538-9908), in the heart of South Beach. Entrees--ranging from market-priced lobster to tuna kabobs ($12)--are prepared simply, allowing the natural flavors to shine through. If you're craving live entertainment with your meal, order one of more than a dozen grilled fish or steak selections and watch the chef prepare it over dramatic flames in the open kitchen (it's visible from your table).

Calorie blasters

If you're up for an adventure off the beaten path (and a terrific upper-body workout), try kayaking through the placid waters of Biscayne Bay. A naturalist guide from Miami-Dade Parks Eco-Adventures in Crandon Park, Key Biscayne ($40-$50 for a three-hour guided tour; 305-365-3018) will lead the way. If you stop to snorkel, you might have a close encounter with bottlenose dolphins or spotted eagle rays.

Nightlife

For a small taste of decadence, start your evening on Lincoln Road, lined with outdoor cafes and hip lounges like Cafeteria (305-672-3663). Then, tear up the dance floor at Mango's Tropical Cafe on Ocean Drive (305-673-4422).

Detox

The Eden Roc Spa offers first-rate facials, massages and salon services. Indulge in a papaya-mango body smoothie treatment: After an aromatic lemon exfoliating scrub, your therapist will wrap you in a hydrating "cocoon," then bathe you in a moisturizing citrus body balm ($115 for 75 minutes; 305-674-5585).

More info miamiandbeaches.com

LISA RENAUD and JOHN ROSENTHAL, a husband-and-wife writing team, recently abandoned New York City for sunny Santa Monica, Calif., where the lack of decent pizza has been a boon to their waistlines.

All rates are double occupancy and do not include taxes or transportation unless otherwise noted.