It all started one year during Ramadan. We wanted to host an iftar on a felucca (which I highly recommend!) but the number of invitees had grown beyond the capacity of a single boat. Someone suggested the Bike Park and the next thing I knew, I was on a two-hour, multi-transfer minibus ride out to Future City. The whole way I was literally praying it would be worth it.
And worth it, it was! We enjoyed it so much that we’ve made it an annual Ramadan tradition. We have given up on using public transportation, but we’ve rented buses, carpooled, and even thrown up our hands and hired an Uber. Because miss it, we won’t!
(Nearly all these photos come from the Bike Park Facebook page)ّ
Why visit the Bike Park? Well, for one – to ride bikes! No bike? No problem! You can rent bikes by the hour at the Bike Park. There are usually a variety of two- and three-wheelers for rent at each entrance to the park. The quality is hit-and-miss, so bring your own if you have one. The course isn’t exactly the Tour de France, but it is perfect for city kids who just don’t get the chance to ride bikes that often. The path is a 4-km loop that features a small hill, a tunnel or two, plenty of trees, and a little bit of adventure if you leave the kids to bike it on their own.
(There’s a bike for every rider at the Bike Park)
The Bike Park is also an excellent kid-friendly venue for meet-ups. There are multiple grassy spaces to sit, eat, play games, and otherwise spend a relaxing three or four hours. You can bring food in or buy the usual snacks at the park.
A few tips:
- Future City is a gated community. You will be asked to state your destination when entering the area. Don’t be intimidated by this. Just tell them you are headed to the Bike Park and they will cheerfully invite you inside the compound.
- If meeting up with a group, look at a map of the Bike Park and choose a gate in advance at which to meet. Ask the first person in your party to arrive at the gate to confirm to all others in the group that the gate is open and to post the location in your group WhatsApp chat.
- Rates are always changing, but at the time of writing admission was 75LE/person. Bike rental was about the same per hour. Note that if you wish to rent a bike, the gatekeeper will take your ID and give you a claim ticket. It’s best to officially establish your start time with the gatekeeper and have everyone set timers on their phones.
- The park is open late. If meeting for an iftar, plan on staying until 11pm or beyond. It is so far away from practically everywhere that you might as well make it worth the trip.
- Bring lots of water and snacks if you, like me, prefer to avoid buying the same overpriced junk from kiosks.
So, if next Ramadan starts to feel a little long, why not spice it up with an iftar at the Bike Park? You know you’ll find me there!
