Top five family-friendly cycling destinations in the US

With spring break over and summer already fast approaching, it is safe to say that many of us are already planning our next vacation – and if you and your family are cycling aficionados, that no doubt means going on an exciting family bike holiday filled with fantastic sights and scenery from America’s most beautiful states! 

But given just how big America is, you have quite a lot of choices when it comes to potential cycling destinations, especially if you want to take your family somewhere new and enticing this year. 

Fortunately, the team at buycycle are here to lend you a hand. We took it upon ourselves to analyze and rank all 50 American states, alongside their 30 most populous cities, to find out which were the most family-friendly regarding cycling holidays. 

From looking at associated safety scores and the number of local cycle routes you can take advantage of to how many family-friendly restaurants and hotels are available around each destination, we have used all these stats and more to create a definitive list of where you and your family should be cycling in the US this summer. 

The best family cycling locations across America

Having closely compared and contrasted all of our factors, we can now reveal the top five family-friendly cycling destinations in the US: 

1. California

Number one is the golden state of California. And if we are being honest, we are not surprised. Home to phenomenal natural parks like Yosemite and the Sequoias, there are countless incredible places to visit and cycle through as you enjoy this state at the peak of summer. 

So many cycling options are open to you that you might be spoilt for choice, as California is home to a whopping 82,978 cycle routes – the highest number of cycle routes out of any state on our list. 

This equates to a total distance of roughly 2,238,477 miles and a total elevation change of 14,790 feet, again putting California first and second place for these areas. 

Of course, California has far more to offer cycling families than many cycling routes. It also boasts the second-highest safety rating (33) out of our top five, the second-highest number of family-friendly hotels (1,415), and the highest number of child-friendly restaurants (15,873) across individual states! 

And to wrap it all up, California is also home to the most bike tours out of every other US state (142). In other words, if you’re after a cycling holiday that will offer you the best range of routes and plenty of places to stay and eat, California is by far your best option! 

2. Florida

Following California, and in a very close second, we have Florida, a.k.a. the Sunshine State. This is a well-deserved nickname thanks to its gorgeous summer weather and tantalizing temperatures, which you can enjoy as you trek around some of its 35,997 cycle routes, the third-highest collection on our list. 

Much like California, the cycle routes around Florida are extensive, totaling 784,323 miles. Once again, Florida is the third highest overall in our ranking. However, the number of family-friendly hotels, restaurants, and bike tours bumps Florida into second place. 

With 1,627 family-friendly hotels and 15,079 child-friendly restaurants, putting Florida in first for the former and second for the latter, you won’t have trouble finding accommodation and catering options while on holiday.

And with 130 family bike tours available, you have plenty of pre-mapped route options to choose from as well. 

However, Florida lags behind other states in safety ratings, eleven points below California’s at 22—still the third highest out of our top five but lower than many other states. 

Additionally, suppose you are traveling with younger kids who aren’t experienced cyclists. In that case, Florida is the best state to pick from our top five due to its low elevation change of only 344 feet, making for plenty of flat cycling routes that won’t tucker little legs out. 

3. New York

Perhaps America’s most iconic city and indeed a must-visit destination for anyone planning an urban getaway, the Big Apple managed to snap up our third-place slot thanks to its 43,090 cycle routes, which combined equal a total distance of 784,323 miles and an overall elevation change of 5,344 feet! 

However, despite being a bustling American city well-known for its regular gridlock and busy roads, New York is one of America's most popular cycling destinations. There are 2,096 parks and green spaces for you to ride through (the fourth highest on our list overall) and a respectable number of family bike tours for you to consider at 64. 

Unfortunately, New York is in a similar boat to Florida regarding its safety score, which currently sits at just 13—by no means the lowest on our list but certainly leaving a lot to be desired in this area.

However, being such a popular tourist hotspot, it might be worth taking this rating with a pinch of salt. 

In general, New York is an excellent choice for those families who want to combine casual cycling with a city getaway, allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds over your summer vacation. 

4. Texas

Fourth, we have the Lone Star State—Texas—home to a more than respectable 31,656 cycle routes, combining a total route length of 523,051 miles and an elevation change of 8,750 feet! 

One of the South’s most popular states to visit, Texas is well-known for its hearty hospitality and spectacular scenery. Both are represented in its 11,253 child-friendly restaurants and 2,940 parks, of which Texas claims the third and second spots for either category. 

But if safety is at the forefront of your mind, then Texas is the state for you.

With an enviable score of 38, it is first in our top five in this category and only misses out on a spot in the top ten overall. 

Texas certainly has a lot going for it as a US holiday destination. It is very welcoming to families looking to take their bikes for a spin rather than travelling everywhere via car. And with local sights like the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and the Caverns of Sonora to see, you won’t lack exciting places to spend the day. 

5. Michigan

Last, we have Michigan, which is home to the Great Lakes and has many stunning cycling routes. Interestingly, however, Michigan didn’t even rank in the top 10 for total cycling routes, coming in 12th with just 12,649. This is still plenty to choose from and totals 342,328 miles. 

For example, Michigan came in ninth for family-friendly hotels (879), 11^th for child-friendly restaurants (5,037), eighth for Parks (1,439), and tenth for the number of family bike tours at 70. 

And yet, besides all these admirable stats, there may be a straightforward reason why Michigan is such a popular cycling destination – it’s right by the Great Lakes! 

A beautiful backdrop for any holiday, the Great Lakes provide endless cycling route options and even an opportunity to visit Mackinac Island, an entirely car-free zone. It is an ideal choice if you want to stay cool with a northern holiday. 

Other notable cycling destinations in America

While we have highlighted our five must-visit city destinations across America for this summer, that is not to say there are not any other standout states that are worth your time if you and your family are after a specific type of cycling holiday. 

For example, families seeking a more challenging cycling experience with plenty of elevation changes might want to consider Alaska or Washington State as their next bike destination.

Both states scored very highly in this area—Alaska came in top with an elevation change of 20,311 feet, closely followed by Washington at 14,416 feet. 

Alternatively, if you are travelling with young and beginner cyclists, safety might be your priority instead. In this case, you might consider travelling to New Mexico, Louisiana, or Alaska (again), as these locations had the highest overall state safety scores—50, 49, and 48, respectively. 

Finally, for families seeking an organized family bike tour in some of America’s most gorgeous terrain, your best bet outside of our top five will be either Colorado (116), Utah (110), or Arizona (108), which came in the middle of our list overall all but in positions three, four, and five when looking at family bike tours specifically. 

US locations that cycling families should avoid

As much as there is to love about traveling all over the United States by bike, certain areas are best avoided if traveling for a family cycling holiday, especially where safety is a concern. 

Nowhere is this more exemplified than in the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and New Jersey, all of which have the lowest safety scores on our list—1, 2, and 3, respectively. 

In addition, if you and your family are beginner cyclists, areas such as Alaska, Washington State, and Hawaii are best avoided due to their aggressive elevation changes and restrictive accommodation options. 

Top tips for cycling in the US

Finally, to wrap up our deep dive into cycling in the US with your family this summer, we have pulled together some essential cycling tips to keep you and your young ones safe while out and about: 

• Be prepared to travel between locations: As significant for the environment as cycling is, unless you are staying in a single location like Yosemite or a similar national park, you’ll likely need to drive between destinations to get the most out of your trip. 
• Avoid cities and highways: Unless you and your family are confident in your cycling skills, it is best to avoid cycling in cities when possible due to America’s hectic traffic. Likewise, you should always avoid highways due to their hectic nature. 
• Avoid hill climbs: Prepare for the strain that comes with hill climb routes, you will likely find these sorts of rides difficult, and you may cut a day short if such a route proves too exhausting. 
• Stick to premade tours: Although planning an entire holiday from scratch is an exciting endeavor, it can also be pretty exhausting, especially if you have a big family, which is exactly why you might want to go ahead and book a premade tour instead. Not only does this save you time on planning, but you can be sure that your family will be able to handle the majority of planned routes available. 
• Make use of green routes: While not always the case, if you do find yourself cycling in a city or town at any point during your holiday, then it’s best to travel via the available green routes, which are specifically designed for cyclists. 
• Take plenty of sunscreen: We’re sure we don’t have to tell you this, but it goes without saying that America can get hot in the summer. So, take adequate sunscreen (and then a little more) with you and apply it liberally to avoid burning. 
• Stay hydrated: Cycling, while leisurely, can also be quite an intense activity, which makes taking plenty of water on even small trips essential for hydration if you’re cycling in the summer months.
• Take a bike lock: Even though you might not be in a busy city area for large portions of your cycling holiday, it is still worth taking a U-shaped lock with you to lock your bike up when you’re not using it. 

Start your cycling journey with buycycle

So, there you have it: the top five cycling destinations for families vacationing across America this summer. However, if this is your first cycling holiday, then you need to make sure you buy a bike that’s suited for your needs – which is exactly where buycycle can help! 

"Our range is home to a huge selection of high-quality, pre-owned bikes at great prices, making it easy for you to find new wheels without breaking the bank. Not only that but if you are looking to sell your old bike, we will take it directly from you." - Alice Huot @buycycle

Methodology

Based on family-friendliness, this dataset ranks all 50 states and the 30 most populated US cities. 

Nine different factors were used to do this. Once the data for the factors was collected, they were normalized to provide each factor with a score between 0 and 1. If data was not available, a score of 0 was given. 

The normalized values were then summed to give each location a total score of 9. Based on their total scores, the locations were ranked from highest to lowest. 

The factors used are as follows: 

• Elevation Range – The difference between the maximum and minimum elevation in each state/city, in feet. 
• Safety Score [State] – The rank of each state in 'Public Safety' as per usnews.com. 
• Safety Score [City] – A score ranking the safety levels in each city as per numbeo.com. 
• Cycling Routes – The total number of cycling routes in each state/city as listed on bikemap.net. 
• Cycling Route Length – The length of all cycling routes in each state/city as listed on bikemap.net, in miles. 
• Family Friendly Hotels – The total number of hotels under the 'Family Friendly' category in each state/city as listed on tripadvisor.co.uk. 
• Child-Friendly Restaurants – The total number of restaurants under the 'Child-Friendly' category in each state/city as listed on tripadvisor.co.uk. 
• Parks – The total number of parks in each state/city as listed on tripadvisor.co.uk. 
• Playgrounds – The total number of playgrounds in each state/city as listed on tripadvisor.co.uk. 
• Family Bike Tours – The total number of bike tours listed on Google Maps in each state/city, with the prompt "Family Bike Tours in X", where X is the state/city. 

The factors were indexed as follows: 

• Elevation Range – Low values get a high score. High values get a low score. 
• Safety Score [State] – Low values get a high score. High values get a low score. 
• Safety Score [City] – High values get a high score. Low values get a low score. 
• Cycling Routes – High values get a high score. Low values get a low score. 
• Cycling Route Length – High values get a high score. Low values get a low score. 
• Family Friendly Hotels – High values get a high score. Low values get a low score. 
• Child-Friendly Restaurants – High values get a high score. Low values get a low score. 
• Parks – High values get a high score. Low values get a low score. 
• Playgrounds – High values get a high score. Low values get a low score. 
• Family Bike Tours – High values get a high score. Low values get a low score. 

All data is correct as of 23/04/24. The ranking data shown is a compilation of multiple data sources and may not represent real life. All data about the sources provided is accurate.