Summer Bike Tours & Camps
- See Also: Biking Groups for Teens & Preteens
Archived Q&A and Reviews
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Summer teen bike tours
Dec 2011
My daughter will be 14 this summer and we are looking for a well-run, experienced, 2-3 week long bike tour for her. I was sorry to learn AYH seems not to offer these trips anymore. Does anyone have good (or bad) experience with a teen bike touring outfit? My daughter seems most interested in a trip on one coast or the other (not too hot!) and she has no previous experience with longer distance biking. Thanks. Mom with fond biking memories
My son did a trip with Teen Treks last summer. Teen Treks came out of AYH, so their trips are similar. He loved it-it was 3 weeks in the Pacific Northwest. It also was not outrageously expensive. I would highly recommend it. a
Cycling camp for 11 year old
Feb 2011
Looking for a bay area camp to help my 11 year-old daughter become a better cyclist. Much to my chagrin, she is not a very strong cyclist and would love to get some cycling time with a patient, skilled teacher, i.e., not her parents! Last summer I heard about a terrific camp offered by Trackers, but it sounds like they are not offering it this year. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Elizabeth
I recommend the Albany YMCA cycling summer camps. My son took them when he was a pre-teen. I believe the Downtown Berkeley YMCA might also have them. My son had a lot of fun and the counselors were great people. Francesca
The Albany Y offers a one week long bicycle camp that my son has attended two summers now. He really liked it and became a much better cyclist. They offer a beginning camp, an advanced camp, and a mountain bike camp. I highly recommend it. This summer my 11 year daughter will attend the beginning bicycle and my 13 year old will attend advanced and mountain biking. JoAnne
Local bike trips for 15 year old My 15 year old daughter would love to take a bike trip in August, the only ones I have found are on the East coast. Does anyone know of any local trips (like to Sonoma)?
Backroads ( http://www.backroads.com/ ) has trips going to the wine country every month from now through December. They're pricey, though.
You may be able to put together something similar yourself, depending on how skilled of a cyclist your kid is, and how experienced. If he/she can share a road with cars and trucks doing 50 mph, and has a friend or two to ride with, and if the rest of the family is willing to ride in the sag wagon, a piece of the Coast Highway might be nice--just pick a chunk of appropriate length, with stopping places that appeal to most of the family, make reservations at the appropriate campgrounds/motels, and go. My sister, my nephew and I did something similar from Gualala to Half Moon Bay, with my wife and kids in the sag wagon, and we all had a good time. (I wouldn't recommend the stretch between Gualala and Tomales Bay, though--too many gravel trucks!). The Silverado Trail, up Calistoga way, is nice too. --John
When one of my daughters was younger, the Albany Y had great summer bike trips for pre- and young teens. They might need counselors if your daughter is too old for the camps. Mirkala
Feb 1996
The Albany YMCA on Kains St. has had bike camps during the summer for grade school and teens. I heard they are quite good. They are set up for various levels of biking, with some sessions bike tours with overnites. Lisa