Valerie Hikram

A bike tour is a great way to spend an active vacation with your family (or enjoy a personal respite) all while exploring the surroundings of an unfamiliar destination.

Although biking tours can vary in level from arduous daily rides to beginner excursions, it is important to remember that biking is an intense form of exercise and if you do not prepare in advance, your body will most likely suffer.

Biking tours can certainly vary in level from most difficult excursions to beginner rides and it is important to remember that these trips offer an intense form of exercise. If you do not prepare in advance, your body will most likely suffer the consequences. Start training a few weeks or months before your planned departure. If you own a bike, take it out for a morning spin before work to get back in the habit of riding.

Santa Monica California is a magical place to visit. With its close proximity to chaotic downtown Los Angeles (only 13 miles) the city offers a funky, beachside escape to the city of angels. Having grown exponentially over the past decade and reigning as the premier tourist destination in all of Los Angeles County, it is remarkable that this small beach community has managed to hold on to its small town appeal.

Riddle me this: What is a big bustling metropolis and at the same time one the most diverse nature reserves in America? Answer: Miami, Florida.

It sounds a little counterintuitive, but Miami Florida is the seventh largest city in the United States, its fourth most urban, and has one of the best skylines in the world -- yet it is the cleanest and healthiest city in America.