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Lake Ontario Bike Tour

Starts: Buffalo, NY

Route: Lake Ontario Shoreline

Ends: Buffalo, NY

Lake Ontario Bike Tour

Tour 1: June 21 – July 11
Tour 2: July 12 – August 1
Tour 3: July 19 – August 8

 

Why This Trek is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Adventure

Pedal into a 21-day journey around Lake Ontario, experiencing the natural beauty and cultural richness of both the United States and Canada. From the roaring Niagara Falls to the historic Thousand Islands region, this trek offers a unique blend of scenic landscapes, vibrant cities, and international exploration. Cycle through diverse terrains, enjoy local cuisines, and create lasting memories with fellow adventurers.

Why This Trek is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Adventure​

Pedal into a 21-day journey around Lake Ontario, experiencing the natural beauty and cultural richness of both the United States and Canada. From the roaring Niagara Falls to the historic Thousand Islands region, this trek offers a unique blend of scenic landscapes, vibrant cities, and international exploration. Cycle through diverse terrains, enjoy local cuisines, and create lasting memories with fellow adventurers.
lake ontario bike trek map

Start Your Trek

Tour Highlights at a Glance

Niagara Falls

Witness the majestic falls up close and explore the surrounding parks.

Toronto

Experience Canada’s largest city, with its diverse neighborhoods and cultural landmarks.

Thousand Islands

Discover the picturesque archipelago along the St. Lawrence River.

Scenic Routes

Cycle along the Lake Ontario shoreline, enjoying breathtaking views and charming towns.

Who Is This Trek For

High School Students

Eager to explore international destinations and embrace new challenges.

Enthusiastic Cyclists

Comfortable with moderate daily rides and varying terrains.

Cultural Enthusiasts

Interested in experiencing the unique blend of American and Canadian cultures.

Team Players

Ready to build lasting friendships and work collaboratively in a group setting.

Daily Itinerary & Map

What You’ll Experience Each Day

Please Note: Full detailed itineraries are only available to cyclists and their parents/guardians.

Cultural & Regional Highlights

  • Buffalo, NY:

    Begin and end your journey in this historic city known for its architecture and vibrant arts.

  • Toronto:

    Experience the multicultural atmosphere, diverse cuisines, and iconic landmarks.

  • Thousand Islands:

    Explore the scenic waterways, historic castles, and lush landscapes of this region.

  • Small Towns:

    Discover the charm and hospitality of various communities along the route.

buffalo wings, celery and blue cheese
beaches outside toronto

Questions?

We're Here to Help You

The Inclusive Value of Every Teen Treks Journey

At TeenTreks, we believe in transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Your payment covers all aspects of the journey, ensuring a hassle-free adventure. Additionally, as a not-for-profit organization, 100% of trip profits are reinvested into supporting youth outdoor programs.

– Cliff Madell, Founder

What’s Included In the Trek?

collage of a bicycle, teenagers eating lunch, and a camp site
teen bicyclist taking a selfie

Safety, Supervision & Peace of Mind

  • 20+ Years

    Zero Major Safety Incidents

  • Experienced, Trained Trek Leaders

    Every leader is CPR/First Aid certified, highly trained in road safety, and selected for their maturity, energy, and care for teens.

  • Daily Safety Checks

    Bikes are inspected daily, safety briefings are held each morning and bike-safety managers are assigned daily.

  • Small Group Sizes

    We keep our groups intentionally small for personalized attention and stronger supervision.

  • Detailed Itinerary Shared Privately

    The full, day-by-day itinerary is shared only with trekkers and their parents or guardians for safety and privacy.

  • Daily Check-Ins

    Trekkers report a daily blog of the day's highlights to be shared with families, leaders report to office daily, office staff are available for updates anytime.

Pricing, Dates & Availability

Cost: $4,595 / person

For 21 Days

Other bike tours charge the same price for just 6 days. Teen Treks gives you 21 days of adventure, learning, and lifelong memories – over 3x the value!

  • Early booking is recommended to secure your place.

limited spots available

Your Leader

Get To Know Our Leaders

At Teen Treks, our bike trip leaders are passionate, experienced individuals who are committed to providing a safe and enriching experience for every teen. With backgrounds in outdoor education, cycling, and youth mentorship, they’re more than just guides—they’re mentors who foster teamwork, resilience, and personal growth. Through careful training in safety, first aid, and group dynamics, our leaders ensure every trip is both fun and supportive. They inspire teens to challenge themselves, build new friendships, and develop a lifelong love for adventure, making each bike tour a unique and unforgettable journey.

teen bike tour photo on a giant chair

FAQs

Know Before You Go

Where do we sleep?

Teen Treks groups stay in hostels, hotels, and campgrounds. Wherever you go, you’ll get to know the place. In a major city, you’ll likely get to stay in a hostel right in the downtown area, steps from major tourist attractions and plenty of great restaurants. In the North American or European countryside, you’ll often camp out in beautiful settings, or stay in a hostel that’s part of a historic landmark. Our Lake Ontario Trek, for example, stays at the 1800s-era Tibbets Point Lighthouse hostel.

What are the trip leaders like?

Each group gets two leaders, who will be fun, resourceful adults who love hanging out with kids and who know bikes. Many took cross-country bike trips as teenagers like the ones they’re now leading, and they all complete a comprehensive leader training program and get CPR and First Aid certification. They’re teachers, human service professionals, travel and hospitality professionals, graduate students and college seniors. Some are avid cyclists and travel enthusiasts, while others have served in organizations like Americorps. Their average age is 25 years old.

What makes Teen Treks different?

Teen Treks gives teenagers the chance to discover the excitement and fun of bike touring with a bunch of like-minded people, seeing beautiful natural landscapes and world-class cities while gaining independence and travel skills. You’ll have great experiences out on the road and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Teens who take our trips get a lot of say in what the group does each day, from planning the details of the route to picking out what’s for dinner. If everyone wants to bike hard and get to the beach faster, you can do that. If you want to spend a little more time taking pictures at a breathtaking waterfall or a picturesque waterfront, you can do that. We give our trip leaders lists of activities and interesting sites along the route, but the group has the freedom to follow their preferences – every summer, our trekkers find things to do we didn’t know about, and we add them to our lists for next year.

Teen Treks offers by far the best value in truly extraordinary bike trips for teenagers. Over our history, we’ve run outstanding trips up and down the New England Shore from New York to Montreal, in the Pacific Northwest, and along the California Coast all the way Across America, and through the best sites in Europe. Check out our testimonials and compare our prices to other organizations’. Our trips, our experience, and our rates can’t be beat.

What do we eat?

Your leaders will make sure there’s plenty of food for everyone, and that it’s tasty as well as good for you. Breakfast will be quick but satisfying – hot oatmeal or cereal, for example – and lunch will keep you going with a variety of fruits, vegetables, and sandwiches. For dinner, you may go to a local restaurant or make something hot together, like pasta, flatbread pizzas, or fajitas.

Our trips readily accommodate those with special dietary requirements, and we’re very conscious of food allergies – just let us know what you need.

What kind of bike should I bring?

We recommend using a touring bike, a road bike, or a hybrid with at least 15 speeds; 15-27 is ideal. If you need to buy a bike, you should be able to get one that will work great for touring for $400-$1000. Teen Treks does not allow participants to use high-performance racing bikes, dirt bikes, fixed-gear bikes, or Dutch-style roadsters.

Your bike should have a set of new tires at the time your trip starts.

Please call or email us if you’d like to talk bike choices.

Who goes on a typical Teen Trek?

Our groups include up to 10 teens, led by 2 outstanding leaders. We try to keep the gender balance even, half boys and half girls, and we group teens by age to create a positive, cohesive social environment.

Some of our trips, like the European Phantom and Pacific Northwest Treks, are designed for older teens, where others, like the Niagara-Toronto trek, cater to a younger age group. When a route will work well for kids across a range of ages, we run several trips, one for each age group. Check out our Trips Table to see what trips we have for your age.

Teens who travel with us have come from all 50 states, Canada, Europe and Asia.

How will I keep in touch with home?

You’ll be able to call home for short chats using the leader’s cell phones every 6-7 days. We provide parents with a trip itinerary and we post regular updates on our blog to show off the adventures our trekkers are having. In addition, leaders touch base with the Teen Treks office daily, so parents can contact us for information as the trip progresses.

What happens on rainy days?

If it’s only raining lightly, the trip will carry on as planned. Heavy rains or thunderstorms are usually short-lived, so your group will sit out the storm in a coffee shop, at a store, or in some other sheltered location, and continue on your way once it passes.