Hey Friends! Emily here. Today I’m excited to share a guest post from Anisa of Two Traveling Texans. I hope you enjoy learning about a great option for staying active while traveling!

It is so easy to gain weight when you travel. There are so many foods and beverages that you need to try and most are probably not low in calories. Riding a bike is a fabulous way to stay active while traveling. You get to combine exercising and sightseeing. You can cover more ground than if you walk and burn a few calories. Just be sure to read up on local biking regulations before your ride.

Some of my favorite biking adventures have been:

Riding around Central Park or Governor’s Island in New York City: NYC is a great place to bike ride, but I don’t recommend biking on the streets unless you are a very experienced rider. Stick to some of the parks with great biking paths. I love doing loops around Central Park and Governor’s Island.
Cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco: Biking across the bridge was on my bucket list for a while and it did not disappoint. The hills were tough but the views made it worth it.
Biking along the beach in Los Angeles: It was fun to ride along the coast and see the different beach towns. There are plenty of places to stop and relax along the way.

I still have a few places on my list. I want to bike along the Jurassic Coast or South Downs Way in England, Amsterdam, and down Haleakala in Hawaii.

The options are endless. You will need a bike, though, and when you are traveling you have a couple of options for how to get one. You can bring your own, take an organized bike tour, or rent a bicycle. Each option has its own considerations

Bring Your Own Bike

Generally, you are only able to bring your own bike if you are doing a road trip. You can attach your bike to your car. Some trains and boats will allow you to bring bikes too, but there will most likely be an additional fee. With planes, you need to check with your carrier. In addition to fees, you may need to prep your bike by deflating tires or removing the pedals. If you can bring your own bike, it’s a definite plus. You will have a bike that you know you are comfortable on and you can go at your own pace. You need to figure out where you want to ride your bike or there might be some organized tours that allow you to bring your own.

Take an Organized Bike Tour

A bike tour can be an excellent way to do sightseeing on a bike. You don’t have to worry about finding equipment or figuring out a route; it’s all done for you. The one thing to keep in mind is to make sure that the tour is appropriate for your biking ability level. You don’t want to be that one person that is holding the rest of the group back. There are many different options for bike tours from wine tasting ones to mountain biking ones. Check the distance the tour will go to make sure it’s something you feel comfortable with. If you are up to it, you could even do a whole biking vacation – like a tour through the countryside in France.

Rent a Bicycle

If you can’t find an interesting tour or want to have more flexibility, then you can consider renting a bike. I like this option because it allows you to go at your own pace. If you wanted to stop for photos every 100 feet you could. The downside is that you will have to do a little planning to figure out where you want to go with the bike. In addition, some cities have bike-sharing programs like Citibikes in New York City. These can be another good option but make sure you understand how the program works. You may not be able to have the bike for very long at a time.

The options are endless, but make sure you choose the right bike ride for your ability level and follow the local laws. You will have so much fun, you will forget you are exercising!

About The Author

Anisa Alhilali is an experienced international traveler with extra pages in her passport and stamps from 41 different countries across 5 continents (and counting). She likes to combine her love for travel and sports – she has traveled to a Dallas Cowboys football game in London and several Longhorn football games in California. She watched the last Texas/Texas A&M college football game from a bar in Buenos Aires. Anisa enjoys running, biking, and yoga, and typically racks up 15,000 steps on her Fitbit pedometer each day. In addition, she tries to be as cost-conscious as possible and loves a good Groupon.

Emily again! I hope you are inspired to try biking as part of your next trip! I know I loved reading about Anisa’s biking adventures and tips on how to enjoy the sights while on a bike. Be sure to head over to her blog and show her some love! I’ve only taken one bike tour while on a Contiki trip in Munich, but it was a blast and I would highly recommend it as a great way to see the city.

Thanks for reading!