By Charlotte Yun

The arrival of summer, the warm weather, and longer daylight hours certainly mean

spending more time outdoors. Whether you have vacation time ahead or are simply looking for fun-in-the-sun, consider recreational cycling as a greener, healthier, and cheaper activity for your summer escape.

Toronto offers numerous locations to getaway locally, but the best in the city are not always on the mainland, notes Manuel Cappel. As the owner of Cappel Custom Carts, he has been a resident of the bike-exclusive islands since the 1950s, and has been building custom bikes and trailers for more than a decade. Cappel notes that recreational biking is ideal on trails that lead away from the hectic streams of traffic. And the Islands—known for being the largest car-free community in North America—can provide just that.

“Anywhere on the islands is great: there are no vehicles. You have to share the road, but you generally have the whole place to yourself.”

Cappel recommends riders to visit Hanlan’s Point, located on the west side of Centre Island. It has a number of paved trails by the waterfront, and offers bicycle rental services as well as a picturesque park view, including the historic Gibraltar Point Lighthouse along the lakeshore. More than 10 picnic areas provide ample space to rest tired legs and refuel with seasonal treats from local snack bars.

Centre Island’s main boardwalk also makes for a pleasurable sojourn, despite more cycling traffic. The road running 1.5 kilometres from Ward’s Island to Centre Island provides equally beautiful scenery and a bustling, historic bicycle culture.

If leaving the mainland isn’t your preference, downtown Toronto’s Martin Goodman Trail by the waterfront runs 20 kilometres from the Humber River west to the Beaches Park east. Sights along the trail include the wildflower meadows at Humber Bay Park, Exhibition Place, the CN Tower, Toronto Music Gardens, and the Distillery Historic District. Additional information about Toronto’s many bike trails can be found at toronto.ca/parks.

For the more ambitious, explore the lush and pastoral Niagara Wine Trail, nestled between the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario for a tour of 12 award-winning wineries. Wineries along the trail are open year-round for tastings, and registration is not required. Take a look at niagarawinetrail.org for more information about trails and prices.

And, if you’re looking for a beautiful rural ride, the Tour de Greenbelt, with three different route lengths—10 km, 20-30 km, and 40-55 km—is a fresh air festival offering riders a chance to stop and smell the Greenbelt. For more information visit tourdegreenbelt.ca.

Charlotte Yun is a Toronto-based freelance writer and editor.

cycling, environment, greenbelt, tour de greenbelt