To fly with a bike or to rent one on the road is the money question, says Jim Potter, owner of Vecchio’s Bicicletteria in Boulder, Colo. The destination often dictates the decision. If you’re traveling to a place with a strong bike culture, you can probably rent a serious bike. Touring companies like Trek Travel usually have access to fancier bikes. “More often than not, standard bike shops rent recreational city bikes with a generic fit,” he says. “If you’re tall or short or looking for performance, you’ll probably be more comfortable with your own bike.”
Last year, RewardExpert released its 2017 ranking of the Best Destinations to Explore by Bike, comparing 53 of the largest cities in the country and evaluating them on 13 key metrics across four categories: biking infrastructure, city profile, bike-share index, and biking safety. Top of the list – Minneapolis, with 170 bike share stations and 130 miles of bike lanes through Nice Ride Minnesota. Topping RewardExpert’s Up & Coming Cities list was Memphis, with plans to implement a bike-share program this year to use in the city’s already-expanded bike lanes.
Below you’ll find a dozen bicycling routes and tours around the U.S. that will you get in the saddle and traveling on two wheels. Of course, this is just a sampling of places to ride – pretty much wherever you go, there’s likely a chance to hop on a bike.
Asheville (North Carolina): Riding along the Blue Ridge Parkway, you’ll pedal the mountains of western North Carolina where you’ll find the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. On the Asheville to Brevard trip with Trek Travel, pass rivers and waterfalls as you ride the scenic roadways and enjoy the indulgences between Asheville, “Beer City USA,” and the mountain town of Brevard.
Glacier National Park (Montana): Named one of the best bicycling routes by several cycling publications, Going-to-the-Sun Road is not to be missed when riding in Glacier National Park. Trek Travel, which features Trek Bikes and electric assist bikes, offers a tour that highlights various areas of the park, and even includes rafting on the Flathead River. Just 25 glaciers remain in the park, and seeing them by bike gives you more time to reflect upon them.
Trek Travel salutes the season’s “last hurrah” with their new Asheville to Brevard Bike Tour this Labor Day. Guests will summit the highest peak in the eastern US, enjoy Southern-inspired cuisine, bluegrass music, and the local microbrew scene, relaxing for a few days in modern forest lodges around Pisgah National Forest.
Bike the Blue Ridge Parkway by day, then soak up Brevard’s vibes by night equipped with a racy Trek Domane SL7 Di2 carbon road bike. Every roadie (and maybe mountain bikers too) should summit Mount Mitchell by bike – the highest point east of the Mississippi at 6684ft/2037m.
Trek is the best operator I know of that does a trip for the Etape du Tour, a mass participation ride held annually that recreates an exact replica of a full Tour de France stage in the current year’s race, with thousands of enthusiasts attacking the course.
This year’s route included famous climbs in the heart of the Alps such as the Col de la Croix Fry and Col de la Colombière. Typically held on a rest day in the actual race, this “replica Tour,” is extremely popular, hard to get into, and usually picks a climbing focused stage. The easiest, most luxurious and most turnkey way to participate is on Trek Travel’s 6-day trip that warms up with local rides before tackling the race in day 5. This year’s was 105 miles with four notable climbs. The trip uses the highest level of fancy hotels in Trek’s scale and equips each participant with a pro-worthy Domane SL 7 carbon road bike with Di2 electronic shifting. The 2019 info will be announced here.
Every year, Travel + Leisure asks readers to vote on the top hotels, destinations, airlines, and tour operators around the globe. Known as the World’s Best Awards, travelers rated tour operators on their staff and guides, itineraries and destinations, activities, accommodations, food, and overall value. We are proud to announce that, with a score of 95.65, Trek Travel was named one of the World’s Best Tour Operators in 2018. We were thrilled to be awarded the same title back in 2016 and are proud to receive it again.
“Traveling with a comprehensive tour operator can bring any trip to the next level. These expert-led companies can curate itineraries based around your interests, unlock experiences that aren’t available to the general public, and perhaps most important, save you mental energy…The tour operators on our list offer experiences and itineraries of every type imaginable, but one increasingly popular category is active and adventure travel. Three of the Top 10 focus on cycling — a sign that our readers like staying fit and seeing the world on the open road.” said Hannah Walhout of Travel + Leisure.
Among our industry’s highest honors, this distinction means so much more because it was awarded by you. You are the reason we’re in business–your stories inspire us, your energy fuels us, and your expectations drive us to be the best. Thanks for all the fun you have, and the love you’ve shared with us over the years.
A company president. Doctors and IT specialists. Pharmacists and marketing workers. For all of them, a challenging week riding a bike in the mountains of Tuscany was the perfect get-away vacation.
As we try to find the right balance between family, careers, health, socializing, activity and rest in our regular lives, some of us also want those same things on vacation. Since many of us have sedentary jobs, the vacation is an opportunity to detach and get up and move around.
I did not have to bring my own bike to Italy; Trek Travel provided them on site, with electronic shifting, the greatest invention ever, and new Garmins with a GPS and our daily ride routes already programmed. We had two guides with us at all times; one riding with us on the road, the other in a van on our route, supporting our ride with supplies, equipment, food and hydration. Drastik and Wouter Alaerts, our guides for the week, handled everything, adjusting bikes and brakes, recharging our lights and our Garmins, refilling our water bottles, helping with lunch choices, chilling beer in the cooler for the end of the ride. What a luxury. I felt like a princess.
Trek Travel offers thrill seekers a last-minute summer adventure in its Tour de France “Alps & Alpe d’Huez”––a six-day, five-night bucket list experience that invites guests to cycle an actual leg of the 2018 Tour de France just days before the pros hit the road.
As Official Tour Operator for both the Tour de France and the Trek-Segafredo Racing team, Trek Travel offers this exclusive VIP trip with unparalleled behind-the-scenes access to the world’s premier cycling race.
Palm Springs is known for its beautiful landscape, stunning architecture and storied history of Hollywood glamour. However, one place that stands out in this vibrant town is guest and guide favorite, Workshop Kitchen + Bar. We talked to Michael Beckman Executive Chef and Co-Owner about his Palm Springs epicurean oasis, and got the inside line on all the “must-try” dishes of the season.
“My love for the culinary world began when I was a student at the University of San Francisco, working front-of-house positions at Italian restaurants such as Kuleto’s and Il Fornaio. I was lucky enough to spend time in Geneva, Switzerland, where I cooked at a centre ville bistro, a traditional countryside French restaurant near Geneva’s vineyards, before attending culinary school in France at Lyon’s L’Institute Paul Bocuse. I did my apprenticeship at Lameloise a 3 Michelin-star restaurant in Burgundy, which was a very amazing, iconic experience— it was a 17-seat restaurant that had 35 chefs in the kitchen, and 35 servers in the front of the house. After working under chef Thomas Kellermann as Chef de Partie at the Ritz Carlton Berlin, I found my way back to California which led to a series of elite private chef positions. Shopping at the local farmers markets each week and keeping up with restaurant trends, in many ways led me to my vision of Workshop Kitchen + Bar.”
Tell us a little about how Workshop Kitchen + Bar came to be.
Alongside my partner Joseph Mourani, we were able to find a beautiful space in the historic El Paseo Building in Palm Springs, which was a 90-year-old movie theater that we retrofitted into a restaurant that offered different dining elements for guests, such as a contemporary experience in the dining room or a leisurely outdoor meal on a patio. With Palm Springs being such a huge destination for locals and travelers looking for a refined getaway, we wanted to make Workshop Kitchen + Bar a dining destination that offered a true market driven, seasonally changing menu in the desert. In 2011, we opened the doors to Workshop Kitchen + Bar, which later went on to win a 2015 James Beard Award for best restaurant design.
Following the success, we opened our second concept, Truss + Twine, in March 2017, an atmospheric bar that sits adjacent to Workshop.
What is the driving force behind the concept? (local ingredients, farm to table, or something else entirely?)
All our ingredients are sourced within 100 miles of the restaurant, so we are strongly inspired by and believe in locally sourcing and creating farm to table dishes. My time spent at farmer’s markets over the years directly impacted and led to the creation of Workshop. Along with market driven dishes, we specialize on in-house techniques like fermenting, pickling, butchering and smoking that are incorporated into both our menu and bar program.
How does Palm Springs inspire your menu and aesthetic?
Workshop’s design reflects a unique desert-chic aesthetic, taking inspiration from Palm Springs’ beautiful landscapes, eccentric modernism and stunning architecture in every element of the space, from design to plating style.
Our menu is constantly inspired by Palm Springs-sourced ingredients. We’re lucky enough have formed strong relationships with farms from all over Southern California and specifically, the Coachella Valley. This allows us to continue to be inspired and keep our menu seasonally rotating, incorporating ingredients and produce sourced in our surrounding area.
What’s the one “must-try” item on the menu?
It’s hard to pick one as our menu changes seasonally! However, some menu favorites and staples are the Duck Fat Fries served with sea salt and herbs de Provence, Prime Aged 18 oz Rib-Eye grilled over wood fire with roasted cipollini onions, and composed bone marrow butter, and the 10 oz Mesquite-Grilled Pork-Chop with roasted brussels sprouts, pickled car acara orange, and shallot bacon marmalade. Favorite seasonal items include the Fried Cauliflower Steak with Tahini sauce, Fresno Chile and garlic ferment, with cilantro blossoms, and Duck Study #3 with Duck Breast, foie gras mousse, cara-cara orange marmalade, mushroom salad and 123 Farms lavender honey vinaigrette. Most items continually evolve and experience seasonal changes—nothing is untouchable in this regard.
Another must try item, is the Whole Striped Sea Bass which is rubbed with a Chermoula spice blend, grilled over wood and stuff with a rustic cannellini bean and pancetta salad. It’s an off-the-menu item and delicious.
And finally, favorite summer cocktail recipe?
One of my favorite cocktails at Workshop is The Palm Springer with vodka, fresh pineapple juice, house made grenadine, and angostura bitters. It’s perfect for sipping on the patio during the summer and named in dedication to our beloved city.
Making its debut in September 2018, Trek Travel’s Colombia Bike Tour will guide cycling enthusiasts on a journey that begins and ends in Medellin while traveling through lush green valleys.
Along the way, guests will take part in a local coffee experience in the villages of Circasia and Caicedonia, tour an avocado plantation, hike through the Cocora Valley, sample sugar cane juice after a ride through the sugar cane fields of Cartago, and more. Read on»
For nearly any intrepid traveler there’s a certain gravity that will eventually pull your heart’s curiosity in the direction of Italy. The masterfully crafted cuisine, the passionate culture of every day living, a tremendous history that sculpted the modern world as we know it, the art, the architecture…whatever it is that ignites your wanderlust; Italy is sure to become a craving in need of satiation eventually.
Words by Trek Travel Guides Jason Harding and Sonja Schmidt
In a country where each region carries such pronounced individual identities, it can be a daunting task to settle in on a favorite; but if we had only one single region where we were allowed to return in this beautiful country, you would find us down south in the heel of Italy’s boot, soaking in la Dolce Vita in Puglia.
Puglia is the Italy of your imagination. Sautéed garlic and rosemary waft out of windows as grandmas gather in groups on their doorsteps to thumb out tiny ear shaped orecchiette pasta to the tune of mid day church bells sounding in the piazza. A stroll through a village’s polished limestone streets is a photographers dream. With every flick of the shutter, each snapshot captures the air of authenticity of a place that is truly preserved in it’s own traditions.
As you work your way out of the nautilus shaped city centers and into the countryside, you find yourselves on quiet roads that meander through an agroscape ranging from millennial old olive orchards to blossoming artichokes to Negro Amaro grape vines heavy with the fruits of a soon to be beautifully crafted vintage. The soil is as rich as the farmers’ smiles that wave as you ride past and with each “Buongiorno!” you quickly begin to fall in love with the people of Puglia.
Once you move out of the fields, a contrasting coastline of Adriatic blues and creamy limestone yellows begin to dominate the panorama and a fisherman’s culture takes command of the scene. In the early morning light tiny blue boats fill up villages’ harbors full with the fruits of their labor as fresh salty buckets of urchins, oysters, shrimp, sardines, and yellowtail pour into daily markets and are negotiated away as fast as they arrived.
This is Puglia; a place that will transport you back to an older Italy, a place revered for their dedication to locally produced cuisine, a place where tiny olive-tree-lined roads and dramatic coastlines are filled with cyclists enjoying the perfect weather, a place that you may not of heard of before, and a place you’ll never forget.
If a date is marked as Private, it is reserved for a private group.
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What is the Difference?
Ultimate Luxury:
Savor some of the most spectacular, 5-star properties in the world. Exuding luxury and elegance, these one-of-a-kind accommodations offer the chance to rejuvenate at award-winning spas, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants, and more.
Luxury:
Enjoy luxurious accommodations handpicked for a refined experience. From signature spa treatments to delicious local cuisine, you’ll be more than provided for; you’ll be pampered.
Explorer:
These handpicked hotels provide relaxation and fun in a casual and comfortable environment. Delicious cuisine and great service mix perfectly for a memorable stay.
Combined:
On select cycling vacations, you’ll stay at a mix of Explorer and Luxury hotels. Rest assured, no matter which hotel level you’re at, our trip designers carefully select every accommodation.
Road: 1-3 hours of riding. Up to 25 mi (40 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).
Gravel: 1-3 hours of riding. Up to 20 mi (35 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).
Hiking: 1-3 hours of hiking. Up to 5 mi (8 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).
Level 2:
Road: 2-4 hours of riding. 20-35 mi (35-60 km). Up to 2,500 ft (750 m).
Gravel: 2-4 hours of riding. 15-30 mi (25-45 km). Up to 2,000 ft (300 m).
Hiking: 2-4 hours of hiking. 4-8 mi (6-12 km). Up to 1,500 ft (450 m).
Level 3:
Road: 3-5 hours of riding. 25-55 mi (40-85 km). Up to 4,500 ft (1,500 m).
Gravel: 3-5 hours of riding. 20-40 mi (35-60 km). Up to 3,000 ft (900 m).
Hiking: 3-5 hours of hiking. 6-10 mi (9-16 km). Up to 2,000 ft (600 m).
Level 4:
Road: 4+ hours of riding. 40-70 mi (60-110 km). Up to 8,000 ft (2,400 m).
Gravel: 4+ hours of riding. 30-50 mi (45-80 km). Up to 4,000 ft (1,200 m).
Hiking: 4+ hours of hiking. 7-15 mi (11-24 km). Up to 4,000 ft (1,200 m).
What are your trip styles?
Classic - Reserve:
Savor the finer things as you relax in luxurious 5-star accommodations and wine, dine, and ride in some of the most unforgettable destinations around the world.
Classic - Signature:
Explore beautiful destinations by bike, enjoy extra inclusions, savor delicious local cuisine, and enjoy the perfect mix of accommodations.
Classic - Discover:
Enjoy a casual cycling vacation with fantastic routes and comfortable accommodations.
Ride Camp:
Train like the pros in some of their favorite riding destinations.
Pro Race:
See the pros in action at the biggest cycling events of the year.
Cross Country:
Tackle an epic adventure that takes you point-to-point across mountains, countryside, and more.
Self-Guided
Enjoy a bike tour on your schedule with just your chosen travel companions.
Sometimes it’s more convenient and comfortable to have your own room while on vacation. We understand and that’s why we offer a Single Occupancy option. The additional price guarantees a private room all to yourself
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