Nowadays, with many issues about global changes that occur around us, many people and many cities try to find ways to reduce pollution. One solution is using a bike as the main transport.
Riding a bike through green and new cities is always the thing that lots of riders think about. Thus, if you are going to travel to a place in which you can enjoy the fresh atmosphere with your bike, this list of best bike-friendly cities can help you a lot.
Take a look and find out which features make these cities become the coolest and worth to make a ride.
15 Best Bike Friendly Cities In The U.S
1. Long Beach, California
The coastal city of Long Beach is also known as the “jewel” of California. Despite being the 6th largest city in the state of California, this place has idyllic things that make you feel comfortable, with cycling paths, bustling seaside neighbourhoods always bustling tourists.
Besides, Long Beach is famous for its beautiful beaches, fine white sand, straight stretch of coconut trees and unique entertainment areas, suitable for both young people and families.
Let imagine how relaxing you will have while cycling while enjoying the natural scenery, beautiful beach sunsets and energizing stops with these delicacies. As a tourist and friendly city, Long Beach has always been the ideal destination in the bike travel itinerary of all riders wishing to explore new worlds.
2. Washington, D.C
Washington, DC, is one of bicycle-friendly cities that actively responds to the green planet cycling campaign. Currently, aside from car lanes, DC also provides more than 100 km of bike paths for riders to ride and challenge themselves to complete.
With riverside parks, off-street trails and a burgeoning network of bike lanes, Washington, DC, is a great place to experience the feeling of cycling in one space.
An extra cycling advantage, unique to DC, is that cyclists are allowed to ride on sidewalks outside of the Central Business District. After visiting the shopping area, you shouldn’t miss to ride forward to residential areas which have long tree-lined streets, many beautiful parks and cafes along the way.
Right places for a bike include the brick backstreet of Georgetown, the quiet lanes of Woodley Park, the historic stretch of Capitol Hill, and the newly developed waterfront near southeast DC.
For a lot of greenery, rent a mountain bike and head to the wide streets of Rock Creek Park, where taking a short ride from Georgetown to Adams-Morgan is perfect. Besides, at the World Bank (WB) headquarters, both in the garage and on the street, there is a free bicycle locker to help you feel secure to enjoy your day out.
3. New York
New York is one of the tourist-friendly cities, rated as the most walkable in the world, because of the unique way. But besides that, the city also has nearly 200 km of bike paths, making it friendly and challenged to all cyclists.
So when you plan to travel to New York, you should choose to experience the city by bicycle. You have two options, either go cycling on a guided group tour at the central locations or rent a bike and go your own way.
Some places in this best city for cycling that you should refer to is the Central Park Loop, from Columbus Circle to Columbus Circle, Brooklyn Greenway Avenue, Atlantic Avenue to Greenpoint, Hudson Greenway River, from Battery to George Washington Bridge.
These spots have a very fresh and cool landscape and atmosphere that makes you want to cycle from morning to night.
4. Seattle, Washington
Seattle is known as the most livable city in America. Tourists love this place for its unique blend of beautiful nature, cool, fresh air and much lovely scenery and diverse cultures.
Therefore, people here like to participate in outdoor activities, especially in the summer. Seattle is also known as The Emerald City because of its extensive greenery.
It has many green parks including Green Lake Park, Discovery Park and the Washington Park arboretum. This is also the reason why many cyclists choose to relax with their beloved bikes.
Riders can enjoy the cool atmosphere through cycling through busy streets or green roads. The people here are also amiable, and you may find happy while talking to them and join their bike ride.
5. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is a city of historical beauty, so visit the historic sites on your bike ride. The population density in this city is very high, and almost everyone is by car.
There is no clear distinction between a bicycle lane and a car lane. Therefore, when cycling, you need to follow the rules of the road or, best to ask the local people to give a brief guide about the laws of the bike path.
In general, you need a definite skill and understanding of the road, so you don’t get lost or violated unjustly. In addition to that, riders can take a deep breath with fresh air and feel comfortable while riding a bike to exercise and watching the beautiful scenery in summer.
6. San Francisco, California
To enjoy the best views and cycling experiences of your San Francisco destinations, you need to choose to go to Golden Gate Bridge at noon. When you arrive at the time (10 am to 1 pm) you can fully admire the beauty of the bridge because the sun is most vital, the fog clears, the wind is calm.
Plus, try to arrive at Twin Peaks before 3 pm on the way you ride to see the panoramic city of San Francisco. These places often attract tourists who have a passion for bicycles.
Therefore, if you want to integrate into the cycling culture here, you should go to the above places. If you do not like to go far and enjoy relaxing cycling on the city streets, let select low-person routes near the park because you don’t need to be insecure about travelling with other vehicles while enjoying your relaxing ride.
7. Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado is an adventurous playground. The surrounding mountains offer many possibilities.
In summer, the Denverites ride various bike paths that shape their alpine oasis. This best biking city is littered with stunning bike paths and unique trails that any person controls their bikes can explore on their own or with the strong local cycling community.
The paved path leads through Lakewood, Morrison, Sheridan and Denver, parks and golf courses. Plus, riders even extend their trip by taking the Platte River Trail, which extends along the way.
Let turn this bike tour into a day trip by visiting the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in the Red Rocks and enjoying a rooftop beer and lunch at the Ship Rock Grille.
8. Chicago, Illinois
Many streets in downtown Chicago have bike lanes. So let enjoy your bike ride without worrying about other unsafe vehicles.
You also know that Chicago is known as the city of wind, so every time you cycle, you will feel like you are in heaven. Besides, if you want to find a clear place to experience cycling, Lakefront Trail will be a great choice.
It is a paved road that stretches for 18 miles along the coast of Lake Michigan. The scenery on this road is also incredible with lots of green trees, beautiful flowers and many exciting cycling buddies that any riders can make friends with.
9. Portland, Oregon
Portland (Oregon, USA) is known as the “Bicycle City” because many small businesses trade in bikes. The Portland government has built bike-only roads.
Residents and tourists are delighted with the bike-friendly infrastructure and culture. Portland has been selected as the best bike city by the American Bicycle magazine and has the highest proportion of cyclists in the country (3.5%).
Motorists here have great respect for cyclists, and many companies are willing to give car parking lots to bicycles. Besides, bicycle manufacturing companies here also regularly organize bicycle races for all subjects. So, when travelling to this city, you easily immerse yourself in this exciting cycling culture.
10. Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis is a quite famous city of America located in Minnesota and is the capital of Hennepin County. The weather here is also varied from summer to fall and cycling to cool landscapes is always a goal for cycling lovers.
The atmosphere is relaxed, and the leaves change various colours that make the landscape beautiful when cycling on one of the many trails in the Minneapolis area. Minneapolis has several miles of trails for the ride, such as The Lake of The Isles, Cedar Lake, Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet lines.
Here you will find a variety of plants that look attractive while changing colours. Remember always to wear a helmet and use hand signals to let drivers and other pedestrian traffic know where you are going.
11. Madison, Wisconsin
Madison has a lot of universities, and this is what has helped it have a high rate of cyclists. Furthermore, Madison has about 107 miles of bike paths around the city, with residents in the area mainly being bikers.
As a result, it becomes a friendly cycling community. With lots of green bike paths and lanes, your ride will be safe all time. There is also a wide range of cycling clubs to suit every taste, from cycling to bike polo to touring and even one-wheel cycling!
Plus, there is a Madison B bike rental program, perfect for tourists as well as locals. Bicycles can be rented out and then returned to any of the many B-cycle locations around town.
12. Lawrence, Kansas
The cyclist can pick up a lot of beautiful lakes in Lawrence, Kansas. As you cycle around the 15-kilometre-long trails around lakes or spacious outdoor hiking trails, you will watch the lake while admiring the majestic natural sceneries.
Besides, these lakes also have a diverse landscape with much seasonal vegetation. Don’t forget to bring fishing equipment so that every time you want to do other activities, you can do it right away.
The weather here in autumn is also great; so why don’t you indulge on the Burroughs Creek Trail and enjoy the relaxed surroundings.
13. Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins has flat terrain throughout the city and wide street bike lanes, making it a great place to ride. There are lots of cycling programs for riders to join such as The Bike Share program. It includes a citywide network of bikes for short-term use.
Moreover, riders shouldn’t miss participating in one of the many self-guided tours that the program recommends, including brewery tours and environmental learning tours. There are also famous beautiful trails that follow the Poudre River and Spring Creek that gives cyclists a feeling of comfort and well-being.
14. Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, in Colorado, is famous for nestling at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. While it is the high altitude to many of the neighbouring towns, this is by no means hindering your cycling.
In contrast, Boulder has a downtown area known for its diverse shopping, dining and nightlife, primarily centred around Pearl Street’s centre. You absolutely can have bike tours around the cityat night and enjoy the bustling atmosphere.
There are also dedicated bike paths around the city so that riders can cycle safely. Aside from this shopping street, Boulder is also home to an array of fascinating art galleries and museums, as well as the permanent Boulder Chamber Orchestra. So, you can both ride a bicycle while visiting these places to buy gifts for your family.
15. Arlington, Virginia
Typically people spend time cycling through four major dedicated roads running through Arlington, Virginia. They are Custis Trail, Four Mile Run Trail, Mt. The Vernon Trail and W & OD Trail.
If you want an enjoyable ride, try the Arlington Loop, an 18-mile ride in which you cycle sections of all four bike tracks. Each trail will give you a different experience such as walking through quiet neighbourhoods, fields or cycling with other cyclists, hikers or dog walkers. .
One thing to keep in mind when travelling on these roads is that there may be many hills in some sections. Some turns need to go slowly to avoid colliding with other pedestrians.
Conclusion
Riding a bike is always the right action for your health and helps you enjoy all happy life things. Especially if you plan to make a bike travelling for your holidays and find a destination for it, this list will help you a lot.
Riders can choose a beautiful and mysterious place to go, let pick Minneapolis, Minnesota and Chicago, Illinois. If you want to do more activities like fishing or shopping while riding simultaneously, don’t hesitate to buy an aeroplane ticket and come to Lawrence, Kansas.
