ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours, a trailblazer in cycling adventures and leader in active travel, is celebrating World Bicycle Day (June 3) by sharing its top five reasons to consider a bike vacation.
“Though a simple vehicle, since the very beginning the bicycle has been a disruptor – be it social, as part of the women’s liberation movement, or economic, as we are seeing now with the massive popularity of e-bikes – it continues to be something that really catalyzes change in the world,” says Maria Elena Price, co-owner of ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours. “It is also the best way to experience the world as it allows you to connect deeply with the places and people you visit, in a truly impactful and authentic way.”
Getting out in the fresh air, sun on your back, wind on your face, traveling from place to place on your own, without being confined to a vehicle… travel really doesn’t get much better than when it’s done via two wheels! So, with that in mind, here are ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours’ top five reasons to book a cycling adventure next time (and every time!):
- Travel at Your Own Pace: Whether it’s part of a group or a self-guided tour, when traveling with ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours, navigation is easy and always at your own pace. You start and stop when and where you want and never have to worry about keeping up. On guided group tours, just watch for the chalk arrows that lead the way; on self-guided adventures, simply follow the route map outlined through the free app.
- Connect with People and Places: Cultures, languages, and the histories of every place you visit come alive when you explore by bike. On two wheels, it’s not just about going somewhere new and exotic, but experiencing what happens as you pedal from point A to B. On a bike, you get the most out of your travels – you cover enough ground to feel like you are really getting somewhere while still traveling slow enough to be able to observe what is happening around you. You get to savor every moment of the journey, enjoying amazing panoramic views, and, of course, trying all the food at every patisserie, gelateria, and fromager as you go.
- Leave Your Cares Behind: In addition to getting out in fresh air and closer to the world around you, on a bicycling trip with ExperiencePlus!, your logistics, hotel reservations, and route mapping are all taken care of, regardless of whether you are on a guided or self-guided tour. You spend more time biking and less time worrying. You see the beauty of each destination at a pleasant pace; you can enjoy the solitude and be reflective or soak up the camaraderie of others; take advantage of the amazing knowledge and expertise of local guides or discover what’s around every corner on your own. It’s an incredible stress reducer, while also leaving you with a great sense of accomplishment at the end of every day.
- It’s a Multi-Sensory Experience: Riding makes you think and engage all your senses, and on a cycling trip the benefits of this are even more apparent – it’s a sensory smorgasbord. Your sense of smell is heightened – you know its harvest time at a vineyard because the sweet smell of grapes permeates the air – as is your sense of taste as you eat local specialties, tasting the crops from those harvested fields, deepening your connection to a place through its food. It’s such a complete experience compared to other forms of transportation – something that will be on full display this summer when ExperiencePlus! works with American adventurer Eric Weihenmayer, the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, who will explore the scents, tastes, sounds, and tactile experiences of Italy’s Alpine Valleys on a self-guided tour.
- It’s Earth-Friendly: As a human-powered mode of transport, bicycles do not emit harmful pollutants or greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, making a cycling vacation an ideal choice for environmentally conscious individuals who are looking to make less of an impact while still having all the fun. Add to that, ExperiencePlus! and its operator partner, sister company BikesPlus, prioritize sustainability across the spectrum of its activities – always looking for ways to make the sustainable choice the default choice for consumers. Its fleet of bikes feature titanium frames, which are not only incredibly durable and built to last, but when these frames do finally reach the end of their lifespan, they can be recycled.
