Guest Post: Bicycle Adventures Is wheeling in families with new Cycling Holidays for 2015

Bicycle Adventures is wheeling into the active family travel market with a new-for-2015 Family Tour Series.

This Pacific Northwest-based active travel company specializing in two-wheel tours in North America and internationally offers three new family options on vehicle-free bike paths in Idaho, South Dakota and Seattle.

“What sets us apart? The most exciting thing about our family tours is is that all of them are on safe, car-free bike paths. The routes are super-fun, incredibly scenic and safe as can be,” said Todd Starnes, Bicycle Adventures’ President and Owner. He said his staff can arrange to accommodate infants and toddlers in trailers; children as young as four can participate in pedaling special tag-along bikes attached to the back of a parent’s bicycle. Equipment is provided by the company.

“Our company receives most of our new trip and destination ideas from our loyal alumni riders,” explains Starnes. “For years we’ve been hearing, ‘what about more family trips?’ so we’ve responded with a sure-to-be-a-hit lineup of cool rides!”

The two-wheel itineraries include such diversions as ice cream stops, amusement parks, swimming and river rafting. Here’s Bicycle Adventures’ new family trip roster:

Idaho’s Coeur d'Alene Family Tour
Two of the "best paved bike trails in the U.S." - says Bicycling Magazine are the Trail of the Hiawatha and the Trail of the Coeur d'Alene. Guests ride through tunnels and over trestle bridges and even take a chairlift to the top of a mountain and ride bikes down again. There’s rafting on the Clark Fork River and a side trip to Silverwood Theme Park. This five-day program is $2,295; children’s discounts are available. Departures are June 29, July 13 and Aug. 17. http://bicycleadventures.com/tours/family-bike-tours/Coeur-d'Alene-Family

South Dakota’s Mt. Rushmore Family Tour
This itinerary opens up everything this astonishing area has to offer, from the country's #1-ranked bike path, the Mickelson Trail, to the world-famous Wall Drug to buffalo grazing in the Badlands to playing in hot springs. Families explore a pre-historic mammoth dig and Wind Cave NP (discovered by a bored teenager), rock climb before cycling to Sylvan Lake, the Flintstones' Bedrock City and to Crazy Horse Monument, the largest rock sculpture in the world. Then it's off to Mt Rushmore and a tour finish in the rough-and-tumble town of Deadwood, once home to Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane. A Wild West gunfight is for show and tell. The six-day adventure is $2,395; children’s discounts available. Departures are June 14 and 28. http://bicycleadventures.com/tours/family-bike-tours/Mt.-Rushmore-Family-Tour

Seattle Family Tour
Cyclists gather on the coal miners' trail with a short trail ride to the Iron Horse B&B to stay in honest-to-goodness converted cabooses. Then they ride the John Wayne Trail through a two-mile bike path tunnel to the summit of Snoqualmie Pass and on to Rattlesnake Lake with a quick stop for rock climbing, hiking and/or a dip. There’s time for a ferry ride and to explore downtown Seattle, Pike's Place Market, the Seattle Aquarium, the Space Needle and pedaling the waterfront bike path. This five-day trip is $2,395; children’s discounts available. Departures are June 22, July 13 and Aug. 10. http://bicycleadventures.com/tours/family-bike-tours/Seattle-Family-Tour

Bicycle Adventures has offered a special trip for families in the past and will continue its popular Hawaii Family with extra kid-friendly activities built into the tour in addition to hiking, biking and catamaran cruising. Guests may opt for stand-up-paddle boarding or surfing lesson plus there’s plenty of time to snorkel and to enjoy some of the great swimming pools at the hotels when not pedaling quiet back roads and lanes. An ocean-side natural hot spring at Ahalanui Park heated with volcanoes is a big hit with the kids. The per person double rate for six days is $2,660; children’s discounts available. Departures Mar. 29 and Dec. 27, 2015. http://bicycleadventures.com/tours/family-bike-tours/Hawaii-Family-Bike-Tour

For more information, 2014 and 2015 availability and reservations contact Bicycle Adventures by phone: 800.443.6060, email: office@bicycleadventures.com or visit online at: http://bicycleadventures.com/.

About Bicycle Adventures

Scenic byways, four and five-star accommodations and local dining and visits to National Parks are trademarks Bicycle Adventures, founded in 1984.  Types of tours include Classic (25-50 miles a day), Classic Plus (50-60 miles a day) and Epic (70+ miles a day with the most demanding terrain). Value-driven Frugal category of trips offers budget-conscious lodging and meals, van support and shorter itineraries.

Pre-set and custom tours embrace the Pacific Northwest into Canada, California and the Southwest, as well as Colorado, South Dakota, New York, Hawaii, New Zealand, Spain’s Basque region and Taiwan. Excelling in its own backyard the Issaquah, WA,-based company conducts tours of Washington State’s wine country and includes an immersion into the craft beer industry in California, Oregon and Washington.