A CANADIAN BIKING ADVENTURE: TOP 5 CYCLING ROUTES
BITS OF CANADA THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW

2014-09-22
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Snow, snow, sun breakthrough, a flower and poof! New snowfall. Here in Canada summer can seem like a mirage. So to enjoy the maximum amount of sun, why not change up your travel destination? Many of our hostels are close to exceptional cycling routes that will make you see the world like no highway can do. Here are our top 5 bike routes in Canada!

1. SEASIDE BIKE ROUTE | VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA

This bikeway is the best way to combine a visit to downtown Vancouver and a nature getaway. The journey begins in the port and goes to Stanley Park. If you want a quick 9k route, you can go all the way around the Seawall. The trail then continues on the other side of the peninsula from the city center and along English Bay into False Creek and Granville Island. Without ever leaving the coast, you can then ride to Kitsilano Beach and Jericho Beach for a well deserved dip in the Pacific!

 

2. ICEFIELDS PARKWAY | ALBERTA

The Icefields Parkway is 232 km through rocky mountains, turquoise lakes, glaciers and the valleys carved by them. The road is dotted with scenic lookouts that offer breathtaking views, and en route, it’s impossible not to cross wild animals. In addition, trucks are prohibited and traffic is limited to 90 km/h.  The trip will take you three days if you are a seasoned cyclist, and five days including photo stops. The road goes through the national parks of Banff and Jasper where you can sleep at many HI wilderness hostels!

3. NIAGARA VALLEY | ONTARIO

Crossing the Niagara Valley by bike gives a chance to really enjoy the vineyards you will cross on the road. From Fort Erie on Lake Erie, the Greater Niagara Circle Route takes you along the Niagara River to Niagara Falls, where you can stop and see the falls and have a festive barbecue at the hostel then continues along the river to the picturesque village of Niagara-on-the Lake. The trail then turns to reach St. Catharines before returning to Port Colborne, on Lake Erie, along the Welland Canal.

4. PETITE-NATION AND LA LIÈVRE | QUEBEC

The region of the Petite-Nation and La Lièvre give you no fewer than 14 bike tours to explore the region. The routes vary in length (between 20 and 70 km) and difficulty and go through rivers, lakes, forests and countryside. From there, you can make the connection with the Montreal-Ottawa portion of the Route verte the large province-wide cycling network of 5,000 km. The crux of all these circuits: HI-Petite-Nation for a peaceful night or a concert in their coffee bar full of charm. The hostel offers 10% discount on accommodation if you stay there two nights or more!

5. CONFEDERATION TRAIL | PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Formerly, there was a railway on the island. Today, it’s a bike path that runs through its center, from one end to the other: the Confederation Trail which branches to the Confederation Bridge, Charlottetown, the Brudenell River provincial Park and the town of Souris, where you can take ferry to the Islands-la-Madeleine. If it is rather the countless bays and red sand beaches that call you, bike lanes are arranged along all coastal roads that circle the island.

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Article from YHA Canada