This post is sponsored by the Taiwan Tourism Board. All opinions are my own and those of my dad, who planned an awesome cycling vacation!

Have you ever dreamed of taking a Cycling vacation? I have hopes, dreams, and plans to take one in the near future and have been researching places to go. I’ve done day trips and bike tours when traveling – from Brugges, Belgium to Amsterdam, Netherlands to Tuscany, Italy.

Recently, my dad went on a fantastic almost-three-week cycling vacation to France. He had an amazing time and it was such a healthy, active trip that enabled him to see so much of the country. Being obsessed with the concept myself, I followed along with his planning, packing, and execution of this trip-of-a-lifetime.

Does taking a cycling vacation sound intimidating or too much to tackle? It doesn’t have to be – I learned a lot when following along with my dad’s planning and he offered these tips to taking a cycling vacation!

10 Tips for Taking a Cycling Vacation

1. Pick the right level of support. There are several ways to go in terms of support for your cycling trip. You can go on a group tour arranged by a company. Or you can go it completely alone – coordinating all your own logistics and carrying everything you need with you via bike. Or, as my dad did, you can book a “self-guided tour” with a bike company. This was perfect for him. They booked his hotels and moved his suitcase as he biked from one location to another.

2. Choose a company.  Adventure cycling magazines can be great resources for finding companies and tours.

3. Choose your level of skill and challenge. The bike tour company offered a variety of skill level options for the avid bike rider to the novice. Be realistic about your level and what you want out of your trip – if you book a trip that’s too challenging for your level you might end up miserable for a week!

4. Decide what bike is right for you. The bike company rented him a bike – they gave the option for hybrids or road bikes. Pick which one suits the terrain you’ll be biking on, and what you feel most comfortable with. You also have the option to bring your own bike, but you’ll need to arrange for packing and shipping it, and feel comfortable putting it together.

5. Pack your own gear. My dad suggests bringing your own pedals and shoes, even if you’re renting a bike – that way they’re comfortable and familiar to you.  There’s nothing worse than having tight bike clips when you are used to loose. And it avoids awkward moments coming to a stop in front of people and falling over because the clips were tight and you couldn’t release easily.  It may be that you have to bring a pedal wrench with you – ask the bike tour company.

6. Don’t over-pack. Even if you’re staying in nice hotels, remember that you’re taking a cycling vacation, not a leisurely one. You’re not going to be expected to wear a coat and tie for dinner. If they do, eat down the street! Just bring the basics and you’ll be less burdened.

7. Plan your routes. Doing the tour-company-supported trip was perfect for my dad. They provided him with routes that he probably wouldn’t have chosen – small access roads he never would have thought of or found. He was provided with maps and directions, and a GPS with the routes mapped out. For a guy who likes to plan things himself, this was a treat and let him focus on enjoying the moment.

8. Allow for detours. Because he did a self-guided tour, when he saw somewhere he wanted to go – like a castle on the top of a hill off in the distance – he would just bike there.  To get back to the route, all he had to do was turn the GPS back on and it would bring him back to the route the company had marked. It took away the stress of getting off the track or getting lost.

9. Savor the moment and don’t be shy! Stop and talk to people on the way – farmers love to show you what they are doing in the fields. My dad stopped to “smell the roses” and really enjoyed the moment.

10. Ask the locals. Be sure to ask the locals or the bike tour guide questions. Restaurants and other recommendations for what to see and do along your route will be really special coming from locals. It’s a treat to see the back roads and off-the-beaten path areas when you’re biking!

I started to look into various options for places to go and learned about Taiwan as a potential cycling vacation destination. It sounds like an amazing adventure, with options for whether you want an easy trip on the quiet roads of Taiwan’s east coast, or more of a cycling challenge in the mountains on one of the cross island roads.

There are tons of choices, including the bucket-list-worthy Sun Moon Lake Bicycle Trail, which was chosen by CNN-Go as one of the ten most beautiful bicycle trails in the world. Or coordinate your trip with the annual Taiwan Cycling Festival in November, which has challenges for all levels such as the Taiwan King-of-the-Mountain Challenge.

Now I’d better get planning – it’s a healthy, active way to take a vacation, along with lifelong memories!

10 Tips for Taking a Cycling Vacation! @tbrocnyc #cycling #adventuretravel #fitcation
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Have you taken an active, adventurous, or outdoorsy vacation? Where did you go? Tell me about it in the comments!

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