Inexpensive Entertainment When Traveling By Bike

I always plan my bicycle tours around the things I want to see, do, and experience along the way. I don’t believe in riding just to ride. I bicycle because I want to go somewhere.

Sometimes, biking to and from different places can become a bit tiring… so it’s always a good idea to have something to look forward to when you get off your bicycle at the end of the day. (And if you’re anything like me, you don’t want to spend a lot of money on your entertainment, so finding free or cheap entertainment is of key importance.)

In the past I’ve played disc golf (free after your purchase a $10 disc), skateboarded (free after the purchase of the skateboard), and gone geocaching (also free after the purchase of a GPS). But today I decided to put $2.00 at risk and head to the Riu Palace Casino on the Northwest shore of Aruba.

I sat down at a penny slot (machine) and gambled away for nearly two hours. When it was all said and done, my original $2.00 had grown into a whopping $20.46. (A profit of $18.46). I bought my dinner with the winnings and had a little left over too!

I’m not writing this post because I’m trying to encourage you to gamble. The point I’m simply trying to make is that when you are planning a bicycle tour, you don’t want to forget about having a little fun along the way. Many bicycle tourists, when planning a trip, get hung up on the miles and the roads and the accomodations along the way. But somewhere inbetween all that is a whole lot of time where you can get out, explore, see the world, and have a little fun.

If you’ve traveled by bike in the past, what have you done to entertain yourself during the times when you were off your bicycle? If you haven’t toured before, what to you plan to do to entertain yourself when you’re off of your bike?