Bicycling is one of the most exciting and green ways to explore and experience a new city. Here are some of the best urban biking trails in the United States.
Urban Biking Route #1: French Quarter- Lower Ninth Ward – City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans – the home of jazz, poetry and historic neighborhoods. Touring by bike is an easy way to explore the fascinating surroundings and take in the details of the city. The French Quarter- Lower Ninth Ward biking route is around 9 miles and it starts from the French Quarter – from there, head east to the adjacent bohemian neighborhood of Bywater, where you can stop to explore the scenery by foot.
From Bywater, continue on Saint Claude Avenue across the Industrial Canal to the Lower Ninth Ward – although the devastation of Hurricane Katrina is still evident, there is plenty to explore. From the Lower Ninth, Claiborne Avenue will take you back across the canal to Bywater; continue west on Esplanade Avenue to see some 150-year-old mansions en route to your endpoint – City Park, where you can visit the New Orleans Museum of Art and the sculpture and botanical gardens or ride the carousel.
Urban Biking Route #2: Colonel Summers Park – Mount Tabor – Rocky Butte, Portland, Oregon
Overlaying the city of Portland, are well-used bike lanes leading to beautiful landscapes, which the state of Oregon is famous for. 
The urban exploration starts from Colonel Summers Park to Rocky Butte and offers a short and strenuous climbs to the tops of two extinct volcanoes that allow some spectacular views of the city. Once you enjoyed the views of the city, head east from Colonel Summers to Mount Tabor Park, where you can climb up a volcanic cinder cone and enjoy the stunning views of downtown Portland.
From Mount Tabor, head north to the Rocky Butte Natural Area, climbing another cinder cone, from where the views are different, but just as spectacular – being at eye level with planes landing at Portland International Airport being one of the many perks of the location. The Colonel Summers Park – Mount Tabor – Rocky Butte biking trail is 18 miles long and its worth every spin of the bicycle pedals.
Urban Biking Route #3: Pier 84 to City Island, New York City
The dynamics and population density of New York City may suggest that it is not the most suitable choice in terms of urban biking. However, the popular Hudson River Park bike path, which runs along Manhattan’s west side, offers 13 miles of continuous city sights on one side and the Hudson River and New Jersey on the other — you still think its not worth the ride?
If you are looking for a more off-the-tourist-track journey, take the bike path north from Manhattan into the Bronx. Start point being Pier 84 at West 43rd Street, near the Intrepid Museum. From there, it’s nothing but cycling paths all the way to the George Washington Bridge at 178th Street. Cross under the bridge into Inwood Hill Park, where the crowds thin and the vegetation thickens, and then cross the Harlem River into the Bronx for a mix of urban grit and lush parks.The path turns east through Bronx Park, along Pelham Parkway, and finally over a series of small bridges to City Island in Long Island Sound.
Once you’ve reached the City Island you can enjoy its oddity – a quiet New England fishing village in the middle of the most vibrant and dynamic city in the world. With antiques shops, a nautical museum, and Victorian mansions being part of the local landscape, that significantly differs from what the rest of urban New York has to offer – Pier 84 to City Island is 18 miles biking route, throughout you can explore a different side of New York.
Photo credits: K.Hurley / Foter.com / CC BY-ND ; Ian Sane / Foter.com / CC BY & Barry Yanowitz / Foter.com / CC BY-NC