By Maggie Sullivan

Cycling is a great way to travel--the breeze in your face and a good workout besides. Choosing the right trip will smooth over any bumps along the way: sore butts, burning quads, and road rash.

Where to Go
Pick your place first. Popular domestic destinations include California’s wine country, Vermont, and the desert Southwest. Overseas, Europe is the Mecca of bike touring, with an ideal mix of quiet roads, bucolic countryside, and rustic villages. But anywhere with good roads and great scenery works.

Degree of Difficulty
Next, choose your level of difficulty (i.e., mileage and hilliness of the route). Daily mileage typically ranges from about 25 to 75 miles. Know thyself and match the trip’s difficulty to your own regular riding experience. Don’t be afraid to aim high and challenge yourself a bit; if you miscalculate, outfitters typically provide "sag wagons" for the weary or butt-sore.

Variations on a Theme
Once you’ve decided on a destination and degree of physical effort there is little else to determine which trip to take. Trips are either inn-to-inn, chateau-to-chateau, lodge-to lodge...you get the idea, it all depends upon the country. Price generally varies depending on the quality of your nightly accommodations and what meals are included. On one end you might be sleeping in a modest hotel and finding your own meals, while on the other you’re staying in five-star chateaux and dining in five-star restaurants.

Maggie Sullivan is an assistant editor at iExplore.