First Timers  Bike Tour Reviews (page 11)

  • Dutch Countryside
    (5/5) kellyandvicky July 8, 2019

    Well-planned tour that showed the best of Holland!

    · Cycling the Dutch Countryside from Zaandam to Kampen

    We had a wonderful trip through the northern coastal areas of Holland; the route was perfect and the hotels were excellent. More specific to our situation: our children (3 and 5) got a little bored after too much time on the bike, but that is not a fault of the tour operators. I suspect that we are in the minority in terms of age range?

    Having said that, we had a wonderful time and experienced so many things that we know our children (and us!) will remember throughout our lives. Beautiful scenery, friendly people, comfortable accommodations, and the amazing cycling experience that is Holland. I would recommend doing this tour in combination with 1-2 full days in the larger cities so that you get the experience of the smaller towns (and daily life in Holland) in combination with the excitement and sights of the metropolitan areas.

    Specific to cycling: the itinerary and cycling routes were perfect; the tour operators have clearly researched the best paths to take through the country. Coming from the chaotic mess of cycling in America, we were very happy to ride with our children along the suggested routes.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 2019
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) MMDJ September 1, 2019

    The BEST of Holland

    · Cycling the Dutch Countryside from Zaandam to Kampen

    From the moment we met Peter, we knew that our tour would be wonderful. Everything from the bikes to the GPS to the planning was top-notch. Both two 50-somethings and two teenagers had a tremendous time being outside during the day (taking scenic routes) and in wonderful towns and hotels at night. Truly a great trip! Note that the cycling is a little bit strenuous...not bad, but not nothing, either!

    What was the date of your tour?
    8/18/19
    How many tours have you completed?
    A couple
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • Holland Bike & Boat Northern Tour
    (5/5) Ozzie July 18, 2018

    A great trip!

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour

    A well organised tour that we thoroughly enjoyed. The crew of De Holland and the tour leader Sandra did a great job..always very helpful and went out of the way to ensure everything ran smoothly. Would be happy to do another bike boat trip.

    What was the date of your tour?
    23/6/2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • A great bike path through the fields. (photo by Ozzie)
    • A lunch stop (photo by Ozzie)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Stephen Graham September 7, 2022

    Beautiful area and bike infrastructure

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour

    Fun for experienced riders but also easy for novices to learn the fun of bike touring in such a lovely and historically interesting area. Flat and easy to ride, only a bit of wind & rain sometimes, with great bike lanes everywhere, plus little to carry as the hotel followed us around by water! Only drawback was we would have liked to have dinner in towns and meet locals on some nights, since restaurants were often within steps of the boat, rather than be locked into nightly three-course meals on board as if isolated on the high seas...

    How many tours have you completed?
    3
    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?
    Holland
    •  (photo by Stephen Graham)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 4/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Marie DeBell October 12, 2023

    The landscape is stunning! And the trip loads of fun

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour

    We thoroughly enjoyed our trip with bike tours. The boat was small enough to get to know our fellow passengers and big enough to have lots of amenities. The bikes were sturdy and trustworthy. Lots of distance options and great support from our trip guides. Good food and comfortable beds. What more could we ask for? Perhaps less head winds but it is Holland!

    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • Snacks during the evening presentation (photo by Marie DeBell)
  • (5/5) Marie DeBell October 12, 2023

    The landscape is stunning! And the trip loads of fun

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour

    We thoroughly enjoyed our trip with bike tours. The boat was small enough to get to know our fellow passengers and big enough to have lots of amenities. The bikes were sturdy and trustworthy. Lots of distance options and great support from our trip guides. Good food and comfortable beds. What more could we ask for? Perhaps less head winds but it is Holland!

    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
  • (5/5) Marie DeBell October 16, 2023

    Holland by bike was a delight!

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour

    The perfect way to see northern Holland! The boat was small enough to socialize but big enough to have all the amenities for comfort.
    Our guides were Dutch and really knowledgeable about the routes , the history and the sights. The boat staff were friendly and helpful. Solid bikes. Next time I’ll choose Anne-bike because the wind is equal to hills!

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2023
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat harder
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • Bikes on dikes (photo by Marie DeBell)
    • Delicious meals! (photo by Marie DeBell)
    • Just the right size boat (photo by Marie DeBell)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Donald Adler September 12, 2024

    Smooth

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour

    Well organized, quality people, cycling, scenery.
    The boat was clean, comfortable and an ideal way to see other parts of this region

    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
  • (5/5) Jeff H 2 weeks ago

    Bucket list experience!

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour

    The staff and crew were top notch and our guides were superb. The bikes were comfortable and we were well-prepared each day for our semi self-guided rides. The guides were always available along the route to help with directions or point out must-see sites. What a great way to see the Netherlands in an intimate way. We experienced the beauty of Holland in a way that could not happen in a car. I will be back to the Netherlands and I will also use boat/bike format for other tour destinations in the future.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    First time
    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?
    Holland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • (5/5) Doug Z. 2 weeks ago

    Polder Farms & Towns Up Close

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Northern Tour

    The trip was very well organized, and the bikes were high quality. Great cycling through the polders of Holland.

    What was the date of your tour?
    September 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    this was my first
    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?
    Holland
    • Near Hemelum (photo by Doug Z.)
    • Den Hoorn (photo by Doug Z.)
    • Amsterdam (photo by Doug Z.)
    • Stavoren (photo by Doug Z.)
    • Stavoren (photo by Doug Z.)
    • 4/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 4/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Holland Bike & Boat Southern Tour
    (5/5) akvis August 17, 2017

    Celebrating 60

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour

    I looked forward to this trip for a long time and I was not disappointed. The tour guide was helpful; the meals had added touches; the staff serving were great; the bikes were well maintained.
    We enjoyed the areas we biked through, seeing a variety of different sights and places.

    What was the date of your tour?
    July 8-15, 2017
    How many tours have you completed?
    one
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 4/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Team Wuss July 4, 2018

    Lowlands Adventure

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour

    Fantastic trip. Incredible tour in a beautiful country on an extensive bicycle infrastructure. In fact there are so many bike routes that navigation was sometimes a challenge. The download navigation option would have been helpful. The planned routes through the countryside were excellent. The bike/ boat approach is a great way to travel avoiding the daily packing. The accommodations were very nice, the staff was excellent, and the bicycles were well maintained. The dinners were good though basic with small portion size (a common observation in Europe). Breakfast was a very good buffet with fixings to make a sandwich for lunch. Definitely recommend this tour.

    What was the date of your tour?
    June 9,2018
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • Photo 1 (photo by Team Wuss)
    • Photo 2 (photo by Team Wuss)
    • Photo 3 (photo by Team Wuss)
    • Photo 4 (photo by Team Wuss)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 3/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Joe Eberly August 4, 2022

    Great biking adventure

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour

    Holland is a beautiful country and there is no better way to see it and experience it than on a bike. We have never been on bike paths like they have, whether in a city or the middle of nowhere. We had great food at our lunch stops and everyone we met, passengers, crew and the locals were friendly. The boat was really nice as were the bikes. We plan to do another trip with BikeTours.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
  • (5/5) Cindy 6 months ago

    Great place for bike lovers

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour

    The biking was outstanding. The bike paths in the cities were crowded with some aggressive riders. I’n most places motor scooters are allowed on the bike paths. Bring a side/rear view mirror. Although not luxurious, the ship was clean and comfortable. The crew was friendly and helpful, especially the three biking guides. The breakfast buffet was plentiful but it was not set up efficiently so the lines were long. We asked for a carafe of hot water to be placed on our table at breakfast because there were 5 tea drinkers at our table. We were told this was not possible but there were carafes of hot water when tea and coffee was served in the afternoon. When the cookies and cakes in the afternoon were eaten, they were not replaced even though there was often another hour left to this snack time. We did not care for the dinners but most people at our table did like the dinners.

    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
  • (5/5) Ollie S 6 months ago

    Dutch Delight

    · · Holland by Bike and Boat, Southern Tour

    Amazing tour and incredible way to discover this amazing country. Our guides Bart and Andreas were excellent hosts and did a great job making sure everything went smoothly. The De Amsterdam boat was clean, crew was excellent and meals were very good. The bikes all seemed quite new and functioned very well. The daily routines were well organized for scenic rides with perfect amount of time and distance to enjoy many stops along the way. I would easily recommend this tour to anyone looking for a relaxing week of sightseeing and moderate cycling. Looking forward to more adventures in the future with bikeboat tours!

    What was the date of your tour?
    April 2025
    How many tours have you completed?
    1
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    First-time bike tourists
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • Andreas and Bart - ultimate hosts! (photo by Ollie S)
    •  (photo by Ollie S)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
    • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
  • Best of Holland North
    (5/5) Pedalann June 6, 2016

    Beautiful, green Holland

    · Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof

    We combined this tour with Ancient and Medieval Cities of Holland, South and rode this tour in reverse, Leiden to Amersfoort. We were impressed with the route as we skirted the Amsterdam sprawl. Instead we spent our days cycling through small villages, lovely nature areas, past polders and along scenic canals as we rode from Leiden to Haarlem, Eden, Weesp and finished in Amersfoort. The tour information, equipment and the GPS were perfect and the hotels, especially those in Edam, Weesp and Amersfoort were especially lovely. We were constantly impressed by the fact that bicycles were the major form of transportation.

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 22 - 27, 2016
    How many tours have you completed?
    More than 15 of this type
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    As expected
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • The cycle path along the dunes bordering the North Sea. (photo by Pedalann)
    • 2 A beautiful side street in old Haarlem. (photo by Pedalann)
    • 3 We enjoyed the pastoral scenes of sheep, grazing the grassy polders. (photo by Pedalann)
    • 4 Fred's new girlfriend was also waiting for the ferry in Volendam. (photo by Pedalann)
    • 5 The Dutch love their wooden sail boats. (photo by Pedalann)
    • 6 Entering Amersfoort through the old Koppelpoort. (photo by Pedalann)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) DebM July 11, 2018

    Beautiful ride through Dutch countryside

    · Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof

    The local tour company designed a beautiful and varied route through nature preserves, parks, farmland, and old and picturesque towns. Each inn was delightful in its own way. I rated this harder than expected only because we had extremely windy weather.

    What was the date of your tour?
    Late June
    How many tours have you completed?
    2 on our own, 30+ years ago
    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?
    Holland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 4/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 4/5 Tour documents
    • 4/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Gretchen September 15, 2018

    Wonderful trip!

    · Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof

    A great way to see the Netherlands -- 40-50k per day was very doable, landscape and towns lovely, and the hotels were all very cozy and comfortable. Would highly recommend it, and will be doing another one for sure!

    What was the date of your tour?
    end of July
    How many tours have you completed?
    only this once
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • 4/5 Value
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) Jan53 May 6, 2019

    Biking through North Holland

    · Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof

    This trip exceeded my expectations! Since most people own and ride bikes, the bike paths in cities and rural areas are extremely well marked and maintained. That, along with the flat topography, made this self-guided trip a really enjoyable experience! The training we received when the bikes were delivered to our hotel was thorough and all of our questions were answered. Since we had both a Garmin and printed maps, we managed to find our way most of the time. It was slightly difficult finding the correct route when we started out in the mornings, but people on the street were more than happy to point us in the right direction. The distance covered each day was reasonable and the only difficulty came from the wind. One day we seemed to be riding into the wind no matter which direction we turned!

    The cities chosen for this tour were interesting and beautiful. The hotels were excellent, each with helpful staff present. There was always a convenient location for locking our bikes up at night either inside or near the hotel in a safe area. The breakfasts were amazing!!

    Loved everything about this trip!!

    What was the date of your tour?
    4/18/19
    How many tours have you completed?
    2
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    Yes
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • Color was unbelievable! (photo by Jan53)
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 4/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Tour documents
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection
  • (5/5) ManOnThreeWheels June 7, 2019

    Excellent Tour and Very Good Service

    · Best of Holland North: Dutch Villages, Landscapes & the Keukenhof

    Bike Tours personnel provided prompt and courteous service from the start to the conclusion of the tour selection and booking.

    Recommend

    What was the date of your tour?
    May 19 to 23
    How many tours have you completed?
    Many
    Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
    Somewhat easier
    Who is this tour suitable for?
    Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
    Do you recommend this tour?
    No
    Countries included in this tour?
    Holland
    • 5/5 Value
    • 5/5 Included meals
    • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
    • 5/5 Hotels or boat
    • 5/5 Scenery
    • 5/5 Ease of navigation
    • 5/5 Local tour company services
    • 5/5 Route selection