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Cycling vacations with kids: everything you need to know
Traveling by bike as a family is un beautiful adventure, an outdoor journey in contact with nature and the traditions of the places traversed. A week on the move will teach children the dimension of the itinerant journey, and that each destination must be conquered one kilometer at a time.
The stages by bicycle (or by seat, cart, tandem, etc.) are designed especially for young children: short, easy and on bike paths.
Easy stages
We can reassure you: the hard part will not be motivating your children, but keeping up with them!
An average of 30 km per day, flat and away from traffic, to ride at a leisurely pace, taking your time to visit the villages you encounter along the way and to stop at playgrounds and picnic areas along the bike paths.
Baggage? It is always carried , and not by the Oompa Loompas of the Chocolate Factory, but by our valiant right arms: in your side bags only a change of clothes, snack and personal belongings!
The vacation will be even easier if you choose a group tour, led by a tour leader to lead the way and in the company of other families to make friends with… because you know, unity is strength!
Bike rental for all ages
Baby cams, trolleys, rear seats, toddler bikes, follow-me and family tandems… the range of bikes and appendages for hire for little cyclists is really wide. A bicycle vacation thus becomes accessible to all ages, from 0 to 12 years old!
Major reductions
A special focus on those traveling with children: bike and family tours provide accommodation in even triple and quadruple rooms, to stay together and especially to enjoy important reductions, always indicated in the price.
Girolibero’s advice
1. Don’t cut corners
You’ll only have to pedal a few kilometers a day, and you don’t need to do them all in one go: stop wherever you like, indulge in a few snack stops, visit a few historic centers, and as soon as you come across a swimmable lake… take a dip!
2. Leave protection anxiety at home
You will be pedaling away from traffic, and if your child also passes you on a bike, you can afford to keep an eye on him or her from a distance. In fact, remember that children and teens will have no problem lapping us!
3. Don’t worry, you can eat!
Many families worry that they won’t be able to manage snacks, warm up baby food for the little ones, find a place to stop for lunch… Actually, it’s all very simple: the side bags on the bikes can hold a snack; along the way you’ll find grocery stores and supermarkets to refuel; for a hot dish you’ll find cafes and small restaurants, also available to warm up baby food.
4. No need to be a Boy Scout…
… to know that “there is no such thing as good or bad weather but good and bad equipment.” Come rain or shine, it is useful to equip yourself as best you can: if the sky does not look good, put a k-way and a change of clothes in the side bags (or in the cart, if you are bringing small children); if the sun is beating down, don’t forget sunglasses, sunscreen and a white tarp to store on top of the cart, to keep the hottest rays away.
And now…off we go! Check out some of the workhorses on the Girolibero website, suitable for both a first time and those who have already experienced a bike ride with kids!
