The Carolinas Bike Tour
Couples, Friends & Solos
The Carolinas Bike Tour
Couples, Friends & Solos
5 days
4 nights
Activity Levels 2-5
Premiere Hotels*
2025: Sep-Oct2026: May-Jun, Sep-Oct
Outdoorsy Greenville to Artsy Asheville & the Blue Ridge Mountains
This trip is all about natural splendor, Southern Appalachian culture and some of the most glorious riding on the Eastern Seaboard. Through a cyclist's paradise from Greenville to Asheville. From George Hincapie’s bike-centric hotel to George Vanderbilt’s historic and opulent estate, experience one of our most pedal-perfect offerings yet.
Highlights
- Marvel at sweeping vistas and stunning colors in the storied Blue Ridge Mountains and the rolling hills of the Piedmont region
- Tap your feet at a performance of bluegrass—music born and nourished in North Carolina's mountains
- Bike on the Blue Ridge Parkway, famous among cycling enthusiasts for its picturesque views and thrilling elevations
- Delight your taste buds with the regional specialties of the Carolinas, including farm-to-table cuisine and a plethora of craft brews

StartGreenville
EndAsheville
* Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Itinerary

Days 1-2
Bike the Swamp Rabbit Trail, one of Greenville’s famed Rails-to-Trails pathways, along the Reedy River • Set out on a peaceful ride through the Greenville Watershed Area and visit the historic Victorian mountain town of Saluda • Relax at our Mediterranean-style hotel and fuel up with a wonderful farm-to-table dinner at the stylish Restaurant 17 • Embark upon Hincapie’s Gran Fondo route or choose a leisurely spin past the North Saluda Reservoir.

Nights 1-2
Set amid the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains, this stylish boutique hotel is the brainchild of 17-time Tour de France competitor George Hincapie and his brother Rich. (pool)

Day 3
Cycle north at the foot of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in South Carolina • Tackle the ascent of Caesars Head—spectacular vistas of the surrounding mountains await at the summit • Ride a gradual descent across the state line into North Carolina • If you enjoy rolling terrain, you’ll love pedaling through the afternoon stretch of Southern Appalachia and classic Carolina farmland • Listen to bluegrass music over a barbecue dinner.




Night 3
Bordering Pisgah National Forest, the modern cabins at Pilot Cove are designed to blend into their verdant setting and have easy access to area trails.

Days 4-5
Head out on a peaceful ride through Pisgah National Forest, home to Sliding Rock and the Cradle of Forestry heritage site • Wonder at the numerous white-water rivers and waterfalls, including Looking Glass Falls, with its spectacular 60-foot cascade • Cycle down an exhilarating portion of the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, the longest stretch of protected parkway in America and known as "America's most scenic drive" • Bike through tunnels and past scenic overlooks • Explore George Vanderbilt’s magnificent Loire Valley-inspired château and gardens, set within the 8,000-acre Biltmore Estate • Enjoy a leisurely spin through the Biltmore Forest before we savor a farewell lunch.

Night 4
Savor turn-of-the-century elegance and breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains at this gracious inn, nestled on Biltmore’s majestic estate. (pool, spa)
What's Included
See moreHotels
World-Class Hotels
Our hand-selected Premiere hotels offer exceptional hospitality and experiences as special as the regions we explore.
Hotels may vary based on departure. Any variations will be displayed when selecting a departure under Dates & Prices.
Nights 1-2
Premiere Hotel
Set amid the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains, this stylish boutique hotel is the brainchild of 17-time Tour de France competitor George Hincapie and his brother Rich. (pool)
Night 3
*Deluxe Hotel
Bordering Pisgah National Forest, the modern cabins at Pilot Cove are designed to blend into their verdant setting and have easy access to area trails.
Night 4
Premiere Hotel
Savor turn-of-the-century elegance and breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains at this gracious inn, nestled on Biltmore’s majestic estate. (pool, spa)
Gallery
Bikes
Choose Your Perfect Bike
Our bikes are designed and built with specific cyclists and riding styles in mind, so we can always offer you a perfect ride. Please note that bike requests are subject to availability and prioritized based on the date they're submitted.

Included in your trip price
- Ideal for avid cyclists
- Redesigned for 2024
- Next gen titanium frame with carbon wheels
- Responsive, efficient and comfortable
- Drop handlebars only

Included in your trip price
- Suited for a wide range of cyclists
- Comfortable ergonomic seat
- Long wheel base adds to the bike's control and stability
- Upright handlebars only

Included in your trip price
- One of the lightest e-bikes available
- Provides plenty of power and more than enough battery
- Lower top tubes for easier mounting and dismounting
- Upright handlebars only
- Limited availability on Unplugged Bike Tours; learn more
Min. age to ride e-bike: 16+

- $400 rental fee
- Hand-built frame features Co-Motion's custom-designed Cro-Moly steel tubeset, powerful Avid disc brakes, Shimano Ultegra drive train
- Custom upgraded wheelset
- Best for riders with some tandem experience.
Review Snapshot
by PowerReviews
Reviewed by 22 customers
A WOW trip!
Great hardworking leaders. Great, albeit hilly roads. So happy we chose ebikes. Even rides in the rain were delightful! Hotels were outstanding! Meals unique and delicious!



My First Backroads - Loved It!
Beautiful views, great accommodations, awesome leaders and the best travel companions.

Our trip was a beautiful bike ride thru the mountains.
We had a great time with our new friends in our group of 20. The 3 leaders were fantastic, funny, great to be around and spent a good amount of time going over our daily routes. The use of the E bikes made our mountainous rides much more enjoyable. The wahoo navigational devices are much better than trying to read the paper directions. We loved the accommodations and the variety of our meals. We cannot wait to head out on another backroads trips in the future.
What an amazing way to kick off my retirement!
This trip far exceeded my expectations. I was nervous about my fitness level before the trip began (even with an ebike), but the leaders and other guests were so incredibly welcoming and encouraging; I enjoyed every minute. What a wonderful experience - one I can't wait to repeat!









Challenging and exhilarating!
Seeing the Carolinas from the seat of a bicycle was a challenge (almost 12,000 cumulative ft ascended) and exhilarating (the Pisgah Forest, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Biltmore Forest). Breathtaking views every step of the way! The leaders were fabulous and made the trip interesting and even more fun.





So Much More that a Bike Trip
We had a wonderful trip at the end of June through the Carolinas. Not only was the biking fun and challenging, but we learned about honeybees, bonsai trees, the history of Blue Grass music and toured the Biltmore hearing about the history of the Vanderbilt family. The food and hotels were excellent and our guides David and Kai were the best. We enjoyed our small crazy group and can't wait for our next Backroads trip. Thank you, Back Roads.




Amazing Trip through the Carolinas!
Blew away our expectations for a United States Backroads trip! Proof positive one need not travel abroad to have a wonderful, memorable vacation! The Carolinas with its gorgeous scenery, fabulous routes and outstanding, professional guides truly was amazing. Special shout out to our Rock Star guides Kai and Angela. Delicious plentiful food, quality gear and amazing accommodations. Oh, the private Bluegrass band performance on night 3 was a pleasant surprise! Highly recommend adding the Carolinas Bike Tour to your Backroads "To Do" list.
Fabulous trip!
This was an amazing experience. The guides were phenomenal; the lodging spectacular; the food terrific; the bikes excellent; the route guidance outstanding; and the trip itself, fabulous. Amazing scenery (waterfall, blue ridge mountains, gorgeous forests, beautiful parks)! I am not a skilled or experienced bicyclist -- but with eBikes, I worked as hard or as little as U wanted to. The other travelers were interesting, smart and easy-going -- great traveling companions. We are already working on our next trip with Backroads!
Carolinas best scenic areas
Our bike routes were from moderate to challenging through some of the most scenic areas of the Carolinas. The e-bike made the challenging rides so much more enjoyable. Our leaders were fantastic and we had a wonderful group to share the week with us. The dining & accommodations were top rated. Our family will remember this trip for years to come.



Great Biking Trip!
Great Biking! Each day had awesome bike routes with amazing scenery (and some serious climbing for those interested). Top that off with great accommodations and food - Perfection. All you have to do is show up and be ready to have a great time. Couldn't be easier.
Dates & Prices
Dates & Prices
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations (if any) and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy in USD.
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