English Breakfast

Now that my kids are getting older one of our favorite things to do is to get out on our bikes, and the Greater Cincinnati area has so many great places to ride a bike. Sometimes we need an easy, flat ride (for those that are still working on mastering riding a two-wheeler) and sometimes we opt for a ride full of hills. Sometimes we want to be where there are lots of trees, and sometimes we opt to coast by the Ohio River. There’s really a bike trail for everyone, and so many to explore that it’s not possible to list them all. I’ve put together a list of our favorite places to ride bikes in the area.

Our Favorite Places to Ride Bikes:

Devou Park ~ I grew up near Devou Park, so it makes sense that this is one of my favorite places to ride a bike. There's a great path through the park that begins at the Devou Park Golf Course and ends at the Overlook near the Drees Pavilion, where you can get a great bird's-eye view of Cincinnati and Covington. While you are in Devou you can also stop at the Behringer Crawford Museum and make a day of it! I usually ride in Devou Park with my older kids, as there are hills and roads to cross. If you have older kids or are feeling more adventurous Devou Park also has backcountry trails for biking.

Giles Conrad Park ~ Located in Boone County, this park offers a great view of the Ohio River as you ride your bike along a very flat 1.3 mile bike path. This is a perfect place to take new bike riders since it's so flat. And as an added bonus there's also a playground and a creek you can explore. Or you could pack a picnic lunch and watch the boats go by on the Ohio River while you eat. We love to ride our bikes in this park, and then sometimes on the way home down the beautiful winding Route 8 we stop to go across the Ohio River on the Anderson Ferry. Giles Conrad Park is located at 7500 River Road, Hebron, KY 41048

International Friendship Park ~ The I nternational Friendship Park is hands down my favorite place to take the kids when they are learning how to ride their bikes because it is a very easy and smooth ride for the young ones, with only a couple VERY small hills. Not only is it a simple ride for young riders, but it is a gorgeous place to ride your bikes or walk or run because you have a great view of the Ohio River and the park is full of beautiful landscaping and some awesome sculptures. Once the kids are ready for a longer ride you can take them from the Friendship Park along the trail to Sawyer Point and then on to Smale Riverfront Park. There are many places to play along the way, and a few places to dine as well, or you can pack a picnic. It's a perfect place to spend the day! The FREE parking lot for the International Friendship Park is on Riverside Drive, on the right, just past Montgomery Inn.

A lovely spot for a picnic at the International Friendship Park

Loveland Bike Trail ~ The Loveland Bike Trail is a part of the Little Miami Scenic Park which contains over 70 miles of paved trail, and there are many spots where you can park and ride from along the trail. We chose to start our bike ride in the charming town of Loveland and I rode for a few miles down the trail with all four kids. The path was easy enough for even the young riders to maneuver on, but I sort of wish I had left the youngest of mine with his grandparents because the older kids were itching to go further along the trail! We had gorgeous views of the Little Miami River, and even saw deer crossing our path! When you finish your ride there is much to do in Loveland, especially if you are hungry! They have many restaurants to choose from and then you can let the kids play in the playground or take a little drive to visit the Loveland Castle, which my children loved. Lunken Airport Bike Path ~ Get up close and personal with airplanes and helicopters on a bike ride around Lunken Airport! There is a five mile loop around Lunken Airport that is always fun to ride on. And then if you are hungry after the ride you can stop off at the Sky Galley Restaurant and grab a bite to eat. The Lunken Bike Path also connects to a path that leads to the Armleder Park Trail, which would add another two miles to your ride. There is very little shade on this ride, and a few very big hills, so don't forget the sunscreen and consider leaving the rookie bike riders at home if they aren't good with hills. The path is very wide and it's always busy with bike riders, walkers, runners, and others out for exercise. The highlight for us on this path is to watch the planes take off and land while we enjoy our ride. Lunken Airport is located on Wilmer Avenue and there is a free parking lot across the street from the airport. Spring Grove Cemetery ~ You might find it odd that I've included a cemetery in my list of places we love to bike ride, but the Spring Grove Cemetery welcomes walkers and bicyclists to enjoy their historic and exquisite grounds. This is one of my favorite places in Cincinnati to wander around, whether it be driving, biking or walking. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore, and while you are wandering you will see trees of so many varieties (labeled so you know what they are), swans swimming gracefully, and notable figures from Cincinnati's history buried on these sacred grounds. It's such a peaceful place to be, I always feel so calm and restful after visiting Spring Grove.