We all know that family outings are… complicated. You gotta pack up snacks, maybe a change of clothes, and Mr. Snuffles, then you gotta find parking and probably deal with traffic to get to where you’re going. If the little ones can’t walk very far, you’ll need A) a stroller or B) strong shoulders. If they’re a little older, you’ll need to find a place that they’ll A) be excited about and B) let them burn off their energy. That’s why our favorite way to get out with the family, especially when you’ve got kids, is going for a bike ride! While we can’t help you pack their favorite blanket, we can help you make this a fun and stress-free bike ride with our bike rentals.

From trailers for the wee little ones to kids’ bikes for the ones zipping past you, we’ve got a bike for everyone. Plus, all of our stores are located super close to local bike roads & parks so you won’t have to travel far to get to pedaling. (And don’t worry if you forgot the snacks, our store’s nutrition departments have you covered there too.) Check out some of our favorite bike rental routes to take for those Sunday family outings.

Ages 2-4:

Grab a kids’ bike trailer (which fits up to two smaller kids) that attaches to your bike. They’ll have fun taking in the scenery or maybe taking a nap during the bike ride. For a safe & easy ride, take the Iron Horse Trail which runs for miles from Dublin all the way north to Concord! Start off at our San Ramon store which is literally right beside the trail. Once your bikes are set up we recommend heading north towards Walnut Creek. You’ll pass a ton of fun places to stop including Osage Park in Danville, about 3 miles out. Just take the connector trail to get to the large park that’s got tons of green open space and a playground for the kids to stretch their legs. You could also go another mile to the Danville Bowl to get a few strikes in before lunch at Melo’s Pizza & Pasta for a well deserved lunch break. We’ve marked tons of spots on the map below for you to check out. While it’s a super flat & safe bike trail, remember that you’ll probably double-back on it since you’ve got the kids in tow (literally). Keep your total mileage manageable for you and the kids!

Ages 4-6:

Alright so maybe they’re pedaling but they’re not quite ready for their own bike. A trail-a-bike is going to be the perfect ride. They’ll be able to strengthen up their legs for longer rides, plus, you won’t have to worry about their bike lane etiquette while riding around. Now that they’re also old enough to really explore some fun places, we highly recommend our Presidio to Fort Mason route! Just head from our Presidio store towards Fort Mason on the bike path. It’s all flat so you don’t have to worry about either of you pushing up any rough hills. Definitely take a detour towards the Wave Organ. On Friday nights you can catch Off the Grid at Fort Mason or even see a cool show or event. When you’re done, you can pedal back the same route to return your bike rentals and maybe take the long way home so they can enjoy the drive over the Golden Gate Bridge (assuming they don’t fall asleep as soon as they’re in the car).

Ages 7-11ish:

The training wheels are finally comin’ off! You’ll be able to take longer rides and even introduce them to some of your favorite mountain biking trails on our kids’ bikes. Now the tables will turn and you’ll have to try to keep up with them instead of the other way around. Our Santa Rosa store is only a 15 minute drive from Annadel State Park so all you have to do is grab your kids’ rental bikes (and maybe a sweet mountain demo bike for you!) then take a short drive over to the park. Don’t forget to grab some bars & chews to keep everyone’s energy up! We recommend parking at Howarth Memorial park and riding the Spring Creek Trail around Spring Lake. When you hit Spring Lake Lagoon, take a well-deserved break and go for a dip before riding back. After dropping off your bikes, treat yourselves to a pizza or burrito in the marketplace!