Scenic and Rewarding Nearby Bike Tours

To put it simply, life is better on a bike.

Bike season is in full effect here in the Northeast region, which means there are plenty of epic bike tours to choose from. Whether you’re a biking novice or a fit cyclist, there’s a bike tour for you, with options ranging from a few hours to week-long adventures.

Grab your bike and check out the following tours.

5 Lighthouse Bike Tour

Portland, Maine

Daily from May-Oct. 31, 2019

This is the perfect warm weather bike tour for the whole family. Explore Casco Bay and Portland, Maine, and enjoy the wind in your face as you journey along the breathtaking coastline. You’ll pedal past charming communities and five different lighthouses during the 12-mile ride, which includes a bike, tour guide with a Portland history lesson and a fabulous lobster roll for lunch overlooking the ocean.

Great Freedom Adventures Rhode Island Vacation Bike Tour

Newport, R.I.

2019: May 28-31 | June 23-26 | August 25-28

Riders may not want to leave Rhode Island after this impressive bike tour of the Ocean State. This four-night, three-day bike tour takes riders across Block Island, Narragansett, Jamestown and Newport. It’s the perfect way to learn more about Rhode Island’s gilded age history while taking in scenic ocean views. Tours run in May, June and August, with riders traveling 8-36 miles each day. Cyclists can expect to peruse fishing villages, Colonial windmills and the “summer cottages” of 19th century millionaires as they bike Rhode Island’s inlets and isles. The tour also includes a sunset sail, a guided kayak escapade and a stroll along the famous Cliff Walk.

If you’re looking for a truly unique experience in Rhode Island, Rail Explorers Rhode Island Tour may be a fit for you. The pedal-powered vehicle rides on historic railroad tracks through picturesque Narragansett Bay.

Bike Tour of Cape Cod/Martha’s Vineyard

2019: June 23-28 | Sept. 29-Oct. 4 | Oct. 6-11

If you live in Massachusetts, consider checking out this six-day bike tour on which bicyclists ride down quiet beach roads and quaint New England towns.

Tour de Farm New Jersey

Sussex County: Sept. 1
Warren County: Sept. 21

If it’s your first time participating in a bike tour, the Tour de Farm New Jersey may be the right one for you. Help support New Jersey farmers in a culinary excursion where you’ll be farm hopping by bike and enjoying delicious food in the beautiful countryside.

With two different dates at separate starting points, the tour has three different routes ranging from 20-48 miles depending on your skill level. The day begins with a farm-fresh locally sourced breakfast for bike fuel and then you can choose to stop at up to 10 farms along the way. The farmers will provide samples of what their farm has to offer – think honey, flowers, wine, cheese, fruit and more. Local farm items will be for sale, so don’t forget your saddlebags!

Cycle for the Cause

Boston to New York City

Sept. 20-22, 2019

Three days, four states, memories forever. That basically sums up the Cycle for the Cause Boston bike tour to New York City that raises funds for the fight against AIDS. Each rider pays a ticket fee of $95 and then raises a fundraising minimum that covers lodging and meals; the rest is donated to the cause.

Starting in Boston, the 275-mile bike ride is fully supported, which means that riders are completely taken care of along the way, including meals, route planning, rest stops, hotel accommodations, medical services, bike techs and massage crews. Participators stay in hotels along the route, eat meals and ride together, passing through 20 cities along the way.

You can expect to see the beauty in each state you ride through from the classic New England villages and the horse farms in Massachusetts, to the Mystic Seaport in Connecticut and the orchards of Long Island in New York.

TD Five Boro Bike Tour

New York City

May 3, 2020

Forty miles of car-free New York City streets? This only happens once a year during the TD Five Boro Bike Tour. The exciting one-day event, billed as America’s largest bike ride, takes place on the first Sunday in May (This year’s was held May 5; next year’s event is slated for May 3, 2020). The ride starts in lower Manhattan, traverses part of the south Bronx, loops through Queens, enters Brooklyn and finally ends in Staten Island. You’ll ride over five bridges, including the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, which is normally closed to bike traffic. If that’s not enough to entice you, maybe this will: There are 41 pizza places along the tour’s route where you can stop for a break and a bite. After a festival at the finish line, cyclists are welcome to take the Staten Island ferry back to Manhattan – for free!

Did you know? AAA Northeast offers 24-hour roadside assistance for your bike too! The free service is available to all members. Learn more.