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When to go Winter can offer a mixed bag weather-wise. During our February trip, we had numerous riding days with temperatures higher than 20 C. But near freezing conditions can also grip Austin and its surroundings for a bit of time. Bring riding gear for all types of weather conditions. The heat in the summer months can be unbearable, but spring offers up a Hill Country bursting with wildflowers that makes the riding even better.

Getting there You can drive to Texas as we did. You can also fly to Austin’s international airport from most large cities in Canada with a connection somewhere in the United States. You’ll need to rent a car to get to some of the best cycling spots.

Where to stay Everything from swanky hotels to hostels to b&bs to vacation home rentals are available in Austin. We used Airbnb to find accommodation as we wanted a house with kitchen facilities. If you want to be closer to the best riding, consider looking into accommodation options in towns such as Dripping Springs or Fredericksburg.

Route planning There are several cycling shops in Austin that can provide maps with safe cycling routes in the city. They also rent road and mountain bikes, such as the Bicycle Sport Shop ( bicyclesportshop.com), if you wish not to bring your own. We used a combination of Strava and Google Maps, along with tapping some local knowledge, to plot routes in Austin and the Hill Country. Austin’s full bicycle map can be found on the city’s website ( austintexas.gov/ bicycle). Be warned, unless you bring along an inflatable raft, you’ll need to avoid roads with stream crossings following any heavy rain.