10 reasons to book a family cycling holiday

Many more parents are enjoying a growing range of opportunities for a cycling holiday with their children. Here we reveal ten great reasons to book a family bike trip.

1 Great for fitness

You can encourage the whole family to be healthier while on holiday. Rather than the holiday traditions of over-eating, drinking and lazing by the pool, a cycling holiday with kids helps you to burn calories and improve your cardiovascular and muscular health. You'll come home fitter than when you left! Cycling with kids on holiday.

2 The perfect pace

Biking is faster than walking but slower than driving – and many people believe it’s the ideal pace for exploring new places and countries. Travelling at between 10 and 15mph, families can feasibly cover 20 to 40 miles in a day and have time off the bike to visit attractions, such as beaches, castles, museums, wineries (for the adults), hills, towns, villages and cities. How about the Moselle Cycle Path for seeing castles and wineries? You can choose the daily mileage and terrain to suit the ages of your children and your own fitness. For example, the flat, traffic-free River Danube Cycle Path is a brilliant option for families. Bikes and boats make great adventures.

3 Enjoy a great adventure

A cycling holiday is much of a proper adventure than the average holidaymaker package trip. There is all the planning, such as where to go, what to take, the type of bike to ride and the fun of self-navigation. This is sure to appeal to many families, especially energetic kids. Cycling also gets you close to nature and culture and creates many lasting memories. For the ultimate cycling adventure, we recommend heading to the Highlands, such as this Great Glen Cycleway tour.

4 Get off the beaten track

By bike, you will discover quiet back roads, man-made and traffic free cycle paths, such as those that run alongside rivers and canals, and a host of other places that you might not so easily reach by car or public transports. A bike is made for discovery and off-the-beaten-track journeys and its something that families can enjoy doing together. Enjoy time together on and off the bike.

5 Try something new

As well as a host of family cycling holidays, Macs Adventure organises bike and boat trips, many of which are perfect for families. Your journey by bike in the day-time and then board a boat at night-time. These bike & boat holidays are a great option because you can leave all your luggage on the boat for the whole holiday and if children tire you often have the opportunity to re-board the boat to travel to that evening’s destination. There are plenty of new ideas for holidays with families, too, such as the new Macs Adventure Loire River Cycle Path: Orleans to Chinon and the Family Lake Constance Cycle Path .

6 The best views

From your bike, you’ll see the countryside, nature and wildlife in a stunningly up-close-and-personal view. It is excellent for curious children and adults alike. A biking holiday for families also allows for lots of time off the bike to investigate wildlife and different attractions. Families make great cycling companions.

7 Cycling is sociable

Many families enjoy cycling together and chatting. Macs Adventure holidays are often on quiet roads and traffic-free cycle paths, so it’s easily possible to talk while you pedal. Both parents and children will benefit from the time spent together talking and adventuring on a cycling holiday.

8 Lots of cycling options

Many cycle tours, especially those on cycle paths and flatter routes, are perfect for family groups. The kids can ride on their own bikes or add a tag-along to your own bike for a speedier outing. Why not look at the options for e-bike holidays, so that adults and older children or different abilities can all ride together happily? Look for “easy” graded cycling holidays. And why not consider a parent and teenage child tandem cycling tour if you would prefer a holiday that has more daily mileage?
You could choose an e-bike holiday.

9 Good for the environment

Cycling has a vastly reduced carbon footprint compared to driving a car and so it is a great way to travel on holiday with a clear green conscience. If you want to further reduce your environmental footprint, why not choose to holiday in your own country, instead of flying overseas?

10 Lots of fresh air

Being outdoors for your holidays is healthy and invigorating. You’ll all sleep much better on holiday and return home feeling refreshed and full of the joys of outdoors life.

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