Bike Tour Guides’ Favorite Meals on Tour
There are lots of reasons we enjoy going on a bike tour. The feel of the wind on your face as you cruise down a sweet descent. The sense accomplishment after a long day in the saddle. The joy of immersing yourself in new scenery from the bike. But one of our absolute favorite parts of a bike tour is – of course — the food! There’s nothing better than having a fantastic meal after biking all day. We asked our bike tour guides to find out some of their favorite meals on tour!
Josh Lawrey
Crab Cakes & Twice-Baked Potato with Asparagus from the Inn at Lenora’s in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania (Great Allegheny Passage Bike Tour)
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Blackened Grouper Sandwich at Billy’s Stone Crab, Seafood & More in Tierra Verda, Florida (Cycling Florida’s Suncoast)
“I get the same thing at Lenora’s every time. Her crab cakes are the best I’ve ever had. The blackened grouper sandwich at Billy’s is a close second.”
The Inn at Lenora’s is truly a hidden gem in between Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands. On our Great Allegheny Passage bike tour, we spend a night at Lenora’s and enjoy dinner together in the restaurant. If you want to visit the restaurant on your own, you’ll have to make a reservation. For a restaurant in the middle of a sleepy old coal town, Lenora’s is surprisingly busy! The crab cakes are phenomenal, but everything on the menu is good — and made from scratch in the kitchen.
Billy’s Stone Crab, Seafood and More is a local institution in Tierra Verde. For 46 years, Billy’s has served fresh seafood from the Tampa Bay with a waterfront view of Hurricane Hole harbor.
Chris Reed
Pancakes with local West Virginia maple syrup from the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, West Virginia (Pittsburgh to D.C. Bike Tour)
“I love the pancakes at the Bavarian! They’re healthy pancakes with real maple syrup and fruit on the side. That’s the best breakfast ever.”
The Bavarian Inn is a favorite for guests on the Pittsburgh to D.C. bike tour. On the sprawling property up on a cliff along the Potomac River, guests can take a stroll around the gardens, enjoy the infinity pool and outdoor bar, have a casual beer out on the patio or enjoy the fine dining options in the hotel’s restaurant. In the morning, our tour groups have breakfast in the dining room to get ready for a full day of cycling and sightseeing.
Colleen O’Neil
Kale Ceasar Salad with Smoked Salmon from Slow Groovin’ BBQ in Marble, Colorado (Colorful Colorado Bike Tour)
“Slow Groovin’ BBQ catered our wedding, so maybe I’m partial to their food. But I love the smoked salmon salad, paired with a Spicy Paloma and a gorgeous view of the mountains.”
Slow Groovin’ BBQ is the only restaurant in the tiny town of Marble, Colorado (population 131, elevation 7992 feet). The town is known for the historic Yule Marble quarry in the mountains, which started operating in the late 19th century. Marble from the town of Marble has been used for the Tomb of the Unknowns, parts of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. and civic buildings in San Francisco. People flock to Marble in the summer to see the mountains and drive the scenic four-wheel-drive route known as the Lead King Loop.
Montana Miller
Hudson Valley Duck from Veraisons Restaurant in Dundee, New York (Finger Lakes Bike & Wine Tour)
“I’m not really a fancy food kind of person, but I really, really love that duck.”
The Finger Lakes bike tour is definitely one for the foodies. We stay two days at the Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars, which has a restaurant and a separate wine tasting room. Glenora was Seneca Lake’s first winery, and it’s been in the region for nearly 40 years. Glenora does a good job offering a wide variety of wines, from sparkling wines to Rieslings, as well as reds and whites. All of the rooms at the Inn have a view of the winery and come with a complimentary bottle of wine!
Adam Greenfield
Breakfast at the Bartlett Pear Inn in Easton, Maryland (Chesapeake Bay Bike Tour)
“Their breakfast is so good. It’s different every day, so you never know what you’re going to get. They always use local ingredients. so everything is fresh.”
Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Easton, the Bartlett Pear Inn was built in 1790. The classic Federal style architecture honors the past while expressing the everyday comforts of hospitality and modern functionality. The Bartlett Pear is a luxurious, yet simple, place to relax after a long day on the bike. Every morning, the owners serve a home-cooked breakfast in the large sun-filled dining room with a bay window overlooking the patio and garden.
Taylor Nielsen
Roasted Beet Salad at the Thirsty Owl Wine Company in Ovid, New York (Finger Lakes Bike & Wine Tour)
“I love it when we sit out on the patio at the Thirsty Owl and have lunch. I like to get the roasted beet salad with a glass of Riesling and look out at Cayuga Lake.”
Another great place to take a breather on the Finger Lakes tour, the Thirsty Owl Wine Company has a lovely bistro overlooking the bright blue waters of Cayuga Lake. If you’re looking for wines to take home, this is the place. The Thirsty Owl has a sprawling wine shop full of keepsakes and local wines. Guests can shop here, then stash their wines in their luggage to take home later — those are some heavy, happy duffel bags!
Want to experience some fantastic meals on a bike tour? Join one of Wilderness Voyageurs road bike or rail-trail bike tours! For more info on your bike tour guides, check out our staff page.