How to Plan the Perfect Family Bike Ride

Whether you are tackling a new trail or just heading out for ice cream, a family bike ride is the perfect way to get exercise and spend time together.

Biking is a great alternative to the pool on those super hot days, too. But, what I love most about a family bike ride is that you can plan an outing with kids of any age.

With teens you can plan some long trail rides to discover new places and explore some great nature trails. They can handle overnight biking trips or enter week-long biking events like Ragbrai, in Iowa. My brother-in-law and nephew really look forward to this biking event and their time bonding together every year. 

With kids ages 6-10, make your outings really enjoyable like heading to the park for a picnic or some fun time on the playground. Bike to a local restaurant for dinner or the ice cream shop for an afternoon treat. It burns some of those calories! Focus on teaching your kids to build up their endurance, get really comfortable on their bikes, and learn to interact with others on the bike paths. 

If your kids are too young to ride themselves, no problem, pull them behind. There are quite a few options for trailers or trailer bikes. Trailer bikes are one wheeled options that hook onto an adult bike to the kids can pedal and get used to the feeling of balancing on a bike.

You can even go with tandem bikes which are sometimes a good option for kids with special needs. Here's a great article on the best bikes for kids with special needs. Even being pulled, your toddlers or kids who haven't quite mastered bike riding yet will enjoy being outside just as much as the rest of the family.

For more tips on biking safety, how to make the bike ride more fun, and how to find the perfect trails, this article will help you plan the perfect family bike ride.

Do you like to bike as a family? What are some of your favorite places to ride?

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Sue Kirchner is a family fun coach, kids party planner, and weekly contributor to Patch.com. Sue and her family fun ideas have been featured on TV, newspapers, magazines, blogs, as well as her own family fun site ChocolateCakeMoments.com.