There’s more to exploring a city than hopping in a car to get to the nearest attraction. Get around like a local and try out the public transit — well, the public bike transit.
It’s a hell of a lot cheaper and you might actually have a few more stories to tell when you get home. It’s also one of the coolest ways to see a new city. So, hop on a bike and pedal around to see the sites. Added bonus: It’ll burn some extra calories from the cocktails the night before and might even tone your legs. Win-win!
Words to the wise when pedal pushing through a new city:
- Make sure you follow the road rules and wear a helmet. Tip: bring a comb if you’re heading to the ‘Gayborhood’.
- Some cities are more equipped with bike lanes and paths than others, so it would be best to map out your route.
- To make the adventure a little less stressful, download the city’s bike share program mobile application to find your nearest docking stations and available cycles.
Happy Riding! Here are some of our favorite bike sharing programs:
Chicago
Chicago has Divvy, basically a way to divvy up the bikes among residents and visitors. For a few spins around the Windy City, you can buy a 24-hour pass for $9.95 and ride until your legs can’t go anymore. Tip: just make sure each ride is under 30 minutes or you get charged extra.
New York City
NYC’s bicycle program is Citi Bike and can be found most everywhere. A day pass will cost you $12, while a 3-day pass is a bit more affordable at $24. The rules are the same as Chicago, so keep the rides less than 30 minutes. With stations dotted all over the city, you are sure to have a perfect adventure.
Denver
Don’t let Denver’s mountains scare you! B Cycle will have you speeding all around town with a $9 pass for 24 hours. Again, limit your rides to 30 minutes if you don’t want the $5 charge, but it is a great way to breathe in the thin air.
Los Angeles
For a city with little public transport system, LA’s Metro Bike can take you to all corners of the city including Hollywood and the beaches. At one of the more pricey rates of $3.50 per 30 minute ride, this might make for an expensive day of cruising around West Hollywood. But at least you can say you cruised WeHo!
Portland
With little surprise, Portland can boast about being the first American city to share their bikes. Biketown is sponsored by hometown athletic company, Nike, and allows riders to ‘swoosh’ all over town for $12 a day and allows a whopping 3 hours of ride time. The orange bikes are easy to spot and can have you zooming around like a local. If you prefer a quickie, $2.50 will give you what your need for a single ride up to 30 minutes.
Miami
MIA might boast the perfect weather for pedaling along the beach, but just pack your debit card along with your water bottle since CitiBike Miami gets as high as $24 for 24 hours, with an hour ride ringing in at $6.50. Just be sure to plan your day appropriately to save money for your night out on South Beach.
Atlanta
Atlanta can get pretty steamy and allowing the wind to blow your hair is a perfect way to explore the Southern city. Relay allows for a fun day riding around at just $8 for a 60-minute ride and will even pro-rate if you get too tired before that (no judgments here!) Just be cautious when exploring since a hub bike can cost more when trekking out-of-hub (read: far suburbs).