General Cycling Discussion - Any recomended bicycling-vacation spots?

Ideally, I'd like to spend my vacation camping, enjoying the beach, and exploring the world on my bike. If I could combine all of this into one trip, that'd be perfect! Anyone have any spots on the east coast they'd recomend?

I just got back from Maine.....I was surprised at how popular cycling was. I wish I had taken a bike......

Ideally, I'd like to spend my vacation camping, enjoying the beach, and exploring the world on my bike. If I could combine all of this into one trip, that'd be perfect! Anyone have any spots on the east coast they'd recomend?
Anyone have any spots on the planet they'd recommend?

Ideally, I'd like to spend my vacation camping, enjoying the beach, and exploring the world on my bike. If I could combine all of this into one trip, that'd be perfect! Anyone have any spots on the east coast they'd recomend?i

I'm in Myrtle Beach South Carolina right now. I've ridden with Bicycles - N - Gear twice. Yesterday we rode over 40 miles at 22 mph. It's all flat around here so your pedaling the entire ride and they will take you to places you want see on your own.

The cons: The roads are in pretty rough shape. The beach and the towns are ugly IMO. I'm thinking of taking my bike with me to Mexico next month. I have all-inclusinve timeshares with unlimited bonus time in various destinations in the Caribbean. So if that would be of interest to anyone let me know and I'll hook you up. ephillips@stayinthetropics.com

Ideally, I'd like to spend my vacation camping, enjoying the beach, and exploring the world on my bike. If I could combine all of this into one trip, that'd be perfect! Anyone have any spots on the east coast they'd recomend?

It's not on the ocean but Vermont is very enjoyable. The area around Burlington is a great place to ride bikes. The New York side of Lake Champlain was a nice place to ride too.

marthas vineyard

Jekyll Island, Georgia (http://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=jekyll+island&spell=1).
Ten miles of beach, very limited number of houses on the island (read empty beaches), who knows how many miles of bike paths, dolphin tours, sea turtles, etc. Jekyll is just south of St. Simons (St simons island georgia) (which is full of shopping and everything else) and just north of Cumberland Island (http://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&q=cumberland+island+georgia&btnG=Search), a national seashore refuge, and beautiful. And you are within day trip distance of the Okefenokee swamp (http://www.google.com/search?num=50&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=the+okefenokee&spell=1), one of the great natural wonders of the world.

Canada's capital, Ottawa. I was in the city for a week in June and took the bike. Lots of amazing cycling trails and lots of things to see and do. A little far from the east coast but a really nice place nonetheless.

replace the beach with lakes, rafting & rivers, and you have WV - lots and lots of trails for any ability & genre - from rail trails to Snowshoe's FreeRide park. Ace Adventure Center has river rafting & bike trails in one convenient spot, check with the folks at Elk River Rec Center for info on the Slatyfork area, and then there's always Canaan Valley (talk to Roger at BlackwaterBikes.com)

For other stuff - fairs, festivals, etc, check the WV tourism site.

marthas vineyard
I loved doing the Martha's Vinyard race years ago because it was such a nice ride .... And then stroll around town afterwards.

Alpe d'Huez

New Jersey Shore is possible. You can also take NJT to New York City. Cape May, Even Trenton and Philadelphia are possible.

The Michigander is my favorite. Plenty of scenic woods, hilly countryside, and lots and lots of Michigan shorelines. Best 7 days of my year.

C&O Canal, 184 miles of near wilderness along the Potomac with camp grounds ~ every 5 miles. More info: http://www.bikewashington.org/canal/index.php

just got back from the tetons/jackson hole/yellowstone. the tetons and surrounding communities are incredibly bike-friendly. i wish i could have been there a month. i used to do a canada fishing trip every year. after this trip, i'm thinking of replacing it with a scenic cycling trip every year.

the big downside for me was that the area is very expensive, "touristy" and commericialized. yellowstone and teton n.p. are basically zoos without walls. i felt sorry for the animals as the paparazzi followed them with camcorders and cameras.

one of the best rides i had out there was when i went out into rural wilson, wy. incredible.

also, despite being one big slum....i found council bluffs, ia to be a cycling-friendly town...i wouldn't take a vacation to ride there....but not bad for an overnight stop.

yellowstone otoh....i'd stick to the bike-specific paths. the main roads are too narrow/scary.

Cape May, NJ. You can go on the High-Point/ Cape May trail for a bit, toodle around the victorian homes and the local beaches and head over to the lighthouse, take a ferry to Ocean City, MD (they allow cars on, I imagine bikes aren't a problem). The roads outside of town are fairly wide. I've been there but not yet with a bike.

The Oregon coast, Around Crater Lake, Santa Barbara to Big Sur. The Redwoods in California. Napa/Sonoma in California. Upstate New York. almost anywhere in France.