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Something about being on a bike brings out the kid in you. The wind in your hair as you weave through the streets – it’s liberating! One of my favorite ways to see a new place is by bike. In Barcelona we spent a morning with Fat Tire Bike Tours (they also have tours in London, Paris and Berlin). It’s a great way to see the sites and learn the city’s history. Since then, I’ve made more of an effort to be a bike traveler. Here are a few of our most recent bike experiences:

Barcelona: Fat Tire Bike Tour takes you where the buses in Barcelona can’t go. Jay and I spent a half day with 12 other foreigners exploring Barcelona with our Scottish tour guide [not only was he incredibly knowledgable, we found him to be extremely humorous]. Starting in the Barri Gotic, we visited Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, Parc de la Ciutadella the Olympic Village, Port Vell and the Barceloneta beach. See the link above.

Washington, D.C.: There are Capital Bikeshare Stations all along the National Mall.  In D.C. for a few precious hours before heading up to Maryland for a wedding, we wanted an to see as much of Washington as we could in a short amount of time. (Keep in mind, Jay and I have both spent a lot of time in D.C., and already have a deep love and appreciation for the city. I actually interned at the Washingtonian magazine twice in college.) As we hoped, we were able to hit every memorial in less than two hours via Capital Bikes. Tip: Check in your bike every 30 minutes to avoid extra charges. 

Kennebunkport, Maine: Kennenbunkport is a great coastal town in southern Maine. Less than a two-hour drive from Boston, we found it to be incredibly charming. The Kennebunkport Inn, where we spent a night, has bikes on site for guests to use at their leisure. We checked out two bikes in the morning, cruised through town and along the beachfront. We packed a small picnic and spent a few hours camped on the beach before checking the bikes back in. (Come back in the next few weeks for more deets on this phenomenal Maine summer destination).

Nederland, Colorado: Sometimes you don’t have to venture far from home for a great bike tour experience. Your own back yard can be quite the adventure. We took our road bikes out on the Peak to Peak Highway outside of Nederland for an awesome 25-mile-ish ride with sweeping views of Roosevelt National Forest. The nice thing about this stretch, you could do anything from a 10-mile (0r shorter if necessary) to almost 40-mile ride if you were to go from Nederland to Estes Park.