As we coast into the late summer and autumn months, there are still lots of excellent opportunities to explore Ontario’s regional beauty. OntarioByBike.ca is an awesome link for cyclists looking to connect with the province’s top destinations, bike touring companies and overnight excursions, all with cycling as a major component:
Culinary treks throughout Niagara’s Wine Country; cidery & craft brewery hopping across Prince Edward County; waterfall & escarpment expeditions in Grey County; watersports on Lake Simcoe; antiquing near Waterloo; galleries, museums & historic sites in The Nation’s Capital, Ottawa….the options are endless. All of this is accessible by bike, and, if you travel with your Zygg electric bike, you can go further, faster and see more!
What’s even better, “multi-modal travel” - combining cycling with other methods of travel - is an easy way to maximize your experiences.
With GO Trains operating in and around the GTA, weekends and off-peak travel times offer a lot of options for bike and ebike transportation. Ride out from, or into Toronto on the GO Train Lakeshore line (East or West), and if you are ambitious, cycle back to your start for a one-way ride. Niagara weekend service runs until September 5th, with special bike coaches on each train (no extra charge). Head north as far as Barrie on summer weekend service, making a weekend or day trip to Lake Simcoe with a bike a possibility, with space for four bicycles on each GO coach. Bring your bike on any Saturday / Sunday / holiday train to Barrie
Bicycle friendly ferries operate in a number of locations around the province, including to Toronto’s outer Islands. Take the Che-Cheemaun Ferry from Tobermory to Manitoulin Island to experience quiet island roads and stunning natural scenery. In Ontario’s southwest, Pelee Island also offers great rural cycling and is connected by ferries from Kingsville or Leamington in Essex County.
If you do not have your own vehicle with a bike-rack, Parkbus runs buses to provincial and national parks. From Toronto, travel to Algonquin Park, where the bus drops passengers at Algonquin Outfitters, a one-stop shop for all your rental needs. Connect to the Georgian Bay Islands and enjoy car-free trail riding on Beausoleil Island with camping and other bike rentals on-site. Up to two bikes per bus can be transported to all other overnight destinations, with bike reservations made in advance.
GO Transit and many public bus services provide another option with bike racks on the front of most vehicles.
Check out Ontario By Bike’s interactive map with dozens of resources, and provincial highlights.
Happy Boundless Cycling:
