Family Friendly Bike Tour Reviews (page 9)
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★★★★★ Michael Mccutcheon September 24, 2022Wonderful bike trip
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Glad we added days in melk and durnstein. It helped us enjoy the towns more. We also stayed a few days in Passau, before our bike trip which we really enjoyed. Did not like Goldenes Kreuz in Grein. Hotel would not let us check in even though we were wet. Favorite hotels were Schloss Durnstein and Gierlinger in Schlogen, Zur Post in Melk.
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★★★★★ James Hutcherson September 21, 2022Could have been better
· Loire a Velo: Orleans to the Atlantic
This tour was our 12th bicycle tour, but the first in France. Distances were good, weather cooperated, Hotels were excellent. Route was very well sign posted. We found the route much more difficult than we expected. Many hills. The previous reviews and description did not even mention that aspect. These would have not caused much of a problem if we had opted for ebikes, and the vast majority of riders that we encountered did have ebikes. I would disagree that this tour would be labeled as family friendly, unless the family has no kids. One difficulty we had was that there were no intermediate stops for coffee, snacks, lunch, water, etc. I would recommend packing those items from the departure town each day. While the route does generally follow the river, most of the route is not next to the river and it is not visable most of the time. I hope this review does not deter anyone from this tour, since the castles, hotels, food should be enjoyed. Just a little heads-up advice.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- France
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★★★★★ Mary Ricks September 21, 2022A way to see some more of Spain.
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
The ride was great after the first day. Three of us were together and one bike kept losing its chain and something was rubbing. We called BikeTours and they delivered a different bike and we had no more problems. Ignacio from BikeTours was great as he kept in touch with all of us during the trip.
The first day did not offer much in scenery. Would have liked to start the ride with second day itinerary and continue.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 11-18
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20; not all same company
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ William Sholten September 20, 2022Our Alsatian Bike Trip
· Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
We have enjoyed 2 other bike trips in the past. This route was not easy to follow without GPS. We used a Garmin GPS to help confirm our path along the way (and highly recommend this). There are many intersecting bike paths around towns, so we had to stop often to determine which route/path to take. There were several detours due to construction (not indicated on our route plans) which made travel both longer and more challenging to navigate.
We cycled on gravel roads in addition to the bike paths, making the ride somewhat longer than anticipated.Hotels were comfortable, but not all hotels in Category A had air conditioning. Hotel staff and breakfasts were first rate!
Rental bike performed well but were heavier than expected.
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★★★★★ Vijay DSouza September 19, 2022Very fun
· Bolzano – Verona – Venice
Trip was well organized and very scenic. Would recommend. Lodging was generally very nice. First couple days were most scenic. A lot of gravel and dirt surfaces which I’m not used to but was fine on hybrid bikes.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Italy
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★★★★★ Bev Langsch September 19, 2022
Lots of ups and downs, super on Ebike
· Cycling Spain's Ebro River
Our group of three ebikers, average age 75, enjoyed zooming up the long, steep hills and then drifting down again. The route was on paved roads, with very little traffic. Wind and clouds in mid-September were with us, but rain came in late afternoon, and by then, we were resting in our new hotel. Scenery with mountains, very small towns and old churches was interesting. Hotels were varied, from very simple near Frias to renovated mill to luxurious in LaGuardia. The GPS routes were very helpful, but we usually read and reread the written information. The written notes would be more helpful if the actual number of the road was included. We had a bit of trouble adapting to Spanish meal times, but loved the tapas served in bars (only until 3 or 4 pm) and waited anxiously for dinner after 8.30. Three other bikers were doing the same route and joined us at mealtimes. The six of us had a wonderful time together.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 11, 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Spain
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★★★★★ Christopher Blair September 17, 2022
Strasbourg - Mainz
· Strasbourg to Mainz: Imperial Cities and Charming Landscapes Along the Rhine
It was okay.
First day, bags were not picked up. Had to call. Delivered after dinner time. Expected some explanation or perhaps an apology. Nothing. -
★★★★★ Sunil Savara September 14, 2022Time of my life with my family!
· Salzburg to Vienna, Lakes Option
Everything was great, except for the documentation and organisation around that. Three changes you should make, and I will share this with Carla and Thomas as well:
1. Please provide an English map and booklet. In fact, when booking the tour, you can ask preferences for languages, and ensure that its followed through by the appropriate documentation.
2. When booking the tour, check if this is a first tour and/or use of the e-bikes, and if it is, offer the option of someone spending an hour to rope the persons in... there can be a small charge for it..
3. Share information on online maps, aside of Google Maps. I downloaded on the 3rd day an application that was very helpful, and which made it easier for me to figure things out.- What was the date of your tour?
- 1-7 Sep 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria
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★★★★★ Jeffrey Kuhl September 12, 2022second tour
· Rhine Bike Path: Mainz to Cologne
Day 1 - 3 were fantastic.
Day 4 was too long partly because of route, a few mistakes and a long detour to local bike repair shop. Broken seat was replaced quickly, but caused 3 or 4 stops to attempt to tighten seat with tools that didn't fix the problem. I could only ride a short distance before stopping to flatten seat. The issue was a broken ratchet that had to be replaced. Local tour company worked to find repair and notify them I would be there. I arrived right before closing.
Day 5 I just wanted it to be over.- What was the date of your tour?
- September 3
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Much harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
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★★★★★ Charles Honaker September 8, 2022
Outstanding bike tour
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
My daughter and I repeated this upscale bike tour taken a few years ago. It was a wonderful 10 day experience with comfortable daily rides to the next town where the hotels were always upscale and sometimes 5 star. We enjoyed extended breakfast buffets daily, set our suitcases and travel carry ons in the lobby , and got back on the bike path about 10 or 11 am, and leisurely headed to the next town. I’m not a bike enthusiast but enjoy riding on bike paths and stopping frequently at small patio restaurants catering to bikers, and sites along the way. We certainly enjoyed the local towns and also large cities like Linz and Vienna I was last on a bicycle 3 years ago and am over 70- - the tour was truly rejuvenating. We did not use E bikes but I think they were an option. My daughter also loved the trip and wants to go again next year. Taylor was our agent from BikeTours and extremely helpful in arranging all details. She promptly answered all emails and was in constant contact with the European operators. ( We had booked last year and the previous year, but rescheduled this August due to COVID concerns). When contacted this spring, she immediately pulled up our previous itinerary and applied the deposit to this years trip. I’m sure I emailed her a dozen times about itinerary modifications and changes and she always responded in less than 24 hours I cannot overstate the professionalism of this company and the enthusiasm and helpfulness of Taylor Thank you Taylor and Bike Tours! Maybe we can do it again next year! Charles Honaker and Lindsay
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★★★★★ Bernice Thill September 5, 2022
First Trip with BikeTours.com A+
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
This was our first trip using Biketours.com. We were so impressed. The planning was easy and the company provided many maps and additional information to help navigate each area. The bikes were in great shape, well-suited to the type of riding we were doing along the Danube River. They were comfortable to ride and the addition of saddle and handle bar bags gave us enough room to carry extra clothes/rain gear and lunches/water. The logistics worked smoothly--our luggage arrived on time and usually before we reached each of our hotels each night. We loved this trip so much, we'll be looking into other trips Biketours.com offers. Loved everything about this adventure!
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Charles Honaker September 2, 2022
Best vacation ever
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
My daughter and I actually repeated this 10 day bike tour from a few years ago and were not disappointed. The daily 25-30 mile leisure rides down the Danube at our own slow pace allowed us to see so much of the small towns along the way, stops at many food and drink kiosks directly on the bike trail , an occasional boat ride with bikes to shorten the ride and enjoy on board snacks and drinks, and then check-in to very nice upscale small hotels in the afternoon. We would have a meal at the hotel or neighborhood and explore the area. The huge breakfast buffets were a great way to start wash day. I’m over 70 but would do it again tomorrow if given a chance. My daughter’s hotel room was usually adjacent to mine. I have booked with bike tours for 10 years and never disappointed. This year Taylor handled all the booking and was unbelievably prompt at responding to email questions and arranging special requests pertaining to hotels , meals , bikes, extensions in Passau, Enns, and Vienna and transfers from airport to a “ start hotel”. Thank you Taylor. We hope to go again somewhere with Bike Tours.! You all are phenomenal and a real pleasure to deal with. Charles R Honaker
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★★★★★ Charles Honaker September 2, 2022
Best vacation ever
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
My daughter and I actually repeated this 10 day bike tour from a few years ago and were not disappointed. The daily 25-30 mile leisure rides down the Danube at our own slow pace allowed us to see so much of the small towns along the way, stops at many food and drink kiosks directly on the bike trail , an occasional boat ride with bikes to shorten the ride and enjoy on board snacks and drinks, and then check-in to very nice upscale small hotels in the afternoon. We would have a meal at the hotel or neighborhood and explore the area. The huge breakfast buffets were a great way to start wash day. I’m over 70 but would do it again tomorrow if given a chance. My daughter’s hotel room was usually adjacent to mine. I have booked with bike tours for 10 years and never disappointed. This year Taylor handled all the booking and was unbelievably prompt at responding to email questions and arranging special requests pertaining to hotels , meals , bikes, extensions in Passau, Enns, and Vienna and transfers from airport to a “ start hotel”. Thank you Taylor. We hope to go again somewhere with Bike Tours.! You all are phenomenal and a real pleasure to deal with. Charles R Honaker
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★★★★★ Gary Grellman August 31, 2022
Our 2022 Cycling Adventure
· Danube Bike Path 8 Nights (Upscale Lodging)
Overall, we had a wonderful time and have mostly positive, if not effusive, things to say about the trip. The upgraded accommodations met and, in a couple of instances, exceeded our expectations. The premium bikes were in excellent condition and performed exceptionally well. For the most part, the route description was accurate and helpful (with a few exceptions as noted below). The luggage transfer from hotel to hotel was seamless. Our bags were always at each hotel when we arrived at the end of the day's ride. The staff was exceptionally helpful when we decided not to ride one day because of particularly inclement weather. They transferred our bikes to the next hotel while we took a taxi.
Minor Critiques:
1) The meeting with the staff member at the beginning of the ride was not helpful. Firstly, he seemed rushed and came across as if he wanted to get the briefing over with as quickly as possible. He only spent 5 minutes with us. He gave us confusing instructions on how to get out of Passau and was not able to answer questions about how to use and reset the odometer.
2) The directions on how to bike to Ottensheim were incomplete which caused us to unnecessarily cross the river twice.
3) There were two different sets of directions to Hotel Schatzkammer. Furthermore, one incorrectly stated that the bus would pick us up in Grein at 4:35 pm. The actual pickup time is 4:00 pm. We almost missed the bus because of this.
4) The odometer on one of the bicycles did not work.- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany
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★★★★★ Robert Hardies August 25, 2022This isnabgreat and fun trip!
· Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)
Radweg Reisen did a fantastic job. The bikes were in excellent condition and were great bikes. Luggage transfer was seamless. The hotels and meals were great. The guide books were comprehensive. I feel like I cannot rave enough about how well organized this tour was. Thanks!
- How many tours have you completed?
- Five or more
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Dorothy Richards August 24, 2022
Great Trip!
· Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)
We really enjoyed our trip around the Bodensee! Our bikes were in good working condition, the hotels were nice and typically had great breakfasts. The route took us by many highlights and even some places off the beaten path. I would absolutely recommend this trip and I would use this tour company again.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Eliza Bennett August 24, 2022Family trip to Denmark
· Southern Fyn: A Tour Around Denmark’s Fairytale Island
We are a family of 4, kids are 10 and 12.
We usually bike a lot and the climate and terrain were very easy for the kids to handle. It was a beautiful country to bike around, with lovely paths, rolling hills and wild blackberries abound along the trails. All of the cities were charming. The accomodations were nice, we stayed in a hostel in Svenborg that was very lively and a fun change for our kids to be around Danish kids. Bike helmets ended up included so that was a nice surprise. The bikes worked great. Navigation was easy to follow and the recommended App was helpful to not have to pull the map out constantly. I would have biked for another week.- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Denmark
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Tour Advisor August 24, 2022
So glad you had an amazing time! Those blackberries look so delicious. Can't wait to help you plan your next trip!
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★★★★★ Mark Ivkovich August 23, 2022
Wonderful bike tour experience
· Lake Constance Classic (11-nights)
The hotels were very nice and morning meals excellent. The cities on the bike tour were all very interesting and offered many historical points of interest. I would highly recommend the bike tour to friends and family.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 6, 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland
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★★★★★ Becky Cairns August 23, 2022Fabulous tour of Southern Germany
· Romantic Road and Bavarian Lakes
Delightful tour of the rural countryside outside of Munich. Roads were calm with little traffic and the bike paths were well marked. The written turn-by-turn directions were supplemented by a digital routing app, which greatly helped with navigation during the tour. The hotels were charming with friendly staff and breakfast never disappointed before heading out for our daily ride.
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Germany
