With over 170 miles of bicycle lanes, not including the countless off-street bike paths, Chicago is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the United States. The city has aggressively added more bicycle lanes across the city and Mayor Rahm Emanuel has made bicycling a priority for Chicago.

For visitors like me who generally fly in and only stay in the downtown Loop area, renting a bicycle offers an opportunity to see and travel through far more of the city. Plenty of bicycle rental options are on offer, including Bike and Roll in addition to the independent shops throughout the city’s eclectic neighborhoods. Last year I had a free day to explore the Lakefront Trail and the south side of Chicago, and having access to bike made a huge difference. Whether you want to visit sites like the Robie House, the ethnic neighborhoods or just score a day of exercise, the vantage point you gain from a bicycle makes visiting Chicago even more enjoyable. My favorite city in America and its architecture is best viewed via two wheels. I wish I had time this week while I was in town, but last year’s day of bicycling is still fresh in my mind.

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Photos via Leon Kaye.

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The Obamas' house in Chicago. Don't count on biking by

Chicago, bicycling in Chicago, bicycling, Rahm Emanuel, travel, Lakefront Trail, Obama house chicago, Bike and Roll, Lake Michigan, downtown loop, south side of Chicago

Rentals including Bike and Roll offer bikes at a decent rate--shop around

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Trails and bridges make for a great day of bicycling in Chicago

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The view of the skyline and Lake Michigan are incredible via bike

About The Author

Leon Kaye

Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division, GGP Media. Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event. His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). He writes for San Francisco-based Triple Pundit, Inhabitat and now The Guardian, for which he writes about corporate responsibility, water, and green building. He has also written for AIA's Architect Magazine. Leon works out of Fresno and Silicon Valley, California, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 60 countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.