DaisyRTW in San Francisco

“Riding around on bikes showed us a lot of the city that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise,” notes RealTraveler meye0865 of his recent excursion through Amsterdam. Biking is becoming an increasingly popular way to travel while investigating a new city – it brings you closer to the earth, allows for detours that you might not otherwise take in a car, and it allows you to see new and exciting things more slowly, gives you a closer look. You feel the wind against you, the smells of trees and flowers, or bread baking in a bakery, fill your nose, and you get to enjoy the sense of really being in charge of your travels.

This week we’re going to bring you exciting ideas for sporty adventures in urban settings, from cycling around sites in Amsterdam and San Francisco, to jogging along some of the best paths in the United States, to adrenaline-inducing adventure sports in New Zealand. On your next vacation, you might be inspired to see the sights in a new way.

Great Cities to Cycle In:

Cities can be loud, bustling places, loaded with exciting sites, restaurants, nightlife, and cultural events. Car rentals, walking, or taking the bus are all good ways to get around – but if you’d like to experience the city life in an intimate way while still getting from place to place quickly, try renting a bike. Some of the best and most bike-friendly cities in the United States include great places like San Francisco, California, Portland, Oregon, Boulder, Colorado, Chicago, Illinois, and Madison, Wisconsin. If you’re Europe bound, the Netherlands is a cyclist’s haven, especially in cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Statistics show that there are actually more bikes in the Netherlands than there are people! Loire, France and County Kerry, Ireland are two more great cities in which to bike.

Sightseeing by Bike in San Francisco, California

San Francisco is heralded as one of the United State’s best places to get around by bike. Many locals use their bikes as their sole means of transportation, as parking is difficult, buses are slow and crowded, and gas prices are high. But you don’t have to be a local to enjoy the city by bike. Many excellent bike trails are available, including trails designed to avoid the steep, infamous San Francisco hills. Excellent places to bike in the city by the bay are:

Presidio National Park: With a wide variety of historical places to visit and lovely natural wonders to see, The Presidio makes for a great day of cycling. Fourteen miles of paved roads allow cyclists to cruise along at their own pace while enjoying sites like Chrissy Field and Marsh Beach, El Polin Spring, Lobos Creek Valley, and the Presidio Forest.

Golden Gate Park: Known as San Francisco’s backyard, Golden Gate Park has something to catch the imagination of any visitor. Here, you may rent a paddle boat and cruise along Stowe Lake alongside the ducks, take a stroll through the incredible Arboretum which has plants and flowers from all over the world, play a game of baseball or soccer in one of the many sports fields, enjoy the flowers of the Japanese Tea Garden, take in some culture at the de Young Museum, and so much more. Seven miles of paved biking trails make it both easy and fun to visit the park’s wonderful attractions.

Cross the Golden Gate Bridge: It’s hard to beat the views you see when biking the 1.7 miles of this famous San Francisco landmark. Peddling along the excellent bike path, you’ll see the stunning ocean waters and the beautiful towers and main cables that span the bridge. Toll free bike access is available 24-hours a day, so if you want to catch a gorgeous sunrise or sunset while biking across the bridge, you can. Once you reach the end of the ride, if you’re not tired, you might enjoy riding into Sausalito, where you may explore the great shops, restaurants, and art galleries this charming town has to offer.

Many RealTravelers have enjoyed San Francisco by bike, like DaisyRTW who enjoyed riding the Golden Gate Bridge and exploring Golden Gate Park. She writes, “Sunday was my 1st real adventure. I hired a bike and cycled across the Golden Gate Bridge!! Quite windy up there but very exciting. Then I went on to Lincoln park and Golden Gate Park.” (more…) Travelers David Sizer and Shawn&Kim also enjoyed touring the city on two wheels.

Sightseeing by Bike in Amsterdam:

Amsterdam is also an excellent city to explore by bike. RealTravelers Jessiegrrl decided to do a bike tour – a great way to see all the sites, make friends, and enjoy the knowledge offered by the guide. They went with Mike’s Bike Tours, and had a great day peddling around and seeing some sights. They write: “The tour lasted over 4 hours and included stops to various sites such as parks, the China Town of Amsterdam, and lots of canals. As our ride went on, the weather got better and better and the sun even came out for a while. Towards the end of our tour we were taken to one of the 1,000 windmills that are left in the Netherlands. After that we went to a cheese and wooden clog factory.” (more…)

Museums and Architecture: Cycle along the charming streets of Amsterdam, stopping to visit one, or several, of its many museums, like the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum. You may also enjoy heading to Dam Square, where you can learn about Amsterdam’s history, people-watch, and visit the Royal Palace.

Castles and Windmills: Just east of Amsterdam nestled within lovely valleys are multitudes of old castles and charming windmills. A bike tour through this landscape is exhilirating: See windmills, castles, ancient fortifications, nature reserves, and medieval towns. This is a part of Amsterdam you won’t want to miss.

Vondelpark: A leisurely spin around Amsterdam’s largest park can be just what the body and mind need after a wild night in Amsterdam. Sweet, green grass, pretty trees, and colorful flowers make this ride peaceful and easy on the eyes.

There are many more excellent places to see on a bike tour of Amsterdam. For more ideas, check out blogs from RealTravelers about cycling in this great city. Also, the links below should help you find out how to make biking part of your next adventure.

RealTraveler Cycling Trips:

USA Adventures in San Francisco by David Sizer
Asia and
The Black Forest to the Black Sea by Tole & Jessica
Our Introduction to Amsterdam by Jessiegrrl
More Cycling Adventures…

Bike Maps and Trails

San Francisco Bike Map
San Francisco Mountain Biking
Bicycling in Amsterdam
Mike’s Bike Tours: Amsterdam

Useful Links for San Francisco and Amsterdam

San Francisco Travel Guide
San Francisco Hotels
San Francisco Attractions
San Francisco Restaurants

Amsterdam Travel Guide
Amsterdam Travel Blogs
Things to Do in Amsterdam