SEATTLE CYCLING DESTINATIONS FOR THIS FALL

The coming of fall in the Northwest usually means people begin to hunker down indoors, posted up in front of Netflix until spring, but they are missing out on half the year. With a solid game plan and the proper gear, a break in the weather can be utilized to its fullest to explore some rides that you either didn’t get to during summer, or re-ride some classic standbys. Whether short, long, recreational or practical, one of the great things about Seattle is the sheer number of rides accessible all year long. So grab one of our handy tool rolls, load it up with essentials, and hit one of these rides this fall.

Red Hook Brewery – Woodinville
14300 NE 145th St, Woodinville, WA 98072

(Photo via thebellevuescene.com)

A popular ride in the summer along Seattle’s Bicycle Highway, otherwise known as the Burke-Gilman Trail, is to Red Hook Brewery in Woodinville. Once the weather starts to cool off, the crowds on the trail begin to cool off as well, creating a stress-free cruise down a very bike-friendly trail. From the beginning of the Burke-Gilman, at Golden Gardens, Red Hook Brewery is a good 25-mile ride, one-way. A long ride that pretty much requires an entire day, both to enjoy the experience and because it’ll get darker a whole lot earlier. Luckily, there are plenty of closer spots to jump on the trail for a shorter ride, but however you choose to do it; the liquid reward at the halfway point is a welcome sight.

The Yard – Greenwood
8313 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

(Photo via www.seattlemag.com)

Riding to the bar on a cold fall night for a pint and some food is a go-to fall activity for lots of people, and for good reason. Located in the Greenwood neighborhood, The Yard Café features both inside and outside seating—with heat lamps—in a very neighborly atmosphere. A wide range of local draft beers and a great food menu compliment their location, plus it’s right off the bike-friendly Greenwood Ave corridor. The Yard has the perfect outdoor area to post up on a sunny fall afternoon, or you can hunker down inside while you warm up with some food and drinks. While Phinney Ridge, just to the south, is quite steep off each side, heading north up 8^th Ave NW to N 83^rd ST provides a mellow, and much less steep route to the top. And the best part—it’ll be downhill the whole way home.   

Pike Place Market – Ivar’s Pier 54 Fish Bar
1001 Alaskan Way Seattle, WA 98104

(Photo via Wikipedia Commons)

The Pike Place Market is one of Seattle’s busiest tourist attractions, in summer. During fall, the crowds at the outdoor market thin out, but the vendors remain. Head south from the Ballard neighborhood and cross the Hiram-Chittenden Locks. Stop and watch the salmon try to swim upstream and maybe spot a seal trying to grab a free snack. From the Locks, follow the scenic Elliott Bay Trail along the water until you reach Pier 54, where you should stop and have lunch at Ivar’s Acres of Clams, a Seattle institution to fish and chips, and clam chowder. There’s nothing better than a heaping bowl of chowder on a brisk fall day, and the view of the Puget Sound is nothing short of spectacular. While digesting your food, cruise up Western Ave towards the Pike Place Market. Stroll past the vendors while keeping your personal space bubble in tact as you take in this much quieter tourist attraction.

Fremont Sunday Market – Slate Coffee
5413 6th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

(Photo via seattle.eater.com)

Star your leisurely Sunday morning with a deconstructed espresso from Slate Coffee Bar in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. Less of a fast food coffee experience, and more of a sit down spot; Slate is the perfect place to slowly wake up while you caffeinate. After you’ve had your fill, head south on 8^th Ave to the Burke-Gilman Trail and take a left towards Fremont. A short ways down the trail, the year-round Fremont Sunday Market is full of knickknacks and trinkets to fill your EH Works tool roll, or decorate your home with. After walking around the market for a while, it might be time to grab some food, or a drink, or both. Luckily there are plenty of dining options and plenty of bike parking within a short ride of the market in the cycle-friendly neighborhood of Fremont.