No Cars Allowed! Car-Free Cycle-Friendly Destinations

There are peaceful, bike-friendly destinations to be found on every corner of the globe—from Japanese islands to charming Alpine resorts. Ditch the rental car to explore rainforests, expansive coastlines, and quaint towns by bike in these top ten car-free locations.

The Island of Sark lies in the southwestern corner of the English Channel and can be reached from the UK or Normandy. The last feudal state in Europe (up until 2008), Sark now has its own parliament, but many medieval traditions remain. This 3.3-square-mile island is home to about 600 people who speak a dialect of the Norman languages. The island is also part of the Dark Sky community and is protected from artificial light pollution—perfect for stargazing!

Bikes are available for hire along the island’s main street, and cycling the entire island shouldn’t take more than an hour. Visit the 16th-century windmill on Sark’s highest point and the isthmus road built in 1945 by German prisoners of war. Explore the many caves or go for a carriage ride or a swim. Sark is home to a handful of hotels, shops, restaurants, and tea gardens. Be sure to try the famous Sark Cream Tea accompanied by fluffy, freshly baked scones with jam and butter. Set off before or after DuVine’s Normandy Bike Tour.

Travel back in time to a place where the clickety-clack of horse hooves on cobblestone and the scent of fresh fudge fill the air. At six square miles, Mackinac Island is located in Lake Huron between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan. Known for its Victorian architecture, the entire island has been deemed a National Historic Landmark. Mackinac is home to 500 year-round residents and hosts around 15,000 visitors per day in the summer months.

Bikes are available for rent as soon as you step off the ferry or from most hotels. Cycle on the eight-mile road around the island’s perimeter or explore the 80% of the island that comprises the Mackinac Island State Park. Go shopping on Main Street, have lunch at the Pink Pony, or take a walk or carriage ride to Fort Mackinac and the historic Grand Hotel.

Located in the Saas Valley in the Swiss Alps, Saas-Fee is a car-free Alpine resort among others like Braunwald, Wengen, and Zermatt. Cars have been banned from entering the city since 1951, and Saas-Fee can only be crossed using the 22 lifts including cable cars, gondolas, and the highest underground funicular railway in the world. Saas-Fee is home to 1,600 residents whose homes must be made of at least 40% wood to preserve the town’s original character.

Rent bikes from the Wellness Spa Pirmin Zurbriggen Hotel during the summer and explore the beautiful Saas Valley on mountain bike trails and winding, car-free roads. There are three lifts open to cyclists: Morenia, the Hannig, and the Furggstalden. Spend the rest of your time skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, canyon climbing, ice climbing, or heading off to your Switzerland Bike Tour.

Home to five villages, 1,300 people, and a population of endangered bird species, the Island of Hiddensee is located in the Baltic Sea off the northern coast of Germany. Affectionately known as the “sweet little isle” by its inhabitants, Hiddensee attracts travelers and artists alike with expansive sand beaches, salt marsh, rugged cliffs, and tranquil pine forests.

Between June and September, explore the sunniest place in Germany by foot, on a bike, or on horseback. Opt for a guided tour to learn more about the island. There are a handful of hotels and restaurants on the island, and bike rental shops everywhere. Hop off at the Dornbusch Lighthouse or stop into one of the island’s three museums, the 14th-century church, or the Hiddensee Bird Observatory.

Explore an island where pirates once plundered and criminals were locked up. The high-security prison on Ilha Grande closed in 1994, but the island remains one of the most untouched areas of the Brazilian rainforest. Just off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, the island is home to 5,000 inhabitants and countless endangered species. You’ll find a handful of roads on Ilha Grande’s 120 square miles of mostly undeveloped land, but more common are the 93 miles of hiking trails connecting the villages.

Ilha Grande offers a number of hotel and hostel options, mostly in the village of Abraão. There you can also rent a mountain bike and enjoy an easy 2.5-mile ride to Praia Preta beach, or challenge yourself with an hourlong ride on the road to Dois Rios. Spend the rest of your visit forest trekking, sea kayaking, surfing, snorkeling, sailing, exploring the many beaches, coves, waterfalls, and the ecological sanctuary of Saco de Céu lagoon. Why not head off to a Uruguay Bike Tour straight after?

Glide through the serene village of Giethoorn in a row boat or on a bicycle, where the loudest sound you’re likely to hear is the quacking of a duck or the soft hum of a whisper boat motor. Giethoorn is a village in the Dutch Province of Overijssel, about an hour-and-a-half drive from Amsterdam, with a population of 2,600 people and 180 bridges. There are no roads in the old part of the village, but plenty of walking and cycling paths and 56 miles of water canals and canoe trails.

Stay in one of the many hotels in Giethoorn or at a charming farmhouse inn nearby. Rent a bike and explore Giethoorn village and the gentle hills of the surrounding countryside. Canoes and motorboats can be rented from most canal-side restaurants, or rent a water ball and literally walk on water past thatched-roof houses, waving at the postman in his boat as he putters by. The canals and cycle-friendly vibe of Giethoorn are the perfect complement to DuVine’s Holland Bike Tour.

Located at the mouth of Cape Fear River, Bald Head Island is accessible by ferry from the nearby town of Southport and is known for its turtle nesting activity and as the filming location for Weekend at Bernie’s. Home to 175 full-time residents, Bald Head offers vacation rentals, dining, and shopping options for visitors. Enjoy the seaside golf course, full-service marina, and day spa.

Rent a bike by the hour, day, or week. Cycle on more than 15 miles of car-free roads and visit the Old Baldy Lighthouse, built in 1789. Explore the 14 miles of beaches, hike along the M. Kent Mitchell Nature Trail, go kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding, kite-boarding, fishing, surfing, or experience a Turtle walk in the month of June.

Although cars are not outlawed on the Aran Islands, you’re likely to visit Inishmore, Inishmaan, or Inisheer without seeing one. Located at the mouth of Galway, the Aran Islands are home to 1,200 residents deeply rooted in the tradition of remote island living. The islands are an official Gaeltacht area where the Irish language is spoken fluently (along with English). The largest of the islands, Inishmore, is 22 square miles of rugged limestone similar to that of the nearby Burren in County Clare. The limestone is used for stone fences that line the fields of grazing sheep (the source for wool that makes the islands’ iconic handmade sweaters).

There are lots of hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, pubs, and shops on the islands, and bikes are available for hire right off the ferry at Inishmore. Visit the ancient forts like Dun Aengus, the 14th-century O’Brien’s Castle, and Teampull Bheanáin, the smallest church in the world.

Pair with DuVine’s Ireland Bike Tour or Scotland Bike Tour.

Located in the river Danube that divides the two sides of Budapest, Margaret Island provides a peaceful hideaway that feels miles away from the city. Originally called Rabbit Island, this 2.5-meter-long oasis once served as a royal hunting reserve. When Mongol invaders took Budapest, the Hungarian king founded a nunnery on the island, vowing to send his daughter there if he was able to reclaim the land. The Mongols left shortly thereafter, and King Béla kept his promise by sending 11-year-old Margaret to the convent. The island has kept her name ever since.

Nowadays, Margaret Island is the perfect place to spend an afternoon in the sun. Rent a bike from one of the many operators at the end of Margaret Bridge, then climb the Island’s beautiful water tower for a great view of the city. Park your bike while you go for a dip in outdoor thermal baths and wander through the stunning Rose Garden and Japanese garden. Enjoy a show at the Island’s very own Musical Fountain, which plays everything from Vivaldi to Simon and Garfunkel. Then stroll back to the city at sundown for a drink at one of the famous ruin bars.

Traverse six Japanese islands on the world’s largest series of suspension bridges. This 70-kilometer car-free route takes you through Japanese port towns with gorgeous views of the Seto Inland Sea. Shimanami Kaido is equipped with two easy-to-use bike rental systems that allow you to pick up and drop off bikes as you please. The “regular” rental system has over a dozen terminals dotted across the islands, whereas Giant bike rentals has one terminal at the start and one at the end.

Hop off your bike to explore the artsy town of Onomichi, a popular destination among Japanese travelers that’s relatively undiscovered by visitors. Visit the Kosanji Temple and walk between boulders engraved with the works of famous writers on the Path of Literature. Peruse collections of retro anime at the bric-a-brac downtown stores and take a cable car up to the top of Mt. Senkoji for an unbeatable panoramic view.