One fabulous method for exploring the numerous wonders of New York is the bicycle, which is why many visitors choose to go on a bike tour of the city. Not only are bike tours an eco-friendly means of seeing New York City, they’re also usually not as expensive as boat tours or bus tours. And while it’s true that bike tours require a greater level of physical activity than something like the classic hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour, plenty of people find them more enjoyable than a walking tour. In addition to guided group bike tours, the majority of New York City bike tour operators permit customers to rent bicycles for a given period of time. Lots of visitors take advantage of this option, as its open-ended flexibility lets you design your own personal excursion.
As far as major metropolitan areas are concerned, New York City is a great place to be a cyclist. Not only is New York in general a bike-friendly city, but some of the absolute most famous attractions in New York City are ideal subjects for bike tours. Many locals swear that the best way to experience the Brooklyn Bridge is on bike—in fact, year in and year out it’s one of the city’s most popular cycling destinations. Whether you join a guided tour or seek it out on your own time, biking across the Brooklyn Bridge will present you with amazing opportunities to photograph the Statue of Liberty, the Manhattan skyline, and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Another iconic New York City attraction that’s perfectly suited for cyclists is Central Park. Here, again, you’ll be able to join a guided bike tour or rent a bike, but regardless of which direction you go in, you’ll be richly rewarded. Many first-time visitors to New York City seriously underestimate the size of Central Park, thus misjudging the distance they’ll have to cover on foot between different parks of the park they want to experience. Odds are, you’ll be able to see more and feel less worn-out covering Central Park on bike than you would during a walking tour.
No matter what you’re interested in seeing and doing while in New York City, chances are there’s a bike tour out there that’ll work for you. That’s because New York City has bike tours that prioritize all manner of landmarks, neighborhoods, themes, and more. For instance, there are guided bike tours that take you through the Bronx to Yankee Stadium, just as there are guided bike tours that show you famous sites of the Harlem Renaissance. There are guided bike tours that go to Times Square after dark or down Wall Street in the afternoon, and there’s even a full-day guided bike tour that takes you to Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, showing you a tremendous cross-section of the city in the process. And that’s just to name a few!
Last but not least, if you’re in the mood for something a bit more unconventional—let’s just call it “bike-adjacent”—then you’ll want to consider one of New York City’s many different electric scooter, or electric bike tours. You’ll find these types of guided tours available at a top attraction like Central Park.
If you’re intrigued by the idea of going on a New York City bike tour, keep reading to learn more about some of the top companies specializing in group bike tours and bike rentals in New York City today.
Unlimited Biking
Unlimited Biking specializes in group bike tours of major New York City landmarks like Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Harlem. They also run multiple walking tours throughout the city and offer multi-hour bike rentals.