Overview
Cycle California – 500 miles along the infamous west coast of the USA! This incredible journey begins in the iconic city of San Francisco and ends in Santa Monica, just to the west of Los Angeles. You have a full day to spend sightseeing in San Francisco before the cycling begins south along the this renowned Pacific Coastal route.
Over the eight days cycling you’ll ride through some of the finest Californian scenery. Keeping the Pacific Coast on your right, there’ll be dramatic and rugged shorelines, redwood forests, numerous state parks, waterfalls and unbelievable surf beaches. The average mileage for the cycling is 63 miles, with a couple of longer days in saddle – achievable by most with a bit of preparation and training!
Expect legendary surf beaches, crashing waves, idyllic bays, the chance to spot whales and otters, hearty USA portions of cycling food, and classic American palm-tree-lined roads…all in 12 days!
Highlights
– The amazing views of San Francisco, especially Golden gate bridge
– Visiting Alcatraz in San Francisco
– The surfer town of Santa Cruz
– The stunning scenery and awesome mountain roads of Big Sur
– A dip in the ocean on Pismo Beach
– Rolling down sandy cycle lanes into Santa Monica, LA
Flights are not included in this package, please get in touch and we can advise on buying these. The cost for a return flight is around £600 – £800.
Single room option is an additional £690 which can be added upon booking.
Our Star Ratings
Here is an explanation of our cycling trip grades. Please bear in mind that total ascent, wind and general riding conditions can play as important factors as the daily distances involved. Whilst we have stated some example distances, the overall difficulty assigned to each trip will encompass a range of these factors. If you are at all unsure of whether you think the trip is suitable, please contact us.
Easy: Suitable for those new to cycling seeking an introductory and very relaxed yet active experience on two wheels. Easy riding on short, flat and/or gently undulating routes. Approx 20 – 40 miles a day
Relaxed: Undulating terrain with occasional minor undulations for semi-regular novices who wish to develop fitness and ability. May include a few short steep climbs. Approx 40 – 50 miles a day
Moderate: Designed for cyclists with a good level of riding experience and fitness, and are comfortable riding for full days in the saddle. Routes will include some steep and/or sustained climbs. Not for those new to cycling. Approx 50 – 80 miles a day
Challenging: Routes with multiple steep and sustained climbs and technical descents and/or long distances. Riders need to be have a high level of fitness and stamina in addition to experience in riding over extended distances and/or tackling long ascents and descents. Approx 70 – 110 miles a day
Advanced: Designed for experienced cyclists with an excellent level of fitness and stamina. Routes are consistently long with multiple serious and steep ascents and descents throughout. High altitude ascents may be undertaken followed by technically demanding descents. Approx 80 – 120 miles a day
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in San Francisco
Today we meet in San Francisco. You will be met by the More Adventure team in the arrivals hall and be transferred with bikes and luggage to our motel. We’ll have a trip briefing followed by our first evening meal as a group, we’ll also need to get your bikes unpacked and reassembled from the flight. No doubt there will be some jetlag to overcome so we’ll be looking forward to a good night’s rest.
Day 2: San Francisco Acclimatisation & Sightseeing Day
Hopefully you will have become more accustomed to the time difference this morning and will have rested well. Today we will have the whole day to explore San Francisco. We’ll visit Golden Gate Bridge, you may also want to go on a tour to Alcatraz or a stroll around the intoxicating Chinese District. There’s so much to see in this city, it is truly one of the greatest cities in the world. We’ll have to ensure we’re ready for the beginning of our ride which starts first thing the following morning.
Day 3: San Francisco to Santa Cruz
(86 miles & 4000 feet ascent)
We begin our journey with a long day south and out of the city. We’ll begin our ride just south of the busy city and head to Pacifica, a world-class surfing town at the northern tip of Half Moon Bay. Heading south from Half Moon Bay we trend upwards to Gregoria. We pass Pigeon Point Lighthouse which, as one of America’s tallest lighthouses, will be difficult to miss! A little further on we may get the opportunity to see the elephant seals at Ano Nuevo State Reserve. Between the months of September and November, the young seals and yearlings of the colony take up residence here. The rugged heath and pine landscape drops dramatically down to endless beaches below, it’s fair to say there’s plenty to look at today. Our overnight stop is the iconic surf mecca of Santa Cruz. Here we’ll have our first ‘end-of-cycle-day’ meal together before getting some rest in our motel.
Day 4: Santa Cruz to Monterey
(54 miles & 2100 feet ascent)
Today is a relatively easy day during which we hug the coastline around Monterey Bay. We begin with a few climbs and arrive as Moss Landing, the wetlands here at Elkhorn Slough are now ranked in the top 10 best birding spots in the USA. From Moss Landing our route continues south along the Cabrillo Highway and inland to Castroville, dubbed as the ‘Artichoke Capital of the World’. In mid-May it (you’ve guessed it!) holds the ‘Artichoke Festival’, a celebration of everything artichoke! We head back out to the bay and to our overnight stop, Monterey. Let’s hope we get here in plenty of time because Monterey has plenty to do and see including the impressive Monterey Bay Aquarium, Fisherman’s Wharf and plenty of Spanish architecture to check out.
Day 5: Monterey to McWay Falls
(55 miles & 4200 feet ascent)
Our ride today begins around nine-mile drive, a jaw dropping stretch of road that is home to some of the most expensive homes in California. The route then continues along the dramatic ocean’s edge to the quaint town of Carmel before crossing the iconic Bixby Bridge. This is arguably one of the finest cycling roads in the world, with stunning coastal vistas at every turn, sweeping stretches of perfect tarmac, and dramatic, wild surf crashing below us. It’s simply an epic ride! Our route then passes amongst the redwood trees of the Big Sur before finishing at McWay Falls, an impressive twenty-four metre waterfall that crashes down on a secluded sandy cove and into the sea. After photos here, we’ll be met by a minibus that’ll transfer us back to our accommodation in Monterey. There will also be the option to ride back if you’re feeling up to it!
Day 6: Big Sur Village to San Simeon Village
(56 miles & 4600 feet ascent)
This morning begins with a minibus ride back along the coast to McWay Falls where we finished the previous day. This is a relatively tough day, but what it lacks in ease it makes up in atmosphere! Our route hugs the rugged coastline, diving in and out of inlets and bays all day. There’s simply stunning scenery as we head southeast between the ocean and the Santa Lucia Range, a dramatic granite ridge that runs parallel to the coast. We may also get glimpses of sea otters and sea lions in the tumbling surf, so keep your eyes peeled! Our overnight stopover is San Simeon Village, home to the extravagant Hearst Castle, perched upon La Cuesta Encantada (The Enchanted Hill) above us.
Day 7: San Simeon Village to Pismo Beach
(55 miles & 2000 feet ascent)
A shorter day than the previous day but there are still some hills to get stuck into! We ride southwest to the seaside village of Cambria, descend then climb up to the wonderfully named town of Harmony. We then briefly enter the Morro Bay State Park, home to Morro Rock. This volcanic plug is one of a chain called the Nine Sisters that extend from San Luis Obispo to the south east, to Morro Bay. Our route continues to the small settlement of Baywood Los Osos then slices through agricultural land away from the coast into the Los Osos Valley. We then descend back towards the coast to our overnight stop, Pismo Beach, famous for the annual Clam Festival held in mid-October.
Day 8: Pismo Beach to Solvang
(65 miles & 3000 feet ascent)
We begin today by heading towards the city of Guadelupe and continue south into the Santa Maria Valley. This area has long been used in some famous Hollywood films including Pirates of the Caribbean – keep your eyes peeled for Hollywood A-listers! After passing around the city of Santa Maria, we ride through open farmland and skirt around Vandeburg Air Force Base before crossing the Purisma Hills inland. We rejoin Highway 101 for a short while then arrive at Solvang, our overnight stop. Solvang is a small tourist town with Danish heritage in the Santa Ynez Valley, an area famous for its vineyards and of course, wine!
Day 9: Solvang to Ventura
(78 miles & 3000 feet ascent)
This is one of the longer days of the trip but by now your legs (and bum!) will be well used to the rigours of riding. We head towards the coast, through Goleta and to the city of Santa Barbara. During the afternoon we’ll be passing some of California’s finest surf beaches and there’ll be plenty of ocean vistas to appreciate (whilst keeping your eyes on the road please!). We leave Santa Barbara County and cross into Ventura County to our overnight stop, Ventura.
Day 10: Ventura to Santa Monica
(63 miles & 1800 feet ascent)
Our final day’s ride takes us past yet more palm trees, famous surf beaches and a generous helping of Spanish architecture, and makes for a fantastic farewell to this epic journey. We pass through Malibu then leave Ventura County to enter Los Angeles County. We’ll hopefully have views of the impressive Santa Monica mountains to our left and the Pacific Ocean to our right all day, the perfect end to a Pacific Coast ride! If rollerskaters and pedestrian traffic allows, we’ll hit the outskirts and enter Santa Monica on the South Beach Bike Trail. Congratulations – you made it, what an incredible accomplishment and journey! After a few hugs, cheers and a good few photos, we’ll cycle the last few miles to our hotel in Santa Monica. Here we’ll get the bikes sorted for the journey home the following day followed by a celebratory meal in a local restaurant with perhaps even a few drinks, what an achievement!
Day 11: Santa Monica Sightseeing/Relaxing (0 miles)
Santa Monica. This beachside city has plenty on offer, including the Monica Looff Hippodrome (a National Historic Landmark) on the pier, strolling the bustling beachfront and exploring the colourful Mainstreet District. You might want to just join the locals and laze around on the beach all day, and why not…you cycled here after all! Alternatively you could spend the day exploring the sights of Los Angeles including Universal Studios, the Hollywood sign, Sunset Boulevard or the incredible neighbourhoods of Beverly Hills and Mulholland Drive. If we haven’t done so already, we’ll also sort out the bikes ready for your flight home.
Day 12: Los Angeles to UK
Today the trip ends and we say our farewells. You will be transferred with your bicycle and luggage to Los Angeles airport for the flight back to the UK. What an amazing journey and what an incredible achievement!
Single room supplement for this trip is £690 and this can be added upon booking.
This itinerary is a guide only and can sometimes be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances. Whilst we endeavour to uphold the proposed daily mileages, this cannot be guaranteed due to changes to hotel bookings.
FAQs
What is the average pace of the ride?
We average 65 miles each day on this trip and some days are certainly easier than others. On average we tend to ride at around 12-15mph, but this depends on the capabilities of the group as a whole, the conditions on the day, how many photos are taken (there are plenty of opportunities for this!), and the hills on any given day. The pace is dictated by the cycle leader and takes into consideration the average pace of the group. There are opportunities for riders to go ahead on certain stretches, and there are plenty of breaks throughout the ride.
What's the food like?
We eat in a variety of places throughout the trip but you can expect large portions, amazing seafood (if you like seafood!), and plenty of Californian specialities!
How easy is it to transport my bicycle to the USA?
Surprisingly simple! You have three options, a hard plastic box, a bike bag, or a cardboard box. Packing your bike into either of theses can be a daunting prospect but we are putting together some instructions to make it as easy as possible. The More Adventure team will of course be able to assist you reassembling your bike once you arrive into San Francisco.
Do you hire bikes out there rather than us bringing bikes out?
Hiring bikes out there is possible but because we start in San Francisco and end in LA, it is very expensive to do so. For that reason, we recommend you bring your own bike.
What's a ball park figure of cost for the transport of the bikes from the UK?
It all depends on the airline and the exact day upon you wish to fly out. You can usually find flights for around £650 and then, depending on your airline, an extra £50-£65 each way for a bicycle. Virgin Atlantic have recently changed their bicycle allowance, they no longer allow a main piece of luggage plus a piece of sports equipment (bicycle).
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