How to vacation by bike  

Finally! You’re planning a summer vacation this year. But the gas prices are ridiculous. Plane tickets are impossible to find. And it would be nice to take a trip that’s environmentally responsible.

Why not consider vacationing by bike? Bike travel can be very fun and affordable. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. While some people (like us) do carry heavy camping gear and pedal thousands of miles, that’s not the only form of bike tourism.

Bike travel simply means visiting and seeing new destinations by bicycle. On a bicycle you are more likely to meet the local people and bicycles take you to unique places often missed when vacationing by car and plane. It’s environmentally sustainable, cutting down on your carbon footprint. And best of all, instead of needing to go on a diet after returning home from your vacation, you’ll come back lean, fit and tanned. Why not give it a try?

Here are 4 ways that you can take a great summer vacation, see new places, get to know the local people and culture, and cut your carbon footprint, budget and waistline at the same time.

1. The bike local vacation. This is the simplest way to travel by bike and a perfect option for beginners and families. Pick a cabin, hotel or campground as your base for the week. Drive and bring your bikes. Or rent bikes there (many resorts and local bike stores offer bike rentals). Instead of planning to tour the area by car, take your bikes and explore. You’ll find you stop more along the way, finding wonderful surprises that you would miss whizzing by in a car. And rather than battling cranky, bored kids in the backseat, you’ll create wonderful family memories.

2. 

   The B & B bike vacation. Pick an area that is known to have lovely bike trails and routes. Book B&Bs or hotels in a loop (or plan a one way trip where you can take a train or bus back to the beginning). Pack some limited clothes and food in bike bags–called panniers–and pedal between your B&Bs. Europeans have perfected this form of travel and there are many companies that will plan your entire trip for you. They book the B&Bs, provide maps, and even carry your bags between hotels and provide return transportation to your starting point. Try Contours, Cyclomundo and Macs Adventure if you are interested in this type of European bike trip. A few companies are also beginning to offer self guided bike tours in the US. Try Life Cycle Adventures for self guided trips in the western US.

3. The all inclusive bike tour vacation. If you like the B&B vacation idea, but want complete support, there are many companies that provide fully organized bike tours. You fly or drive to the start point and they do the rest: planning the route, booking the hotels (or campsites if a more rugged tour), providing meals, bike support and bikes. This form of bike travel is expanding rapidly and your greatest challenge will be choosing a company. While in principle, these tours can be carbon friendly, most bike tour companies use a sag wagon (a car or van) that follows the cyclists between destinations, carrying your suitcases. And some companies even drive and fly the cyclists between sections of the route. So if you care about your carbon footprint, look carefully at the company’s route and transportation plans first. Three companies that offer sustainable, low carbon footprint bike tours are BSpoke Tours, Adventure Cycling and Coastal Biking Adventures.

   

4. The classic self supported bike tour. You crave adventure. The freedom of travel to go where you want, when you want without the restrictive schedule of your current life. And you really want to experience the people and culture of your destination. Then a self-supported bike tour is for you! The principle of this form of travel is that you carry everything you need on your bike (a lot less stuff than you think!) to travel independently—usually a tent, sleeping bag and pad, cooking gear, food and clothes. Since you are self contained, you are not dependent on a rigid schedule of getting to hotels, restaurants and other services. Adventure Cycling https://www.adventurecycling.org/ has mapped out many US routes and provides education and support for people who want to try independent bike touring. And for our newsletter fans, we are always happy to offer our experience and advice about planning your first bike adventure!