Florida: Orlando-to-Ocean Pathways Bike Tour
7 Day Inn Bike Tour
Tour Information
With a growing network of beautifully paved bike paths that will eventually create an uninterrupted route from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, Florida is fast becoming a cyclist’s paradise. This brand new bike tour introduces you to the eastern stretch of the paved bike paths called Florida’s Coast to Coast Trail. This is not your typical Florida. Travel from the "hill country" of Clermont east through charming towns, nature preserves, semi-tropical forests, and cattle pastures until we reach New Smyrna Beach on the Atlantic. Join us!
5% Discount
The first 6 women to sign up receive 5% discounts.
Leisurely
Flat terrain on paved bike trails. Leisurely cycling level.
6 nights lodging, 6 breakfasts, 4 picnic or sack lunches, 5 dinners, snacks, guided kayaking, digital maps & GPS files, van support, and trained guides.
$195 for a Cannondale Quick 3 hybrid or Cannondale Topstone 2 adventure road bike; $350 for a Gazelle T10 Ultimate low-step e-bike or Specialized Vado step-thru e-bike.
Quick
Topstone
Gazelle
Vado
Accommodations are subject to change.
Fly in and out of Orlando, FL, and take a complimentary shuttle to our starting hotel. At the end of the tour, WomanTours will shuttle everyone back to the Orlando airport or our starting hotel by 10:30am, or you can take Lyft, Uber or a taxi on your own.
How do I sign up?
You can Register / Sign-up for a Tour online. . You'll need a Visa, MasterCard, or Discover card or a check for the deposit. If you sign up within 30 days of the start of the tour, we require payment in full. Then, we’ll send you a tour confirmation packet with many more details about your trip, including travel arrangements, a packing list, and an optional training schedule. Most of our tours fill completely and have waiting lists, so don’t wait too long before deciding to join us!
What about electric-assist bikes (e-bikes)?
Electric-assist bikes - or e-bikes - have quiet, battery-powered motors that add power to your pedalng. They increase your speed and assist you in cycling up hills. Most e-bikes have a range of assistance, so you can choose how much of a boost you'd like. E-bikes make it easier to do all the miles in all types of terrain. We allow electric-assist bicycles on our tours if you'd like to bring your own. We also have e-bikes available for rent on most of our trips -- look for the e-bike symbol. We do not make e-bike recommendations if you're considering purchasing your own. We suggest you rent one on a tour first so you can try it!
Do I need to pay the single upgrade if I am coming alone?
No, you only need to pay the single upgrade if you want your own room. Otherwise, we will match you with others who have come alone as a roommate. Each day that we change hotels, you will rotate roommates. Women usually enjoy this arrangement, as they get to know each other on the tour. You will always have your own bed.
I am coming alone on this tour. Will I be the only one traveling alone?
Absolutely not. Many of our participants come by themselves. That is part of the reason for the existence of WomanTours--to provide women with riding partners as well as scenic vistas and interesting tours.
Can I bring my own bike?
About half of our guests bring their own bicycles. Cross-country cyclists must ride their own bikes. Upon signing up for a tour, you will receive information for packing, shipping and flying with your bike.
What about the rental bikes?
We have a fleet of women-specific bicycles available for rent for $195 for most tours in the U.S. We will need your height and inseam measurement to fit you properly. You can choose a hybrid bike with straight handlebars or an adventure road bike with racing-style drop handlebars. We also have electric-assist bikes, Gazelle T10 or the Specialized Vado, available for $350 for most tours. Our rental bicycles have a phone holder, back rack, water bottle holders, and back bag.
What if I have to cancel a tour within the USA?
We understand that personal circumstances sometimes force women to cancel their travel plans. Therefore, we have tried to be as generous as possible with the following domestic tour cancellation policy for our regular tours:
- 75+ days before tour departure: forfeit $150 of your deposit.
- 50 - 74 days before tour departure: forfeit 25% of the complete tour price.
- 30 - 49 days before tour departure: forfeit 65% of the complete tour price
- 15 - 29 days before tour departure: forfeit 85% of the complete tour price.
- 0 - 14 days before tour departure: forfeit 100% of the complete tour price.
- No refunds are possible after the tour begins.
In addition, you may transfer $350 to another trip up to 75 days before departure. On domestic US trips (excluding Alaska,) you may also transfer 50% of the trip price, less $50 up to 30 days before departure. WomanTours will hold any “transfer funds” on account through December 31 of the following year. Any money left on account beyond this deadline will be forfeited.
Please note that our cross-country and epic tours have their own cancellation policies, depending on the tour's payment schedule. The $300 registration fee for these tours is nonrefundable and nontransferable.
How are dietary issues handled on your tours?
When you sign up for one of our tours, we ask you if you have any dietary allergies, needs, or preferences. We send that information to the tour guides so they'll take everyone's needs into account when planning the tour's picnic lunches. We also keep that information in mind when we plan the breakfasts and dinners at restaurants, where everyone usually orders off the menu. We make sure there are ample choices for everyone.
We cook most of the dinners on our cross-country and epic tours. Our traveling chef accommodates guests with specific allergies and provides a non-meat protein source for vegetarians, but she cannot always adhere to everyone's likes and dislikes. If you require a vegan or gluten-free diet, there is an additional fee of about $50/week on our epic, cross-country, and barge tours.
Please be advised that while we strive to accommodate special dietary restrictions on our international trips, including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, or celiac diets, it may not always be possible due to factors beyond our control. Please note that food availability and options may vary depending on the destination and local cuisine. We encourage individuals with dietary concerns to check with our office to discuss their specific needs further, allowing us to provide the best possible assistance. We appreciate your understanding and encourage proactive communication to ensure a smooth and enjoyable travel experience.
Florida Bike Tour Itinerary
DAY 1: We meet at our starting hotel near the Orlando airport. We’ll start the rental bike fitting at 3:00pm, have our orientation at 5:00pm and then dinner at 6:30pm. If you’ve arrived early, consider visiting Universal Studio’s CityWalk, where live performances, celebrity appearances and cooking demonstrations punctuate a day of shopping, dining and theater. 0 miles.
DAY 2: After breakfast at our hotel, we shuttle to Winter Garden. This thriving small city on the western outskirts of Orlando welcomes cyclists in a big way by having the West Orange Trail run through its primary downtown corridor.
We ride our bikes west on this well-manicured paved trail under a canopy of majestic oaks and other native trees draped in beautiful Spanish moss, turning around where the trail ends. You might be surprised to feel some gentle undulations on this day, as our route crosses the Lake Wales Ridge, an ancient chain of islands that stayed above sea level while the rest of the Florida peninsula rested on the ocean floor.
There are opportunities to explore off the bike as well. A short hike in Oakland Nature Preserve takes you through wetlands and the shore of Lake Apopka, with the possibility of meeting a gopher tortoise or screech owl along the way.
After a picnic lunch at Clermont Waterfront Park, cycle or shuttle back to Winter Garden, where you’ll have time to explore the shops and galleries before dinner. 27 or 36 miles, ±1023’ for longer route.
DAY 3: After breakfast at our historic hotel, we shuttle to our starting point on the Seminole Wekiva Trail and begin a bike ride that will take us around Lake Monroe, part of the St. Johns River system. As we approach the west end of the lake, we'll be rewarded with magical spring-fed streams, lush green fields and the jungle-like woodlands of Gemini Springs Park.
On the east end, we'll ride through the Lake Monroe Conservation Area, regaled for its floodplain marshes where swamp sunflowers grow and old-growth palm hammocks mingle with ancient live oaks. Then we'll swing through the waterfront town of Sanford, hugging the lake for several miles on a pleasant bike path before anchoring in Sanford for the next two nights. 39 miles, ±560".
DAY 4: We'll start the day with a leisurely morning bike ride, heading north to Blue Spring State Park, famous for the manatees that live here for the winter. We'll savor a picnic lunch at the park, then meet up with trained kayaking guides for a few hours on the St. Johns River, paddling among these gentle giants. We'll head back to Sanford for dinner at a popular German eatery. 14 miles, ±292’.
Day 5: Today’s ride is truly about rural Florida, and we'll start it after a brief shuttle past Sanford. Agriculture is the region’s economic driver, and you’ll see both cattle pastures and tree farms along the route as you pass through the communities of Osteen, Farmton, Maytown and Mims.
Enjoy the peace and quiet along these miles, as well as the diversity in vegetation and animal life. We’ve seen bobcats along this stretch of trail, along with osprey, eagles and turkeys. The diversity of trees is also astounding, from cypress to swamp tupelos.
We follow a spur trail north to New Smyrna Beach, where we will stay in an inn on the Indian River. You’ll have time to explore the downtown district’s art galleries and shops, and you’ll have plenty of restaurants to choose from as dinner is on your own. 32 miles, ±99’.
DAY 6: Our final bike ride explores the coastal splendor of New Smyrna Beach. It loops through residential neighborhoods with long stretches along the ocean. We'll circle Smyrna Dunes Park, soaking in breathtaking views of saltwater marches, sand dunes, the Ponce de Leon Inlet and the Atlantic. In fact, we'll ride for a bit on the beach, bathing our bodies in seaside breezes.
This route also offers an option to ride through Canaveral National Seashore, whose pristine coastline remains rustic and undeveloped. The first Native people who lived here depended on oysters and clams, and left their shells in mounds that fascinate archeologists.
Our final dinner together will be at our bed and breakfast, where we will share a toast to the coast and all our adventures to get there. 28 or 42 miles miles, ±330’ for longer route.
DAY 7: After breakfast, we will shuttle anyone who needs to get back to the Orlando airport or our starting hotel, arriving by 10:30am. Safe travels home and we hope you'll have enjoyed seeing a different side of Florida this week.