More detailed descriptions can be found on the Ride Rating System page
† Explanation of BAC Ride Fee – This fee is not included in the Estimated Cost and is non-refundable once submitted. The Ride Fee for US and Canada is $85 and $150 for all other countries, both are per participant.
OVERVIEW
Cape Cod is one of the largest barriers “islands” in the world, qualifying as an island since the construction of the Cape Cod Canal removed the remaining attachment to the land mass of Massachusetts. Cape Cod, the eastern-most arm of Massachusetts, is known for its pristine beaches, captivating history, and old-fashioned charm. Seven miles off the coast of Cape Cod sits Martha’s Vineyard, a jewel of an Island and with exceptional beauty. Bike paths separated from traffic crisscross the island, enabling cycling past cool forests, tranquil harbors, and pristine beaches, with mesmerizing views from the Aquinnah Cliffs. Nantucket is a small island of only 14 miles in length and 3.5 miles wide, and with its lovely cobblestoned streets, its dune-covered beaches and its beautiful architecture—transports you back to the 19th Century.
You will pedal through tidy villages, past, gray-shingled cottages, along beaches, kettle ponds, and rivers. Cape Cod and Islands have some of the nation’s best bird sanctuaries. This tour encompasses what many regard as the best of these three islands’ unique landscapes and seaside character. A diversity of scenery, cycling routes, and distinctive accommodations allow you to experience Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket in comfort and style.
During our tour during September, the weather is generally mild, the summer holiday crowds have left, and the traffic is light.
Previous versions of this tour were led by the late Ida Nystrom in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013. Ida assisted substantially with the current ride leaders. Ride Leader Albert Balingit led this tour twice in 2022 and again in 2024. This will be his fourth time leading the tour.
Below is a summary of the itinerary:
Days 1-2: We are in Yarmouth. We have reserved rooms at our first hotel for those who need to arrive the day before our first social hour and dinner and for those who need a travel day. We have designated this day as Day 0. You have the option of cancelling this room should you not need the travel day. Our first recommended ride is a historical tour of Hyannis and surrounding towns. You can visit the John F. Kennedy Museum, the church where the Kennedy family worshiped and donated the altar to honor Joseph Kennedy’s oldest son, and the cemetery where many Kennedys are buried. Visit the history museums of Osterville and Centreville. You will ride along beaches, lakes, and past one of many ponds named ‘Long Pond.” In Centerville, visit the Centerville Pie Restaurant, made famous by Oprah Winfrey, who was presented with two of their pies at Ethel Kennedy’s funeral. You will be cycling along many waterways with views that will delight you.
Day 3-5 On Day 3, we bike from Yarmouth to Woods Hole, home of the world-renowned Woods Hole Oceanography Institute. Cycle along the ocean front on the “Shining Sea” bike path, a name taken from “American the Beautiful”, written by a local from Falmouth, Katherine Lee Bates. There are two recommended routes to tour Falmouth and a route for those who would like a longer distance to the Cape Cod Canal. We are in Woods Hole for three nights.
Days 6-8 On Day 6, we leave Woods Hole by ferry for Oaks Bluff on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, known for its picturesque gingerbread cottages. Here you may cycle to the Aquinnah Cliffs and revel in the panoramic view of the sea stretched out before you. The second ride takes you east along a bike trail then to the ferry to Chappaquiddick Island, a ferry that is always “on time” since it does not have a schedule. Here you can visit Mytoi Japanese Garden, a tranquil experience. On your return, visit the old whaling town of Edgartown. The third ride is a 35-mile ride which takes you to three lighthouses. We will spend three nights in Martha’s Vineyard.
Days 9-11 On Day 9, we will board the ferry from Martha’s Vineyard to the island of Nantucket. Visit the Whaling Museum to learn about the history of Nantucket, its founders and settlers, and the history of whaling in Nantucket, which was formerly the whaling capital of the world. Ride the 35 miles of separated bike paths. One ride goes south to Madaket Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches of Nantucket. On your return for lunch, visit Bartlett Farms or Cisco Brewery, a favorite watering spot, and creator of Nantucket’s microbrews, wines and spirits. The second recommended route goes east on a separate bike path towards Siasconset (pronounced “Sconset’), a quaint village with tiny rose-covered cottages.
Days 12-15: On Day 12, we leave Nantucket by ferry to Hyannis and cycle from there to Chatham, whose abundant coastline at the Cape’s secluded elbow, makes it one of New England’s most coveted locations. Chatham is also the location of Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge Center and the Chatham Lighthouse. After a night in Chatham, on Day 13 we will cycle first on the Old Colony Rail Trail, which meets up with the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Along the way, we leave the Cape Cod Rail Trail to see 2000-acre Nickerson State Park and cycle its eight miles of bike paths. After leaving Nickerson, there is time to visit the Chocolate Sparrow, a gathering for local cyclists. In Orleans, we have mapped out two spurs-one west and the other east. We will spend the night in Orleans. On Day 14, we then bike to Cape Cod National Seashore and Salt Ponds and on to Provincetown where we will spend our last two nights.
On Day 16, you may take the 90-minute ferry crossing to Boston. In Boston, you may take a water taxi to the airport or a taxi. For those who are driving home, you take Interstate Highway 6 to return to the Massachusetts mainland.
If you have not visited Boston, you should consult your favorite guidebook. Some of the highlights are the Museum of Fine Arts, Isabelle Steward Gardner Museum, and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum and Library, along with walking tours to many historical sites.
RIDE RATING: This tour is rated 1A with four required riding days averaging 32 miles per day and an elevation gain of 994 feet. On Day 3, the first required riding day from Yarmouth to Falmouth, the distance of 37 miles exceeds the Level A rating of 35 miles. The recommended riding day in Provincetown on Day 13 is a ride through the sand dunes, which have short steep roller coast like climbs and descents. Although there are only four required riding days, we have created enough routes to have a ride every day of the tour. We have created spurs that could be added to the day’s route for those who desire longer distances.
The routes stay away from busy roads, but sometimes this could not be avoided, and thus you should be accustomed to cycling on busy roads, some without shoulders. Most of the routes are on separate bike paths such as the Cape Cod Rail Trail and the Old Colony Rail Trail. In Martha’s Vineyards and Nantucket, the routes are primarily on separate bike routes. For those who desire longer mileage, those can be developed using RWGPS and if you need assistance, the Ride Director will gladly assist you. This will give you the opportunity to visit places the tour does not go to.
WEATHER: During September, the average high ranges from the low to mid-70's with the lows averaging in the low 50's. Rain on average fell 7-8 days during September. Make sure you prepare accordingly.
LODGING AND MEALS: The tour includes 16 nights of lodging (you may opt out of Day 0) in seven different hotels. As of this moment, we are negotiating with different hotels and will finalize arrangements before January 2027. Since we have not finalized the hotels, we do not know how many breakfasts will be provided. We will have four group dinners and social hours on most days.
LOGISTICS: On Sunday, September 5, 2027, at 5:00 PM, we will have our first meeting, and dinner in Yarmouth. We will finish the tour on Monday, September 20, 2027 after breakfast, in Provincetown.
If you arrive by air, you should use Boston’s Logan Airport and then take a bus to the Transportation Center in Hyannis, and then a taxi or a shared ride to our first hotel Our last hotel is in Provincetown, and in the morning, you could take a scenic ferry ride to return to Boston Airport. Upon reaching the Boston ferry terminal, you could take a boat taxi to the airport, and a bus to your terminal.
We advise you to purchase a ferry ticket two months before the start of the tour. Most participants take the 10:30 am ferry from Provincetown to Boston. You should leave enough time for your departing flight.
If you are bringing a car, we intend to have parking at our last hotel in Provincetown and you will need to drive your car to Provincetown. You could return by bus or shared car, or you can take a beautiful 51-mile ride mainly along the Cape Cod Rail Trail.
The van will transport the luggage for our move days on Cape Cod. Each rider is expected to drop off their luggage by the announced time. Participants are expected to handle their own luggage and to help with loading and unloading the van. Due to limited space and handling requirements, we limit everyone to two pieces of luggage-one with a maximum size of 62 linear inches (21’x27’x14’ is typical) and less than 50 pounds, and a backpack. Medical equipment such as CPAP machines are not counted towards this limitation.
There will be no formal support during this tour. If you need transportation, private taxis or shared transportation are available which you need to pay for on your own. We will have a U-Haul truck which will transport our luggage during the time we are on the main island of Cape Cod. We will not take the U-Haul van on the ferry to the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. The hotels we intend to reserve on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard will be a short distance from the ferry and are walkable. If necessary, we will hire a taxi service to transport our luggage from the ferry to the hotel. Upon our return from Nantucket to Hyannis, we will rent another truck to transport luggage from Hyannis, Chatham, Orleans and then to Provincetown
We will not ride as a group.
BIKES: Bike rentals are available from Bike Zone located at 323 Barnstable Road in Hyannis. Call them at 508-775-3299 and reserve your bike. Bike Zone will pick up the bike from our last hotel in Provincetown for a fee which should be prorated for those who are taking advantage of this service. We have found BikeZone not reliable in returning your telephone calls, and you must persist in your attempt to rent a bike.
If you are bringing your own bike and have a bike box, we will seek storage for your bike box at our last city of Provincetown.
E-bikes and tandems will be allowed on this tour.
You should at least have 28 cc tires on your bike since some roads are unpaved.
COSTS AND ADMINISTRATION: The estimated cost of this tour is $ 4700 based on a minimum of 20 and will be reduced if a maximum of 24 is reached. The major portion of these costs, close to $2900, is for lodging, which is expensive in both Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The costs include 16 nights of lodging and the nightly tips, four group dinners, daily social hours, and all ferry tickets.
Final versions of RWGPS routes will be provided approximately 1 month prior to the start of the tour. Participants will receive an email containing a link to the EVENT file. Participants will need to have downloaded (at the minimum) the free version of the RWGPS app to receive the voice turn-by-turn directions. RWGPS can be run on a Garmin device and/or smartphone. Participants wanting cue sheets or maps will need to print their own from the file provided.
The initial deposit of $2,900 is due on sign-up. The second payment of $1800 is due on December 1, 2026.
SINGLES AND SOLO POLICY: A “single” is a member who signs up and wishes to share a room with another participant. A “solo” is a member who signs up, does not wish to share a room, and pays the solo supplement. It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. Due to hotel limitations on rooms with two beds, we can only accept six singles on this tour. After receipt of the initial deposit, a single without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until December 1, 2026, to find a roommate. If they are unable, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee) or pay the solo supplement and stay on the ride. They may continue to seek a roommate but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. If a roommate is found, the solo supplement will be returned. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride.
The solo supplement payment of $1850 is due by December 1, 2026 and can be paid by Zelle or by check. To pay using Zelle:
To pay by check, the check should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to: Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193.
If you have questions about the solo supplement, please contact Nancy Bohnett at nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org.
CANCELLATION POLICY: The BAC ride registration fee and payment processing fee is not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled due to participation below the stated minimum requirements. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped or cancelled. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost because of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant cannot be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report is completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped, the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.
RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decision
HEALTH AND SAFETY: Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone become ill, putting the group’s health and safety in jeopardy, the ill person will be expected to isolate from the group until well again. When isolation is not possible, the ill person will be expected to wear a mask. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.
INSURANCE COVERAGE: BAC maintains two insurance policies: a) United States, and b) Foreign (all other countries). Both the U.S. and Foreign policies are considered secondary policies to your personal medical insurance policy. They are subject to a $1000 deductible and may not cover all expenses related to an accident. Copies of the current policies are located under the “Docs” tab on the BAC website.
Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. While touring in the U.S, the BAC insurance includes coverage for injuries due to accidents during the bike trip. Members’ personal insurance will need to cover medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected illness (i.e. treatment for unexpected illnesses, including Covid, are not covered).
While touring internationally, i.e., outside of the U.S., BAC maintains Foreign accident insurance to assist with expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies (including sudden and unexpected sickness), and repatriation. Insurance will apply door-to-door for treatment and travel for a maximum of 90 days overall. Coverage extends to a limited period spanning the published BAC trip dates, allowing for side trips occurring before and after the BAC ride; the limitation period is 7 days before or after the published BAC trip dates. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine.
SIGN UP: To submit a request to join this ride, use the sign-up "links" displayed above this Ride Description. When you are accepted, the Ride Leader will move you from the Waitlist to the Pending List. At that time, you will receive an email notification to login to the BAC website to sign the release of liability form and pay the non-refundable BAC ride registration fee and initial tour deposit $2,900 by credit card. There also is an $85 domestic ride fee. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. To contact the Ride Leader, "click" the name at the top of this Ride Description.
Bicycle Adventure Club
PO BOX 23998 San Diego, CA 92193
Telephone (858) 715-9510 office@bicycleadventureclub.org