Beach Bicycle Trails in California

Stephanie Armstrong
California is known for its gorgeous beaches and sunny weather. The two make a perfect combination for cyclists who enjoy beach bicycle trails. These trails are great for beginners and advanced riders who want to feel the sea breeze while they ride.

Big Sur Coast

The Big Sur Coast has some pretty steep terrain and is probably suitable for advanced riders. According to the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce, some of the beaches along the coast are private property, but the state park and U.S. Forest Service beaches are available to the public year round. Ride along California Highway One between Big Sur and Carmel for great beach and cliff views.

Venice Beach to Malibu

Los Angeles' car culture makes it difficult and dangers for some bike riders, but luckily there is a bike path that stretches along the coast. I suggest started in Venice Beach and riding through Santa Monica to Malibu. It's a great ride and you get to view the diverse neighborhoods and gorgeous beach homes along the way. This route passes by landmarks like Muscle Beach and the Santa Monica Pier. It's a great beach bike trail for beginners.

San Diego

San Diego beach bike paths along Mission Beach are quite popular. This two mile long trail ends at Pacific Beach and can be done by beginners. This bike trail is a great afternoon activity and riders can enjoy the boardwalk when they are done. San Diego County has a lot of paved bike paths and you can get a free map of San Diego County to discover more beach bicycle trails from the San Diego County Association of Governments or download one from iCommute.

Long Beach Harbor Bike Trails

Start at Shoreline Park and ride along the marina in Long Beach. You will get great views of the many ships and even ride by the Queen Mary at Rainbow Harbor. This harbor area near the Long Beach Convention Center and Long Beach Aquarium has many shops and restaurants to choose from. This bike trail is also amazing and colorful at night when the ships and stores light up.

Another trail option in Long Beach is along the Belmont Shores. This 3 mile trail is full of roller bladders and runners like in Venice Beach, but it is right along the ocean and offers a spectacular view of Long Beach's skyline. A video of this trail can be seen on Beach California. The Belmont Shore Pier is a point of interest while riding along this trail.

Sources

"Big Sur Beach Guide," Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
"Belmont Shore Bike Path," Beach California

Published by Stephanie Armstrong

Stephanie is a bicoastal freelancer from Los Angeles and New York. She has written for PopEater, Citysearch, eHow, Livestrong, TheFrisky and many more. Stephanie is also a filmmaker, editor and photographer....  View profile

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