Bike Month: Family-Friendly Bike Routes for Parents and Children

Images Courtesy by NYCDOT

The Short, Self-Guided ‘Baby’ Routes Are Part of New ‘My Bike, My City’ Campaign To Promote Cycling Among New York City Families

Promotional Campaign Compliments Record-Setting Bicycle Ridership in New York City and Launches on Bike to School Day

NYC DOT Publishes 2025 Bike Map for Citywide Bike Lanes

The publication of new, short self-guided ‘baby’ bike routes as part of the city’s My Bike, My City campaign to promote cycling among New York City families was announced today. Each of the five self-guided rides—one for each borough—features family-friendly routes under two miles either on protected on-street bike lanes or off-street paths in parks or greenways. The second-annual campaign returns again for May, National Bike Month, amidst record-high bike ridership and an all-time high number of protected bike lane miles built in New York City. The campaign builds on the agency’s holistic approach to promote safer cycling, including building a record 87.5 miles of protected bike lanes over the past three years, upgrading another 20 miles of bike lanes to better separate cyclists and other vehicles, free helmet giveaways, cycling educational events, Vision Zero educational and outreach events, new traffic signals for cyclists, and more.

NYC DOT’s family-friendly My Bike, My City. campaign promotes cycling for all, particularly women, girls, transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. Year two of the campaign focuses on families and all-ages, all-abilities riding. Visit the website for cycling tips, informative events, and safe biking routes across the five boroughs. New Yorkers looking for details on bike lanes citywide can visit NYC DOT’s website for the newly published 2025 Bike Map. 

NYC DOT’s recommended My Bike, My City Family Routes for 2025 include: 

• Brooklyn (1.3 miles): Introduce riders to a protected on-street path (Parkside Ave) before riding through Prospect Park, past the Carousel (worth a stop!) to the Prospect Park Zoo.
• Bronx (1.3 miles): Enjoy sweeping views of the Harlem River from the Highbridge and a tree-lined ride through Highbridge Park, ending at the Highbridge Play Center (in the summer months, cool off at the pool!).
• Manhattan (1.9 miles): Ride North America’s most popular bike path, the Hudson River Greenway, and the Battery Park Esplanade from the Pier 25 Playground on the West Side south to the crowd-pleasing SeaGlass Carousel (along the way: Rockefeller and Teardrop Parks; Battery Playscape).
• Queens (1.2 miles): Explore Flushing Meadows Corona Park and its beloved cultural landmarks, from the New York Hall of Science to the Unisphere (not to mention the Playground for All Children and the Fantasy Forest Carousel Park!).
• Staten Island (1 mile): Ride around and through the South Shore’s Bloomingdale Park, starting at the playground and wrapping at the basketball courts for a post-ride game.

Wednesday, May 7, is national Bike and Roll to School Day. NYC DOT encourages New Yorkers to visit Bike New York’s website for its schedule of free learn-to-ride classes for children and adults. Families interested in joining an existing “bike bus,” or starting their own can visit Bikebus.nyc. A Bike Bus is a fun way for kids to ride their bikes to school together. With a Bike Bus, a group of students bike along a set route, picking up more friends along the way, just like a school bus but on bikes. Adult volunteers help lead and keep everyone safe so kids can enjoy the fresh air, get active, and commute sustainably. 

Rules of the road for cycling families:

• Children under the age of one cannot be carried on a bicycle.
• Children must be carried in a properly affixed child carrier.
• Cyclists 13 or younger must wear an approved helmet.
• Children 12 or younger can ride on the sidewalk, while adults must ride on the street.