Spend the 4th of July discovering Acadia National Park on a Maine Bike Tour. We are offering a $100.00 per person discount  on our July 1-3 Exploring Acadia Tour

Rich in history, stunningly beautiful, and dotted with charming towns New England offers amazing opportunities for cycling. Here is our guide to organized New England Bicycle Tours.

MAINE

Summer Feet Cycling 1-866-857-9544 — Let’s get the shameless plug out of the way. If you are interested in Maine Bicycle Tours, Summer Feet Cycling is the obvious choice. We are the only Maine-based company and we offer a total of 6 itineraries in Maine: 3 week long tours, 3 weekend tours.

• Maine’s Gold Coast — Features cycling in Acadia National Park and Camden, sea kayaking, and a private sail aboard a wooden schooner (something no other tour company offers)
• Pedal the Coast — A challenging ride that has cyclists ride the coast from southern Maine to Acadia National Park
• Islands and Inlets — An exploration of off-the-beaten-track Blue Hill and Deer Isle, with a final visit to Acadia National Park
• The weekend tours are all 3 days in length and run Friday through Sunday. We offer tours in Boothbay Harbor, Camden and Bar Harbor. These trips are great for girlfriend getaways, as well as friends and family tours.

VBT VBT.com 1-800-245-3868 offers a 6 day/ 5 night tour of Acadia National Park

Sojourns gosojourn.com 1-800-730-4771 offers pretty much the same tour as VBT

Bike Vermont bikevt.com 1-800-257-2226 has a 6 day/5 night tour again following the same itinerary

Backroads backroads.com  1-800-GOACTIVE offers 2 itineraries:

• A cycling trip featuring Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, and Camden
• A family multi-sport tour in both inn and camping versions

MASSACHUSETTS

There are 2 main itineraries run by tour operators in Massachussetts:

• Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, an exploration of the famous islands
• The Berkshires, the wonderful charming and artsy region in Western Mass

If you are interested in the Vineyard and Nantucket the following companies offer tours.

Sojourns, Backroads, Woman’s Tours womantours.com 1-800-247-1444, and Experience Plus experienceplus.com 1-800-685-4565

If your are interested in the Berkshires try:

Ciclismo Classico ciclismoclassico.com 1-800-866-7314 offers 6 day fall foliage tours

VERMONT

Vermont famous for foliage, country stores, Ben and Jerry’s, and fall foliage. The folks in Vermont have a strong claim to starting the commercial bike tour industry in the United States. There are numerous Vermont-based tour companies to choose from.

POMG pomgbike.com 1-888-635-2453 our good friend Rich has built a great business with weekend and week long bike tours

Other Vermont based companies offering trips are VBT, Bike Vermont, and Sojourns

NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Hampshire is not nearly as popular as Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts

Ciclismo Classico offers a 4-day tour in the Connecticut River Valley

Bike the Whites bikethewhites.com 1-800-421-1785 is a collection of Inns in the North Conway area who offer a self-guided tour.

RHODE ISLAND

Great Freedom Adventures greatfreedomadventures.com  1-877-545-1864 offers a tour of Block Island

Bike and the Like bikeandthelike.com 1-877-776-6572 offers a Connecticut and Rhode Island Tour

CONNECTICUT

Coastal Biking Adventures coastalbikingadventures.com 1-401-580-1358 offers a tour featuring Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Long Island, NY

Maine’s size and variety offers bike rides for all levels. Here in alphabetical order are 5 of my favorites all of which we do on our great Maine Bike Tours.

Acadia’s Carriage Roads.

Built through the generosity of John Rockefeller the carriage roads offer 50 plus miles of car free cycling. Most people who ride the carriage roads only ride the super highway between Eagle Lake and the Jordan Pond House. It is a nice family friendly ride that offers a nice stopping point with services but it gets crazy crowded on summer days. If you really want to do this ride try it after 3 pm and you will encounter a fraction of the people. Looking to ride the carriage roads with a few less people try the Around the Mountain Loop, a little bit more challenging but worth the effort, I have ridden this at the height of tourist season in August and seen maybe 6 other people. In addition to more exercise and less people the Around the Mountain Loop will offer some nice views of Sommes Sound and Northeast Harbor. Want a kid friendly ride cycle Witch Hole going the opposite way at Eagle Lake from the crowds heading to Jordan Pond.

Blue Hill Peninsula

A little further a field and best for experienced road cyclists Blue Hill offers great cycling. Both the towns of Blue Hill and Castine are charming and great starting points. Get the Delorme Maine Gazatter and plan a route following the roads along the coast for miles of low traffic roads with a nice mix of hills. Be sure to visit Blue Hill reversing falls just south of the town of Blue Hill

Cape Elizabeth and Prouts Neck

My hometown favorite leave Porltand and do a bit of urban cycling over the bridge to South Porltand. From here cut over to the South Portland shore and visit Both Bug Light a small fire plug lighthouse with a nice little museum over looking Casco Bay and Spring Point another small lighthouse with a stone jetty for great views of Portland. Pop into Willard Square and stop at the great bakery for a treat before cycling out Shore Road with great views of some beautiful houses and a visit to the Portland Head Light. From here cycle onto Route 77 heading south to Two Light State Park where can wander on the Rocks, and enjoy a Lobster Roll at the scene from a Edward Hopper painting. Pedal onto Kettle Cove and then follow Route 77 to Prout’s Neck for more ocean views and view of Pine Point and Old Orchard Beach. Cycle back to Portland and celebrate your ride with one of our great micro brews from Geary’s or the Shipyard.

Rockland and Port Clyde Loop

From the funky town of Rockland, think Camden with a soul, head south on Route 73 to the Owls Head Light continue south passing the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum a great spot for any one interested all kinds of transportation from air planes to bicycles. and continue south to the Junction of Route 131. Follow 131 down to Port Clyde visiting the Marshall Point Lighthouse and the fishing village of Port Clyde. Stop at the general store or dip net for lunch before cycling back to Rockland

Route 113

One the best fall foliage Maine. Start from Bethel and follow the North Road to the bridge, cross the bridge and turn right onto Route 2 for a short stretch until the junction of Route 113. It offers easy cycling up until Hastings campground where the leisurely can turn around and the more enthusiastic can cycle up to Evans Notch. For a bigger challenge start in Fryeburg and follow 113 from the steeper side into the Notch

Looking for a great way to expereince Maine Fall Foliage. Visit Acadia National Park and cycle the Carraige Roads. Built by John Rockefeller as a gift to the people of America. The carriage roads offer miles of car free cycling through the park. A great ride is to cycle to the top of Day Mountain for great views.