Views abound on this cycling vacation of the southern California coast! We love the Big Sur Scenic Byway so much we bike it twice, from the south and then from the north! After basking in the rays of Big Sur sunshine we'll head down the coast through San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach. Eventually we will wind our way into the Solvang Wine Country, where we'll loop the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley and it's wineries.
Along the
way we'll cycle past lighthouses, sea lions, Hearst Castle, and the
best views on the California coast. Prepare to ride the famous beaches of Big Sur, Moonstone Bay, and Pismo. If you've never seen this section of the Pacific
coastline, then treat yourself to a Bicycle Tour you will not forget!
Day |
Weekday |
Ride Day |
2023 Cycling Route |
Elevation Gain |
Miles |
Sunday |
1 |
8:00am Shuttle - Santa Barbara |
--- |
--- |
|
. |
. |
... |
Wine Country Cruise |
3,000' |
39 |
Monday |
2 |
Cambria to Big Sur |
5,000' |
68 |
|
Tuesday |
3 |
Big Sur to Moonstone Beach |
5,000' |
70 |
|
Wednesday |
4 |
Moonstone to Pismo Beach |
4,200' |
72 |
|
Thursday |
5 |
Pismo Beach to Solvang |
3,800' |
70 |
|
Friday |
6 |
Canyons and Vineyards |
4,000' |
70 |
|
. |
... |
... |
Shuttle to Santa Barbara |
--- |
--- |
... |
. |
... |
Total |
26,000' |
390 |
Our Tour starts in Santa Barbara, where a shuttle will pick you up at 8:00am. From there we will shuttle to the start of our first ride, a shakedown cruise through the wine country of Solvang ending in the town of Los Alamos. After the ride we will shuttle the remaining distance to our first night's hotel in Cambria, California near the start of Big Sur.
After checking in, we'll have a short orientation of the week, make introductions, and answer any questions you have. You'll also have time to visit Hearst Castle if you like, which is only 3 miles from our hotel. Dinner is on your own tonight, with various restaurants within walking distance.
39 miles / 3,000 ft. elevation gain
This is our favorite coast road ride in the world! Better than Amalfi Italy. The ride along the Big Sur Coast is nothing short of spectacular! Today we ride it from the south. Tomorrow we ride it from the north. That means we do it twice! You'll know the curves of the scenic Byway intimately by the time we are done. Our hotel for the night is the popular Big Sur Lodge. Nestled in the forest cliffside, you'll be able to watch the sun set over the ocean while enjoying a superb dinner at Nepenthe.
67 miles / 5,000 ft. elevation gain
Views abound as we ride the entire Big Sur coastline to Cambria for the second time! Along the way we'll pass lighthouses, sea lions, and San Simeon's Hearst Castle. Enjoy the best views on the California coast. If you have never seen this section of the Pacific coastline you are in for a treat! After such an epic ride it's only right that we stay on legendary Moonstone Beach in Cambria. If you still have energy after the ride you may want to visit the famous Hearst Castle which is 3 miles from our hotel.
70 miles / 5,000 ft. elevation gain
Today we head south along quiet canyon and coastal roads through the seaside
towns of Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo and Pismo. We'll ride by the famous Morro
Bay rock and Morro Bay State Park, before turning inland toward San Luis Obispo and
riding through the hills to the seaside resort town of Pismo Beach. Our hotel for night, the Shelter Cove Lodge, sits perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean.
72 miles / 4,200 ft. elevation gain
Today we leave the coast and head inland toward the wine country of the Santa Ynez Valley and the danish town of Solvang. Just east of Santa Maria we'll pick up a favorite local ride, Foxen Canyon Road, and glide past wineries and pastoral hills on our way to Solvang and the Wine Valley Inn, our home for the night. After the ride we'll go wine tasting at one of our favorite wineries!
70 miles / 3,800 ft. elevation gain
Today we will ride along quiet country roads beside popular wineries as we wind our way around the foothlls of the Solvang Wine Country.
70 miles / 4,000 ft. elevation gain
After our bike ride on the last day, we say goodbye to our new cycling friends and shuttle to Santa Barbara, where you may wish to stay over the rest of the weekend or catch a connecting flight home. We should arrive in Santa Barbara by 5:00pm.
Lunch on ride days is always included. On this Tour 3 group dinners are included and riders are on their own for the remaining, with suggested seating times for those wishing to dine with others. A continental breakfast is always included of Greek yogurt, a selection of natural cereals, Bagels, cream cheese, etc. Hot breakfasts are on your own and require eating early in the Lodges.