Love Cycling, But Hate Camping? Try a Guided or Self-Guided Bike Tour Instead

Not everyone loves the idea of sleeping in a tent after a long day of riding—and the good news is, you don’t have to. Bicycle touring isn’t limited to camping in remote locations; in fact, there are comfortable and accessible ways to travel by bike without ever pitching a tent. Whether you prefer staying in hotels, enjoying local meals, or having your route and logistics handled for you, guided and self-guided bike tours offer a stress-free alternative that still delivers the adventure of life on two wheels. In this article, I’ll show you how these options work, who they’re best for, and how you can experience the freedom of bicycle touring—without sacrificing comfort.

A Bicycle Touring Pro reader named Marsh Wildman wrote in and said, “I’m a big mountain bike fan, but I hate camping. Do you know of any routes that would encompass a multi-day loop with hotels at the end of each day’s ride?”

In this video, you’ll learn that, no, you don’t have to enjoy camping to go bicycle touring. You can bike tour and stay in fancy hotels and beautiful accomodations, take a shower each night, and eat delicious foods. Guided and self-guided bicycle tours are a great way to travel by bicycle. Thousands of people bike tour in this way each and every year… and you can be one of them!