Bicycle Adventures Announces New Four-Day Urban Adventures in Seattle, Portland, Bend and New York City

The leader in North America bike tours, Bicycle Adventures, announces its latest touring series, Urban Adventures that include for the 2014 season;Seattle,Portland and Bend,OR, and the five Boroughs of New York City. All are three-night / four-day programs centered on cycling, local culture and iconic urban hot spots.

“Exploring an urban center by bike is such a different way to see a city. No circling the block to find a parking spot. You can see, hear and smell the city up close and it’s so easy to stop, hop off and explore a shop or a cafe, have a conversation or admire a unique piece of art or city culture,” explains Todd Starnes, Owner / President of Bicycle Adventures. “Just because we’re in a city doesn't mean we have to move at their pace. We slow it down, take it all in and embrace the spontaneous!”

The rates for the three West Coast trips are $1,984 per person, double. Bicycle Adventures is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2014, so they have created a series of trips priced at $1,984 to honor their founding year. This rate includes three nights lodging, meals with the exception of one dinner, use of bicycles and fees associated with exploring the regions.

Riding high off a Super Bowl victory, Seattlewill be THE place to visit this year. Bicycle Adventures’ Seattle Sampler departs July 17 and Aug. 14 and immediately posits guests into the good life the Emerald City is known for, including on Day 1 sampling Woodinville wines and beers and riding a 17-mile stretch of the paved Burke-Gilman Trail. Day 2 includes the John Wayne Pioneer Trail and a jaw-dropping visit to Snoqualmie Falls.  Waterfront is what Seattle’s about, so there’s time exploring Pike Place Market, home of the original Starbucks, and a hop over to Bainbridge Island for a ride, on bikes, to Classic Cycle’s vintage bike museum. There’s a kayaking excursion on Lake Union and an exploration of Ballard Locks to round out the tour.

Portland, OR, is still the City of Roses but it’s also the jumping off place for adventure splashed with ample beer and wine. On Day 1 of the June 30 and July 14 departures guests pedal a route that avoids busy highways enroute to Multnomah Falls, the second highest waterfall in the United States. Day 2 explores Portland from the Eastbank Esplanade Bike Path and the West Hills for an incredible skyline view. Enroute are opportunities to sample many brews at Portland's own Velocult. Day 3 crosses the mighty Columbia River to the Washington side of the border for a pedal around beautiful La Camas Lake and Day 4 brings guests to Sauvie Island on the Columbia River. Guests lodge at classic Paramount Hotel in downtown Portland and at McMenamins Edgefield that was variously a 300-acre poor farm and nursing home before a winery, movie theater, golf course and artistic embellishment created a new urban destination.

Bend Breakaway is another new urban trip this summer.  Departures are June 29, July 27 and Aug. 10. Guests bask in Bend’s sage and pine-scented air, a place that entrepreneurs and retirees favor when seeking the good life. Rides are surrounded by snow-capped peaks punctuated by the high-desert skyline. Stops at microbrews, hiking, rafting and even golf at the resort community of Sunriver are all possible, as is shopping in the trendy town of Sisters. One day guests bike to McKenzie Pass, a ride hailed as the most spectacular in Central Oregon. The airline gateway is Redmond, 16 miles from Bend. The weather here is sunny on average for 300 days of the year. As with the Portland itinerary, guests lodge one night at a building transformed into a tourist destination. This time it’s a 1936 Catholic school that’s now a McMenamins offering.  (McMenamins are neighborhood gathering spots throughout Oregon and Washington urban areas. Think hand-crafted brews and live music.)

New York City’s TD Five Boro Bike Tour is a four-day urban adventure that culminates with participation in the world’s biggest recreational bike ride, expected to draw some 32,000 participants to the city on May 4, 2014. Up to 18 riders meet May 1 at the Westin New York Grand Central for an introduction toManhattan. Day 2 guests are fitted with bikes before traversing toCentral Park and then ending the day with a Broadway show. Day 3 is a guided tour into the surrounding countryside. And Day Four everyone participates in the bicycle festival organized by BikeNew York and the New York City Department of Transportation. Riders pedal through all five boroughs -Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, andStaten Island - on streets totally free of traffic. On average guests will cycle between 25 to 50 miles a day. The per person double rate of $2,495 includes three nights accommodation at Westin New York Grand Central, all meals except for one lunch, bikes and event fee.