One of my favorite things to do when I travel to a new place is to take a bike ride or go on a bike tour with a guide. Obviously exploring a new place is usually fun but I have found that checking things out by bike is a unique way to get to know a new location. In this article, we will investigate why you should take a bike tour on your next vacation as well as the benefits of exploring new places by bike.
There are many things to consider when you want to explore a new place on a bike.
Rent a Bike or Hire a Guide?
First you are going to want to decide if you prefer to have a guide lead you around with a group or if you would rather figure things out by yourself and be your own guide. Many bicycle shops will offer a guided tour or host a guided tour service and these can be found in most cities and tourist destinations. However, you may also elect to just rent the bike for a few hours or the entire day or weekend.
Why You Should Take a Bike Tour on Your Next Vacation
Guided bicycle tours are a fantastic way to tour a new city and take in the highlights. Your guide should have a route planned that takes you around your location, stopping at interesting sites that you will want to see.
Really good guides have knowledge about the famous sites including the history. They will help ensure you are able to see and learn about what attracts people from all over the world. In a matter of hours, you will be able to gain a good insight about your destination and make more detailed plans based on what you have sampled.
You can ask the guide for recommendations on attractions or local restaurants and bars. A guided tour could last from 2-4 hours and some will include time to stop for a meal. This is good because you could spend part of your day on the bike, then afterwards go back to check out some of the places you discovered.
Renting a Bike on Vacation
If you prefer to be your own tour guide, you can also rent a bike and plot your own course. Most cities and tourist destinations have bicycle rental available. It would be best to plan ahead and book a reservation so you know they will have a bike available for you. But many places will also have bikes ready to go.
Usually they will provide you with a bicycle, lock, helmet, and repair kit. If you rent an ebike they will also provide the charger for the battery. Most rental services offer various rates, by the hour or day. A good service will also be able to recommend bike trails or destinations of interest if you need help deciding where to go.
Many cities also have city bikes parked in stations you can unlock with an app. You simply pay through the app, unlock the bike, ride about, then return it to a station when you are finished.
Bring Your Own Bicycle – Ship It!
It is also possible to bring your own bicycle on your trip and then explore a new place with your familiar equipment. There are services that provide bike shipping that are relatively affordable. If you prefer to bring your own, you can make this happen. Pack your bike. Ship it to your hotel or Airbnb. Then when you arrive you can unpack it and off you go!
Benefits of Exploring New Places by Bike
Besides the obvious exercise you will be getting, there are other benefits to exploring by bicycle. The first is that you are able to cover more ground in a shorter amount of time. You will be able to stop at more places by bike than you would by foot. You also will be able to get to places that are farther away in less time.
If you are staying in the city center, but are looking for a beach day, you could rent a bike and be out of the city in no time. It also can be a cheaper means of transport than relying on taxis or ubers to get around.
Some more adventurous cyclist may also want to go bike touring or bike packing. These excursions are usually longer over many days and require you to pack most of what you will need much like camping.
Conclusion
Enjoying the day outside in a new place on a bicycle is certainly one of the most enjoyable activities. Make sure on your next trip to consider renting a bike or booking a bike tour to see the sights and explore. This will help to ensure you have a memorable time during your travels.
