SEDONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & TOURISM BUREAU of mountain bike paths. The first bicycle freeway in the U.S., the Cedar Lake Trail, runs for 5.5 miles from downtown Minneapolis. Boulder in Colorado has more than 300 miles of dedicated bikeways including on-street bike lanes. In Washington DC, separate bike lanes allow cyclists to pedal around sights including the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials. The Arkansas River Trail is a 15.6-mile paved loop on both sides of the Arkansas River in Little Rock. LEEDING THE WAY Washington D.C. was the world’s first city to be awarded LEED Platinum certification by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council under its globally-recognised LEED for Cities programme recognising city-wide sustainability efforts. Since that designation in 2017, other U.S. destinations to have earned LEED Platinum status include Santa Monica, Virginia’s Arlington County, Maryland’s Howard County, Dayton, Ohio, and Des Moines, Iowa. Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, Washington, Maryland, California, Texas, Nevada, Colorado and Virginia were 2024’s top 10 LEED states. Join the pedal revolution in Minneapolis, take a biodiesel tram in the Everglades and dig rock gigs in a former quarry. KEEP IT NEAT ON THE ROCKS With three million visitors a year and concerns about over-tourism, city fathers in Sedona, Arizona, initiated a Sustainable Tourism Plan. Visitors are urged to help the destination, famous for its red rocks, become a model for long-term sustainability by engaging in environmentally-friendly behaviour such as not littering, leaving nature untouched and staying on trails. Among objectives is to disperse visitors across the Verde Valley region to reduce congestion at key locations. Park City, Utah and Aspen Snowmass, Vail and Breckenridge in Colorado have all been certified as sustainable mountain tourist destinations by non-profit body Green Destinations. ON YOUR BIKE Cycle-friendly U.S. destinations are encouraging visitors to take to two wheels. Jackson Hole in Wyoming now has more than 55 miles of paved paths and 115 miles Sustainability is the watchword as U.S. destinations lower their carbon footprints and target eco-conscious visitors Keep it green SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL FIRSTBANK AMPHITHEATRE The 150-mile Great Allegheny Passage, a biking and hiking trail, runs through Laurel Highlands, Pennsylvania 52 visitusa.org.uk
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NjAzNTM3