One of the perks of living in Florida is that year-round we can go bike riding. Of course you may want to go early morning or late evening during the summer, so that it's a bit cooler, but you can still get in some riding if you'd like to. Volusia County is great for taking bike rides and there are some nice paved trails that you can use.

You don't have to live near the paved trails in order to get the family out on them. Just invest in a bike carrier for your vehicle, load up the bikes, and head off to the trail. We like to do some biking and then find a nice table to enjoy a picnic lunch. Having kids, it's important to find bike trails that are not going to have a lot of traffic that you have to worry about. The more it can be just people on the trail, and not cars whizzing past, the better. 

Here are some great paved trails to take the family biking on in the Volusia County area:

• Green Springs. Located in Enterprise, near Deltona, you will find a beautiful park that has Green Springs. You can't swim in the spring, but it makes for a great photo opportunity. Out the back of the park and to the right you will find access to a paved bike trail that is 5.7 miles long. You can also pick this trail up at Gemini Springs. 

• Lake Beresford Park. Located in DeLand, this park offers a great bike trail that leads all the way to Blue Spring State Park. It's challenging on the way there, but the way back is mostly downhill and lots of fun to glide as far as it will take you before having to peddle again. 

• Trail near Blue Spring State Park - This trail is accessible off of Lake Beresford trail, outside of Blue Spring State Park, or from the parking lot off of W Blue Springs Ave off of 17/92.

• New Smyrna Beach Pedestrian Trail. This two-mile paved trail will eventually become part of a 13-mile trail. It makes for a nice bike path, with only a few breaks where vehicles pass on residential streets.

• Edgewater East Coast Rail Trail - This four-mile paved trail offers a great path for biking, running, etc. 

• Osteen Paved Bike Trail - This bike trail offers a 2.5 mile ride in one direction, or an almost 6 mile ride in the other, taking you to Green Springs.

• Woodham Woods Trail - This paved bike trail is one mile long (you will do it round trip to make it two miles). It's located in Ormond Beach by Tomoka State Park.

• Gemini Springs Park to Lake Monroe Park (or reverse) - This trail is 5 miles round trip, offering a beautiful paved nature trail that is great for biking, walking, and running. You can also make it longer, by going beyond Gemini Springs.

• Lehigh Greenway Rail Trail - This is located in Flagler County, but it's not a long drive and it's a beautiful trail!

• Seminole Wekiwa Trail - This paved bike trail runs nearly 17  miles long and is located in Seminole County.

Each of these trails are free to use, so you won't have to worry about any type of park entrance fees. There are also some great unpaved areas to go bike riding, such as the beach and some hiking trails that are also open to bikers. Volusia County is doing wonderful things by adding to quality of life in the area by increasing the paved trail system. Once the spring-t0-spring trail is complete, for example, it will provide a 26-mile stretch of paved trail. But if you want to get the kids out on a bike trail and help keep it an easier ride for them, you may want to hit these ones up first. Be sure to take some water and follow necessary safety precautions, too!