VBT Bicycling Vacations

Highlights

• Prepare to be dazzled by the staggering beauty of the South Island’s glittering lakes, lush forests, fertile farmlands, and alpine peaks.
• Hike up a valley carved by the retreating ice of Franz Josef Glacier.
• Spend a day at a wilderness resort, enjoying kayaking, canoeing, hiking—and perhaps strolling to a colony of glowworms.
• Experience life on a working ranch and savor a home-cooked meal during a visit to a sheep and cattle station.
• Sample local vintages during a wine tasting at a local estate.

Highlights

• Cycle well-paved bike paths amid stunning alpine beauty in France and Switzerland
• Pedal along three stunning lakes of the Rhône-Alpes region–Geneva, Annecy, and Saint-André–delighting in bike paths along the Rhône and Isère rivers
• Savor Swiss and French cuisine and wine to fuel and enhance your journey, from fondues and Fendant to coq au vin and Pinot Noir
• Stroll the atmospheric medieval Old Towns of Annecy and Chambéry, grand cultural capitals of once-mighty French kingdoms
• Savor a two-night stay in a grand French château, built in 1450 by a chivalrous noble family

Highlights

• Tour two historic treasures of Santiago de Compostela—the Hostal dos Reis Católicos and the splendidly ornate cathedral, the city’s revered pilgrimage site.
• Cycle the scenic Portuguese Coastal Camino de Santiago, perhaps passing pilgrims along the way.
• Taste the most prestigious wines of the region: Spain’s albariño in Rías Baixas and Portugal’s vinho verde.
• Enjoy lunch as honored guests at a Portuguese Count’s elegant manor house.
• Board a traditional fishing boat and pick shellfish with a local “Sea Woman” in the heart of Galicia’s seafood tradition.

Highlights

• Explore three countries on a single journey—on one memorable day you eat breakfast in Switzerland, lunch in France, and dinner in Germany.
• Cycle through idyllic countryside, framed by the Vosges Mountains, providing a stunning backdrop for your adventure.
• Immerse yourself in the dual French and German culture of Alsace, and learn about the region’s history as a hotly contested territory.
• Behold Eguisheim, one of the most beautiful villages in France. It’s even won awards for its overflowing flower boxes decorating the half-timbered buildings and cobblestone streets!
• Stroll through the cobbled streets of Colmar’s old town and embark on a “floating tour” of La Petite Venise (Little Venice) aboard a small boat.

Highlights

• Cycle past the sprawling beaches, grand “cottages,” and historic ruins of Jekyll Island.
• Navigate your kayak through a salt marsh preserve in search of eagles, otters, and dolphins.
• Visit the scene-stealing St. Augustine Lighthouse and the nearby pristine four-mile beach of Anastasia State Park.
• Embark on a sunset cruise on the Schooner Freedom, a fine testament to Civil War blockade runners.
• Cycle the farmlands of St. John’s County, pedaling past potato and cabbage fields, small farming communities, and the tranquil St. John’s River.

Highlights

• Marvel at Humboldt penguins and sea lions as they lounge on islands just offshore.
• Join a captain in his small boat and help him bring in the catch of the day.
• Admire the pride of Viña del Mar, the Reloj de Flores—a large clock made of flowers.
• Stroll the cobbled, winding streets of hillside Valparaiso, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a local guide.
• Blend your own wine with a sommelier, then have it bottled and labeled to go.

Highlights

• Learn how cider is made during a visit to a family-run apple orchard—and enjoy a taste and picnic.
• Visualize the dramatic events of D-day as you tour Omaha Beach with a local guide.
• Stroll a fairytale setting of ramparts, half-timbered houses, and harbor views on a guided tour of the Breton town of Dinan.
• Savor crepes, a paper-thin-style savory pancake and specialty of Brittany and Normandy during dinner at an authentic creperie.
• Visit spectacular Mont Saint-Michel, the medieval island village crowned by its well-preserved Benedictine abbey.

Highlights

• Learn about Banff National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and Canada’s first national park.
• Spin downhill along the magnificent Bow Valley Parkway, a stunning wilderness corridor.
• Observe wildlife from the saddle–including elk, deer, bighorn sheep, bald eagles, and even black and grizzly bears.
• Pass panorama after panorama of jaw-dropping alpine splendor as you cycle in Kananaskis Country.
• Hike the trails of Ptarmigan Cirque to an alpine meadow with epic views.