5 fun cycling tours that let you vacation on two wheels

Seeing the sights from the back of a bike is one way to become fully immersed in a new place and get your heart pumping. These five exhilarating bike tours will have you gliding by beautiful scenery, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air.

Tour France, Germany and Luxembourg along the River Moselle

Follow the River Moselle for a biking adventure through three separate countrysides. There are "beginner-friendly" bike paths on both sides of the water, and because of the Schengen Agreement, you can "dip in and out" of France, Germany and Luxembourg "without ever showing a passport," said the BBC. On the Cochem to Metz eight-day excursion with Boat Bike Tours, cyclists spend their days stopping at vineyards and exploring historic towns like Cochem, Germany, home of the ancient Reichsburg Castle. At night, you hop on a barge that serves as a floating hotel.

Tackle the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia

Running for 172 miles from Torquay to Allansford, the Great Ocean Road hugs one of the "most dramatic coastlines in the world," said Architectural Digest. This is a "must-do" for any seasoned biker, and Roar Adventures' Great Ocean Road Cycle Tour takes travelers along the full length of the route in four days. Highlights include seeing natural wonders like the Loch Ard Gorge and Twelve Apostles sea stacks and visiting Bells Beach.

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Travel from onsen to onsen in Kyushu, Japan

Onsens are soothing hot springs, and the perfect spots to rest while cycling through Kyushu, Japan's third-largest island. On Spice Roads' Onsen to Onsen tour, bikers spend six days riding along rivers and rice fields, past temples and up mountain passes, with a stop in Beppu, a beloved center of onsen culture. Kyushu's "beautiful" roads and paths make it "ideal" for both "amateur and serious" riders, said Travel and Leisure.

Take the Jordan Trail to Petra

Jordan's stark desert landscapes look even more stunning when viewed from the back of a bike. Much Better Adventures' Jordan Trail to Petra: The E-Bike Edition tour starts in the Dana Valley and includes stops at Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea and Petra, where you will hop off your bike and hike into the ancient site. One of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Petra is filled with "magnificent monuments" made of pink sandstone, said Lonely Planet, including the "astonishing" Treasury, the 2,000-year-old tomb of Nabataean King Aretas III. On two of the nights, travelers will sleep under the stars in a Bedouin-style camp.

Explore Missouri on the Katy Trail

A ride on the Katy Trail gives visitors the chance to see everything the "Show Me State" has to offer. This is the longest rail trail in the U.S., stretching 239 miles past limestone bluffs, fields, forests and historic places like Marthasville, one of the oldest towns in Missouri, and Rocheport, a "gem" on the banks of the Missouri River that is "chock-full" of art galleries and antique shops, St. Louis Magazine said. Because it is mostly flat, paved and car-free, beginners and experts alike enjoy riding along the trail. Adventure Cycling's Katy Trail tour breaks up the route over eight days, giving cyclists the opportunity for a more relaxing ride with plenty of time for stops.