Bobby’s Bike Hike

Bobby's Bike Hike is a Chicago tour company that runs guided bike, walking and food tours, with its Chicago meeting point at 540 North Lake Shore Drive in Streeterville. It also operates tours in Miami.

Three main Chicago tours are offered. Chicago's Ultimate City Bike Tour lasts three hours and is the best all-round introduction, covering a lot of ground in a morning or afternoon. Bikes, Bites and Views, the Chicago signature dishes bike tour, runs for four hours and combines cycling with food stops, so you can try local favourites along the way. For those who prefer to stay on foot, the three-hour Chicago Favorites Walking and Food Tour visits places to taste the city's best-known dishes. The company also lists kayaking tours among its activities.

Cycling is an efficient way to see Chicago, because many of the city's sights are spread along the lakefront and the river, and a guide takes care of the route so you can concentrate on the views. The tours are suitable for reasonably confident cyclists; check the tour descriptions for the pace and distance before booking if you have not ridden for a while.

Book online through the company's website, where current prices and departure times are listed. Summer is the busiest season, so reserve in advance for weekends. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, bring sunscreen and water on warm days, and check the weather forecast, as conditions on the lakefront can change quickly.

Bobby's Bike Hike suits active travellers, couples, groups of friends and families with older children. The food tours are a good way to combine exercise with eating, and the walking tour suits anyone who would rather not cycle. Allow three to four hours, depending on the tour. If you are choosing between the tours, the city bike tour is best for seeing as much as possible, while Bikes, Bites and Views is the one for food lovers. Groups with mixed abilities may find the walking food tour the easiest option, as everyone can go at the same pace.

The meeting point at 540 North Lake Shore Drive is easy to reach by taxi or on foot from many downtown hotels. For reservations and enquiries, call +1 312-245-9300 or email [email protected].