This American island was just named the most bike-friendly city in the world

When you think of bike-friendly cities, European capitals like Copenhagen and Amsterdam probably come to mind. And while these cities have some of the best cycling infrastructure in the world, including designated bike lanes and bike parking, there’s nothing relaxing about riding alongside rush-hour traffic and traveling at high speeds with thousands of other cyclists.

The antidote to high-stress cycling like this is Mackinac Island off the Michigan mainland. The island lacks some of the infrastructure you’ll find in many European cities, but it still took the spot the number one most cycling friendly city of the world thanks to its complete lack of motorized vehicles and the high percentage of “low-stress” bicycle routes.

The 2024 study was conducted using data from PeopleForBicyclesa charity promoting safe cycling policies and cycling access. It prioritized destinations where everything from hospitals to shops was bike-accessible, along with the number of low- and high-stress miles there were in each city.

Mackinac Island outperformed the competition in most areas, earning more than 99 points (out of a possible 100) in four categories and a perfect 100 for its bike access to parks and sports facilities. Mackinac Island is particularly notable when it comes to what the study calls “low-stress miles” thanks to the lack of cars or motorized vehicles on the island. The study found there are more than 107 miles of low-stress cycling compared to the island’s nearly 13 miles of high-stress cycling.

“If you want to avoid stressful trips down car-clogged streets or marathon cycles just to get to the stores, you’ll want to check out these 10 cyclist-friendly cities,” said John Vinton of Aventon Bicycleswho shared the study with Travel + Leisuresaying. Aventon Bikes is a company that designs and manufactures high-performance electric bicycles.

Following Mackinac Island in the ranking focused on safety and accessibility were a handful of other American cities along with three destinations in Europe. Provincetown, Massachusetts, at the tip of Cape Cod, took second place in the rankings. PeopleForBicycles recognized the coastal city for its impressive bike access to jobs, essential services, grocery stores, public transportation and recreational sites.

The complete list with final grades (out of 100 possible) is detailed below:

1. Mackinac Island, Michigan (Score: 99.35)
2. Provincetown (Massachusetts) (Score: 96.03)
3. Harbor Springs, Michigan (Score: 92.27)
4. The Hague, Netherlands (Score: 89.47)
5. Springdale (Utah) (Score: 89.19)
6. Washburn (Wisconsin) (Score: 89.06)
7. Fort Yates, North Dakota (Score: 88.03)
8. Paris, France (Score: 87.33)
9. Crested Butte, Colorado (Score: 87.21)
10. Brussels, Belgium (Score: 86.9)