Chicago on two wheels: Touring lakefront path

CHICAGO — Known for its blustery winds, Chicago's lakefront might not seem the ideal place for a leisurely bike ride.

But the paved path along Lake Michigan that snakes south from the suburbs past some of the city's most famous sites makes the perfect urban excursion for taxi-weary tourists.

Several companies rent bicycles at prominent spots across the city. Two examples: Bike Chicago has six outlets and Bobby's Bike Hike offers day and night guided tours. Why pay for transit tickets, shuttle buses or walk miles when you can see the city at your own pace for half the price?

I started at visitor-friendly Navy Pier, where the bicycle rental kiosk sits along the shore. Choices range from sporty mountain bikes to comfortable beach cruisers. Ask to try the different cycle types before you commit to one and make sure the seat isn't too high.

Bicycling tours and rentals

Bike Chicago

Rental stands at Foster Beach, Wilson Beach, North Avenue Beach, Navy Pier, Millennium Park and 63rd Street Beach;www.bikechicago.com or 312-595-9600. Open at Navy Pier, April 1-Oct. 31; at Millennium Park, year-round; at North Avenue Beach, May 1-Sept. 31; and at Wilson Beach, Foster Beach and 63rd Street Beach, through Labor Day. Depending on the bike, rentals run $8.75-$10.75 an hour, $29-$38 for a half-day or $34-$43 for all day. Rent a second day for $10-$14.

Bobby's Bike Hike Chicago

Offers day and nighttime guided tours; www.bobbysbikehike.com or 312-915-0995.

• "City in a Garden" three-hour tour highlights the lakefront, Millennium Park, Grant Park, Buckingham Fountain, the museum campus, Navy Pier and Soldier Field. Offered 10 a.m. daily, through Nov. 30. Adults, $35; students, $26; children 11 and younger, $19.

• "City of Neighborhoods" three-hour tour highlights Navy Pier, Rush Street, the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Old Town and the Magnificent Mile. Offered 1:30 p.m. daily, through Nov. 30. Adults, $35; students, $24; children 11 and younger, $18.

• "Sunglasses at Night" three-hour tour highlights nighttime skyline views, Buckingham Fountain, Navy Pier fireworks, the museum campus and Millennium Park. Offered Wednesday through Saturday, at 7 p.m., through Sept. 4, and Saturdays only at 7 p.m. Sept. 5-Nov. 20. Adults, $35; students, $24; children 11 and younger, $18.

SEGWAY TOURS:

• City Segway Tours, 400 E. Randolph St., www.citysegwaytours.com/chicago or 877-734-8687. Three-hour tour, $70, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily. Two-hour tour, $60, 6 p.m. daily.

• Segway Experience, 224 S. Michigan Ave., www.segwayexperience.com or 866-734-4863. Two-hour tour, $70, at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. daily.

More information

Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau: 877-244-2246 or www.choosechicago.com/visitors/

Tandem bikes are available, too. So are inline skates and a variety of baby seats, strollers and wagons for the kids. Helmets and locks are included. For those who prefer battery power to pedal power, several companies also offer Segway tours of the city.

I was suited up and ready to go when, I admit, I got a bit lost. The signage pointing out the lakefront trail isn't the best in some areas. My advice: Bring a map. Bike Chicago provides them, too.

I cycled a half-mile south to find a beautiful view of Navy Pier jutting into the lake with its Ferris wheel standing tall. With all the sights to see, there will likely be more stopping than pedaling.

Continuing south, the path runs past the Chicago Yacht Club, a marina filled with hundreds of sailboats tottering back and forth in the lake breeze. Look west and Chicago's famous downtown skyline — the Sears Tower, the John Hancock Building and Prudential Building — looms overhead.

At Monroe Street, a side trail offers exploration of Chicago's new Millennium Park. Cyclists can lock up the bikes to stroll through the gardens or catch a performance at the outdoor amphitheater. But be careful, you have to cross the very busy Lake Shore Drive to get there.

Grant Park and its postcard-famous Buckingham Fountain are next before Chicago's museum campus, offering stops and tours at the Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium or The Field Museum. The museums have restaurants and there are plenty of water fountains and food stands along the way for the road-weary.

The path continues south past Soldier Field, the newly redone spaceship-looking home of the Chicago Bears. The famous facade remains. The city's main convention center, McCormick Place, is accessible as well, and there are picnic lunch possibilities at 31st Street beach.

Other south-side trails off the lake lead to Chinatown, the Chicago Blues Museum, U.S. Cellular Field where the Chicago White Sox play, the University of Chicago and Museum of Science and Industry.

North from Navy Pier offers more sites you would be paying a city cabbie $15 to drive you to through traffic. I found the nicest section of the ride to be along Oak Street Beach, where the mist from the Lake Michigan waves hits your face as seagulls sail by. Riders pass the Drake Hotel and swanky Gold Coast high-rise condos.

The lakefront park trail continues north through trendy Lincoln Park with its popular zoo and conservatory. From the zoo, riders can go off trail to cycle up Clark Street for great local shopping. The north side of the path also offers at least six different beaches and golfing options.

The bike trail is a steal if your plan was to walk or taxi your way along the Lake Michigan shore's most popular destinations. At the most expensive, a single-person bicycle is $43 from Bike Chicago, or choose from the company's several neighborhood and nighttime tours.