Are you looking for a well-connected bicycle network with access to trails, sidewalks, bike lanes and multipurpose trails? If so, Cape Coral, Florida is the perfect place for you. With its leisurely style of cycling, it's the ideal destination for bicycle tourists who want to explore nature and enjoy other activities like bird watching. Sanibel Island is a great starting point for your cycling journey. Many lodges provide free bikes for their guests to use and day visitors can easily rent bikes from one of the island's many bike rental businesses.
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation has set up pavilions, bicycle racks and water fountains at many points where the island's side trails and paved trails intersect with the foundation's conservation land. In Florida, bicycles are legally recognized as vehicles and cyclists have the same legal rights to use the road as motor vehicle drivers. Some counties offer what are called bicycle-only routes, which mark suggested routes with signs for cyclists and often include reminders for motorists to “share the road.” These suggested routes run through a mosaic of streets supposedly less used by cars, roads with bicycle lanes, multipurpose side trails and paved linear paths for parks. If you're looking for a longer cycling adventure, you can explore the Florida Trail on the Cross Florida Greenway heading south from this trail and campsite adjacent to Buckman Lock to Kirkpatrick Dam Road.
The longest trip you can take on the Florida trail as a backpacker covers most of the South Florida region. The Forest Service and the Florida Trail Association have developed a map that shows the permitted uses along the Florida trail, which includes biking and equestrian access, as well as hiking. Paved bike trails throughout Florida offer opportunities for weekend bike tours, such as this trail, the 46-mile-long Withlacoochee State Trail, a trail-to-trail that runs through Citrus, Hernando and Pasco Counties. Sanibel Island only allows class I e-bikes on its trails, which is defined as “an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the cyclist is pedaling and that stops providing assistance when the e-bike reaches a speed of 20 miles per hour.”The Florida trail in White Springs district shares its route with the Bridge-to-Bridge Trail built by the Suwannee Bicycle Association.
As confirmed with the Suwannee River Water Management District, bicycles are not allowed on the Florida trail that borders the Suwannee River, except in certain locations. If you're looking for an unforgettable cycling experience in Cape Coral, Florida, you won't be disappointed. With its well-connected bicycle network and plenty of shady places to rest and observe nature, it's an ideal destination for cyclists of all levels.
