THE PLANNING

WHERE TO GO

Well known and established bike routes are a good place to start if you´re new to cycling. They ususally comes with good information and maps.
Signed routes: It´s always great to find a good signed route that leads you the right direction. If possible - bring a digital map as a back-up, just to be sure.
Whenever I travel to a new place, I always try to add a bicycle tour or two to my stay. It´s a very effective way to move around.

HOW FAR

New to cycling? It can be smart to plan for daytrips between 40-60 kilometers. If you travel with kids - maybe even shorter.
Planning a long trip over several days? Make sure to include some resting days. After 4 days on the bike you may want a rest.
Always check out length and hight so it suits your condition. More than 100 meters hight pr. 10 km in average is a heavy tour. Unless you ride e-bike.
Surface: It´s a big difference between asphalt and gravel. The more loose the gravel - the tougher tour.
Luggage: Heavily loaded bikes will slow you down.
Weather: Wind is an important factor - tailwind makes you fly, headwind can be a struggle.

BRING YOUR OWN BIKE OR RENT?

I usually bring my own bike when I travel with train, metro or buses (that allows bikes - not everyone does). Then I know the equipment and I can pack my bike bags upfront.
Many local places offers citybikes to hop on and off and this is a good solution for shorter distances and sightseeing in city centers.
For longer distance cycling abroad I contact local bike rentals and prebook if possible.

FOLLOW A ROUTE OR MAKE YOUR OWN?

Google is always a good place to start. Someone has maybe already planned the perfect route and provide the map. For instance bestbiketours.no :)
I always like to add all tours into my Ride with GPS account so it´s easy to follow and edit. I do so by importing GPX-track or manually draw the route.
If I travel in a new area and I don´t find any suggested tours, I check out Open Street Map Cycle to find bike roads. Here you can read about more maps.
Heatmaps let you see where most other cyclists travel. There are good heatmaps at Ride with GPS and Strava.
Google Maps is used by many to find directions, but be aware that it´s not always the best way to find cycle routes. Shortest routes sometimes suggest use large roads unfit for cycling.