Family Bike Ride
Post by Scott - 10/10/2024
One of my favorite activities to plan is rolling out on a family bike ride, ending it with lunch at a brewery. It’s my favorite to plan, not do. My son refuses to learn how to ride a bike, my daughter gets hot within 100 yards, and I can get lost in my own backyard. Still, for the fit family that wants to get outside before grabbing a beer, check out these great spots!
Situated on the doorstep of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, Lost Worlds has some of the easiest access of any brewery for a family bike ride. Ride your bike literally off the patio and take the path all the way to Freedom Park. Come back to grab a Euchre golden ale and treat yourself to a massive black and white cookie and a pastrami sandwich from Joan’s Deli next door. You earned it!
Just a minute ride off the Rail Trail, Triple C is a great spot for the start or end of your ride. While the Rail Trail can get busy on the weekends, experienced cyclists will love exploring South End by bike. You can even cut through Suffolk Punch South End with a gate right out to the Rail Trail and turn it into a bike brewery crawl. Enjoy pizza from Izzy’s and pair it with a refreshing Light Rail pale ale.
A few blocks from Town, you’ll find a trailhead for the Stewart Creek/Wesley Heights Greenway. This route is a special treat for all Panthers and Charlotte FC fans as Bank of America stadium is a focal point throughout the ride, going past the Panthers’ practice fields and ending with a loop around the stadium. Take a picture with the giant Panther statues! Head back to Town and scarf down one of their great flatbreads or plan it early on a weekend and get brunch and a Broken Tarted sour.
Birdsong Brewing (Optimist Park)
Birdsong is a choose your own adventure for a family bike ride/playground trip. Two blocks from the brewery is a trailhead for the Little Sugar Creek greenway. Go one way and you’ll end up at Cordelia Park in Optimist Park. Go the other way, and you’ll find yourself at Alexander Park just on the edge of Uptown. It’s a relatively flat path, great for beginners and well shaded in the summer. Loop back to Birdsong for a Higher Ground IPA and keep an eye on their social media to see what food truck is stopping by.
Middle James Brewing (Pineville)
While most families will have to get back in the car to get to Middle James, it’s totally worth it. Park at the James K. Polk house and head out on the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. This wide path is meant for cyclists and winds past the creek, under 485, and has plenty of spots to stop and check out nature. My kids love to take a break by the creek and dip their toes in the water. Pack back in the car for the 1 mile drive over to Middle James. Rehydrate with a Mango Man Wheat and partake in some of the best brewery food in Charlotte.
Birdsong Brewing Co.
It’s a very short ride to Ace No. 3 for a burger. That counts as bike ride if you ride a bike.