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In August, Lisa and I went to a wedding in Chicago. After not having been to Lisa’s hometown for nearly 2 years, I can enthusiastically tell you that the city never looked better. We had a spacious corner suite on the 19th floor of The Pendry, an art-deco wonder originally built in 1929 as the Carbon and Carbide Building. Out our hotel window, we could view the faces seen on the Crown Fountain Video Sculpture at Millennium Park. We loved our breakfasts at the French Brasserie-style Venteux in the morning, before wandering over to the RiverWalk and the Lake Michigan shoreline to see arguably the best collection of architectural wonders in the country. We relished the opportunity to grab one of the city bikes and pedal along the shoreline, only to look up in awe at the 110-story Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) and the vast assortment of skyscrapers surrounding the building. A remarkable sight. We would bike all the way out to Lincoln Park to have lunch with Lisa’s Uncle Wally and Cousin Jenny, then bike back in the glorious sunshine, only enhanced by the vast waters and crowded beaches by our side.
It was fun looking back on my favorite travel days in 2023. Hope to have many more in 2024. Our job at ActiveTravels is to create lasting memories for you and your loved ones. Let us know how we can help!
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Every day on DuVine’s 6-day biking trip into the heart of Portugal’s Alentejo region this past September was a daily dose of much-needed serenity. Biking with our good friends, Debbie and Michael, we zipped up and down the rolling hills past olives groves, vineyards, cattle, sheep, and forests of thick, gnarly looking cork trees. The days would become a blessed blur as we slowed down on the cobblestones to shout “Bon Dia” to the many women sweeping their front terraces and the men sipping espressos at the cafes. We would stop to let a shepherd and his flock stroll by, peer at the large slabs of marble being excavated in the small mines, watch a large wood stork fly from his oversized nest, and visit a cork factory to view the layers of bark being harvested. All the while, we’d be smelling the sweet eucalyptus, sour fermentation of grapes, and the pungent smell of manure.
Led by our wonderful leader, Joao, who had the good fortune to grow up and still live in Alentejo, and his sidekick, the gregarious Brazilian, Michele, we were treated to local treats like fresh figs straight from the tree or a creamy sublime local cheese that you needed a spoon to scoop out. Washed down, of course, with award-winning wines that never find their way to America due to their small number of bottles produced. After biking some 30 to 40 miles a day on the undulating roads, sometimes into a strong headwind, we were rewarded with gluttonous meals.
People ask how DuVine differs from other biking outfitters, and I usually note the smaller group size. Yet, where they really shine is at private meals of locals that I won’t soon forget. My favorite day on the trip ended with dinner at Dona Maria Vineyards, where we first stomped on grapes during the height of the harvest and then had a fantastic dinner in a home built in the mid-18th century by the King of Portugal for his mistress at the time, the namesake Dona Maria. We dined with the current owner, Isabel, and her two Jack Russell Terriers, Bowie and Ziggy, and drank copious amounts of her exceptional Grand Reserve. It was like walking into Cinderella’s ballroom before the clocks strikes twelve.
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On Days 3 and 5, we took early morning rides before seeing the fairytale city of Český Krumlov and bustling Vienna. That’s the beauty of this Danube River itinerary. Sandwiched between the starting point of Prague and the end in Budapest, you can spend time in world-class cities, yet the bulk of the biking is in the countryside, pedaling through farmland or vineyards. It’s a fantastic combination and you cover so much ground, 5 countries in 8 days.
Backroads took over the entire AmaWaterways ship on this cruise. Translation: Only bikers were allowed on the ship. It also means that the Backroads trip leaders run the show and they were phenomenal. Malcolm has 23 years of Backroads experience under his belt and I was amazed at his ability to change the itinerary, even at the last moment. When water levels were too low to go further east on the Danube past Budapest, we had to skip our last morning of biking and, instead Malcolm had buses and guides waiting for us to tour Budapest. He was also a fantastic DJ, leading two epic dance parties during the week, featuring the best of 70s and 80s music. Lee should be in stand-up comedy, every line out of his mouth a witty joke. Loved the whimsy and sheer joy of Alex, especially when dancing. Stephan knew every bike route like the back of his hand and was often cheering me on during those hard uphill climbs. If it wasn’t for Jenn, I’d still be biking in Austria, lost on some route. She was always there to direct me in the right direction and answer all my questions. Fantastic group of trip leaders, the crème de la crème at Backroads!
More than half of the passengers on the cruise used e-bikes, which really wasn’t necessary after Day 2, when we had few uphill climbs unless you craved them. Most of the biking along the Danube River was relatively flat on bike trails.
My kids, Jake and Mel, ages 26 and 24 respectively, loved the cruise. The biking was challenging, the rural landscape was stunning, and the sightseeing and dining in the cities exceptional. Unfortunately, there was just one other family with kids their age aboard the ship. There was a younger group of 35 who pulled out at the last minute due to the war in Ukraine, but tourism was thriving in all cities, including Budapest. The only signs of the war were some refugees we met from the Ukraine. That left the average age aboard the cruise in the early 60s, which is not far from the usual demographic aboard a river cruise. My hope is that a younger generation will sample these Backroads itineraries because it’s really a wonderful bike cruise. You’re rarely on the boat, except for cocktail hour, dinner, dance parties, and sleeping. The rest of the time you’re meeting up with the ship after your bike ride. It’s an exciting way to see a good chunk of Europe.
If interested in discussing any Backroads trip, please contact ActiveTravels and we’ll go over all the options.
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Day Four of our Backroads Danube River Cruise started with a short 13-mile warm up along the river on bike trails. Then it was off to see the impressive Melk Abbey perched on a hill atop the small town, looking more like a palace with its large courtyards, countless rooms, and vast book collection in the library. The 23-mile afternoon ride was arguably the best of the trip, along the Danube in the heart of the Wachau Valley of Austria. Leaving Melk, terraced vineyards started to rise along the river, soon joined by the stone ramparts of forgotten castles. The ridges only got higher and soon small towns dotted the shoreline with their ubiquitous steeples piercing the clouds above. It was hard to bike because you wanted to stop repeatedly to take another photo better than the last.
It started to drizzle when taking a short ferry across the river. Soon we were biking straight through the vineyards, looking at the vines overflowing with fat grapes. We arrived in the small Medieval town of Durnstein, where we relaxed outdoors overlooking the vineyards at Alter Kloster Keller. We wisely chose to grab a bottle of their local Gruner Veltliner and an oversized charcuterie plate packed with local pates, sausages, hams, and cheeses. Perhaps we lingered a bit too long because when we got back on our bikes, the clouds were ominous and it started to pour. Five miles later, we arrived back at the boat drenched, only to find our fearless trip leader, Malcolm, hosting a party under a tent in a torrential downpour for all of us wet bikers. We drank shots of Schnapps and glasses of Riesling while listening to a soundtrack that featured, “It’s Raining Men.” Memorable!
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For the start of our weeklong cruise with Backroads along the Danube River, we woke up early in Prague and drove 3 ½ hours through Czech’s Bohemian region to Germany’s Bavaria. After lunch at a country farmhouse, we got fitted for our bikes. We were surprised to learn that 38 of the 53 passengers aboard our cruise were using e-bikes. Our family of four went the old-fashioned route, having trained all summer for this week of riding. That would come in handy within the first 15 minutes, when we had a good mile uphill climb. Soon we were high in the hills, past rolling green fields dotted with cows, rows of corn, and large patches of yellow canola. We would ride the first of many bike trails, connecting to narrow quiet country roads that only Backroads could find after scouring the countryside. Then another trail deep into the Bavarian forest before entering small farming communities with their large wooden houses and triangular roofs, not unlike a chalet.
After a brief stop for the first of many radlers that week, a satisfying combination of beer and lemonade that quenched our thirst, we had another killer hill before riding alongside a creek and the velvety green fields beyond. Finally, we reached the broad bend of the Danube River and pedaled the last 5 miles alongside the water until we reached our home for the week, the AmaLea. The perfect introductory ride to get us excited for the trip ahead, 40 miles with over 2300 feet of elevation. Our reward was pints of pilsner and live Bavarian music straight out of an Oktoberfest celebration at Hofbrauhaus, our welcome to Vilshofen, Germany.
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There’s no better way to jumpstart the post-pandemic body than to entice the senses with a tantalizing venue of local food and drink. Many tour operators are upping the ante this autumn by not only bringing you to scenic locales like the Dolomites and the Douro River, but adding to the excitement by adding hosts like a Michelin-starred chef or wine expert.
The first trip that has us salivating is the Dolomites and Lake Garda Chef on Wheels Bike Tour with DuVine. Andy Levine’s love of topnotch restaurants, the finest wine, and memorable bike routes spurred him on to create DuVine Cycling decades ago. After all, his motto is “Bike, Eat, Drink, Sleep.” This is certainly true of this September 6-day jaunt in northern Italy with Michelin-starred chef Stefano Righetti. Raised in the mountains above Lake Garda, Righetti rose to prominence at Lake Garda’s acclaimed Vecchia Malcesine. Bike on a traffic-free network of local bike paths, crossing three regions from the Italian Alps to Lake Garda, and stop at Righetti’s favorite local wineries, farms, and food suppliers along the way. Actually, you’ll go one step further by foraging for wild ingredients and then preparing a sunset dinner in an alpine chalet with Righetti. If you want to start traveling again with gusto, this is certainly worthy of a bucket list trip! Please contact ActiveTravels and we’ll check availability.
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DuVine, the Massachusetts-based biking tour operator who brought Lisa and I on a fantastic trip to Puglia, Italy, introduced shorter 4-day trips around America last year, including itineraries to Santa Barbara and Tucson. But it’s hard to top their newly revealed trip to Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, where you can bike to your heart’s content on the rolling backcountry roads and then dine and lodge each night at one of the most decorated restaurants in the country, the Relais & Chateaux property, Blackberry Farm. You’ll squeeze in 4 day of riding, averaging 25 to 30 miles per day, before rewarding yourself with a feast of southern specialties like barbecued ribs and catfish, washed down with local microbrews and Tennessee whiskey. First trip out is May 24-27, 2021. Please let ActiveTravels know which itinerary looks the best and we’ll check availability. Also be on the lookout for the next The World Is Your Oyster segment, where we interview DuVine founder, Andy Levine, and discuss his new partnership with Lindblad.
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Having visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, stopping and touring historic distilleries, after rolling up and down bucolic horse country, I can easily say I can’t wait to get back. Sampling bourbon, dining on exceptional Southern food, and viewing the seemingly endless green hillsides of the Bluegrass State, it’s hard not to be hooked. We were excited to see that Backroads introduced a 5-day itinerary to this region of the country last year and it’s already immensely popular. The first trip leaves April 11-15 and if you’re a little leery of drinking high-proof liquor while biking, realize that most of the drinking is at Happy Hour and you can always grab an e-bike for those challenging hills. Please let ActiveTravels know which dates look good and we’ll check availability.
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For those of you who have credit or interest in booking a trip with the biking and hiking outfitter, Backroads, please note that many of their late summer and fall trips in 2021 are already selling out. This is especially true for North American destinations. We recently checked on trips to both the Grand Tetons and Newfoundland and were surprised to find that they were sold out. There is a possibility that more trips will open up due to demand, but it would be wise to book sooner rather than later. Realistically, this is how it’s going to be for many scheduled trips with outfitters in 2021, selling out early due to pent-up demand. Like most travel companies, Backroads is providing new, more flexible booking policies. Deposits are fully refundable for new reservations on 2021 trips if canceled before 4/1/21 or when final payment is due (whichever comes first).
Please let ActiveTravels know your interest and we’ll be happy to discuss our clients favorite Backroads itineraries around the globe.
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Before heading to a wedding in Austin this past March, Lisa and I returned to San Antonio. Every time I visit this city I think about renting an apartment here in winter, especially in February and March, when the temperature often reaches 70 degrees. The city offers two world class art museums, San Antonio Museum of Art and the McNay, sublime dining at the Pearl, great neighborhoods to roam like King William, and, of course, all the restaurants and bars that line the renowned River Walk. But the reason I really love San Antonio is that it’s one of the best biking cities in America.
We rented bikes from the Blue Star Bike Shop near the boutique shops and galleries of the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center (great for checking out after the bike ride) and pedaled on the 10-mile long bike trail called the Mission Reach. It’s not uncommon to find herons, egrets, families of ducks, and turtles lounging in the waters, and colorful wildflowers in full bloom. At Mission Road, we turned right and visited the first of two Spanish colonial missions, Concepción. These early 18th-century Spanish colonial missions are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of a national historic park. I always bring my camera to poke around these impressive buildings and get great shots of the light and shadows reflecting off the walls. We continued on Mission Road another 3 miles to reach the largest mission, San José, known for its popular Mariachi Mass each Sunday. Inside the stone walls, overlooking the green and the church, the setting is serene. When we had our fill, we simply retraced our steps back to the Mission Reach and headed to Rosario’s in Southtown for authentic Mexican fare.
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