Travel

New England has 3 of the best bike trips in the U.S., according to Bicycling magazine

The tours all have COVID-19 safety measures in place.

By Kristi Palma

December 9, 2020

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If your 2021 goals include biking across scenic New England, three local tours just ranked among the best — and safest — in the U.S.

Bicycling magazine released a list of the best bike trips in the U.S. you can book right now on Monday, and the following three New England tours made the cut: Berkshires Farm to Fork Tour by Farm to Fork Fitness Adventures, Maine Bike Tour by Backroads, and Lake Champlain Valley Fall Foliage tour by Sojourn.

The publication called its list of 26 tours “the safest bike tours along America’s most spectacular routes.” Only companies with COVID-19 safety measures in place made the list, editors noted.

Bicycling magazine called the Berkshires Farm to Fork Tour a great tour for foodies, writing, “Spend an easy morning riding between three on-farm tasting experiences in the world-renowned foodie destination before enjoying a farm-to-table lunch.” The one-day trip covers 40-60 miles, is great for all levels, and costs $140.

Adventurers can explore Acadia National Park by bike on the Maine Bike Tour by Backroads, called one of the best national park tours by the magazine. “Pine forests, fresh lobster dinners, and time to wander museums and local shops round out the laid-back experience,” wrote the publication. The five-day trip, which covers 90-160 miles, is for intermediate and advanced bikers and costs $3,199 to $3,599.

Bikers will wind through “a breathtaking canopy of red, amber, and gold” on the Lake Champlain Valley Fall Foliage tour in Vermont, an “inn-to-inn adventure across the gently rolling valley between the Green Mountains and New York’s majestic Adirondack peaks,” wrote the publication. The trek includes covered bridges, iconic red barns, and stays in historic hotels and country inns. The trip, which covers 160-275 miles, is for intermediate bikers and costs $2,559.

Editors vetted hundreds of tour outfitters to comprise the list, analyzing factors such as tour size, traveler reviews, value, and quality of the rental fleet. The COVID-19 safety measures in place range from sanitizing equipment to testing staff to providing masks for bikers. Also, many of the companies have altered cancellation policies, decreased group sizes, and beefed up self-guided tours and private trip options in response to the pandemic, the publication wrote.

“Before you book any trip, check for travel restrictions and mandates in states and counties you’ll pass through and understand they may still be in place when it’s time for your trip,” wrote the publication. “If so, respect these restrictions and their communities by rescheduling for a safer time.”

View the full list of best bike trips in the U.S.