Return to Santa Barbara: Cycling by the Sea
We’re heading back this coastal bicycle paradise with route ideas from the waterfront to legendary Gibraltar Road.
It happens every spring.
Anticipation builds as we prepare for our April cycling tour in California. Bikes are tuned up. Hotels are booked. Routes are mapped. Fresh air, sunshine, and new roads await.
Our group’s strategy this year is simple. Drive south to catch the best possible weather and then work our way north. We will begin in Santa Barbara where we first visited in 2023. We’ll ride there for two days before moving to Carmel, the East Bay’s Tri-Valley area, Chico, and finally Redding.
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Find the complete “Why We Ride” destination cycling guide here.
Good memories of Santa Barbara remain strong after three years thanks in large part to Anna Naughton, a proficient cyclist and our volunteer guide from the local tourism office. Anna showed us how to enjoy the city’s waterfront paths and narrow hillside roads.
We started at the aptly named Handlebar coffee shop, sufficiently caffeinated and pastry-fueled for the day’s ride. We expected this would be a short outing, no long distances or lengthy climbs. Our simple goal was to explore this popular seaside destination.
But Anna had a plan. While we only covered 15 miles, we gained a new cycling perspective for this coastal haven.
Anna quickly put us to work, starting at sea level and climbing to more than 770 feet in the first 3 miles. Once on Mountain Drive, we twisted and curved for another 4 miles. Along the way, we caught glimpses of affluent homes and stunning scenery. Anna said Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, had been seen riding their e-bikes along this posh Montecito-area road. We could neither confirm nor deny that day.
We then plunged toward the ocean, following Ashley and Sycamore Canyon roads until we reached the sea and a gentle pedal along the waterfront bike trail.
“This route combines the best of all Santa Barbara cycling has to offer,” Anna said later, citing stunning ocean views, historic districts, local businesses like Handlebar, and glamorous Montecito. “This is a true mountain-to-sea ride.”
I asked Anna for some other route suggestions, and she split them into categories: easy, moderate, and difficult.
“When people think of Santa Barbara, they may think of the coastline and beaches, but they are usually surprised to find out about the epic hill climbing routes,” she said. “Santa Barbara cycling is simply dreamy. It’s a cyclist’s paradise.”
Three Rides to Consider
Now, three years later, we can follow up on her ideas.
Easy: Start with a ride from Stearns Wharf to Butterfly Beach and back so riders can get “a great lay of the land,” Anna said. There’s a flat stretch along the coast past the historic Stearns Wharf, the oldest working wooden wharf in California, and along the Cabrillo Bike Path. Pass East Beach and the Santa Barbara Zoo where you may see a giraffe along the fence line. The ride continues along the Andree Clark Bird Refuge and up to a flower-lined path with ocean views. Butterfly Beach awaits.
Moderate: Anna raved about the Hope Ranch loop that starts at the Santa Barbara Harbor and heads west past Leadbetter Beach and along Shoreline Park. The route includes ocean views, a ride through the Mesa neighborhood, past Douglas Family Preserve and Arroyo Burro Beach before finally climbing into the Hope Ranch neighborhood.
“You will enjoy smooth, winding roads and trees before completing the loop in a variety of different ways,” she said.
Hard: “Gibraltar Road is the granddaddy of hill climbs in Santa Barbara,” Anna said. “It’s 3,800 feet grueling uphill and there are ocean views every time you look.”
A Footnote
I received an email from Anna about a month ago. In it, she said she’s ready to ride once we arrive. Then she added “I just biked part of Gibraltar on my lunch break today. It really is the best. Any interest in biking the whole thing while you guys are here?”
Bike Rentals, Tours, and Resources
There are several rental and tour resources in the Santa Barbara area if bringing bikes is not possible.
- Mad Dogs & Englishmen rents high-end road, mountain, and e-bikes from its Montecito location. maddogsandenglishmen.com
- Wheel Fun Rentals, located on East Mason Street near the ocean, gears down the intensity with cruiser bikes, e-bikes, and multi-person Surrey bikes for casual peddling along the waterfront. wheelfunrentals.com
- The city operates an e-bike share program called Santa Barbara BCycle. A fleet of more than 200 e-bikes and requisite docking stations are located in various parts of the city, including downtown and the waterfront. Access is available through an app at $7 for 30 minutes. Find more information at santabarbara.bcycle.com.
- The Visit Santa Barbara website – santabarbaraca.com – posts complete information about activities in the area, where to sleep, and provides an informed directory of everything from cookie classes, food tours, breweries, and gourmet dining.
Dan Shryock is a travel writer and career journalist who focuses on cycle tourism. Based in Oregon, his work has appeared in magazines and websites in California and the Pacific Northwest. His book, “Cycling Across Oregon: Stories, Surprises & Revelations Along the State’s Scenic Bikeways” is available on Amazon.
Santa Barbara is great but you are skipping an area on your way north that you should not miss or should consider on another trip. San Luis Obispo county has amazing routes. I live in the north part of the county and ride 100s of miles a week in our area. San Luis Obispo bike club is very active or you can connect with me on Strava and check out our rides or send me a message Nancy Prier
(And yes, I have done Gibraltar)😉