Pacific Coast Bicycle Route - 4: San Francisco, California - Santa Barbara, California - 384 Miles

Because the heavy motorized traffic tends to be even heavier in the summer, we recommend that you ride this route in the spring or autumn. May and September/October are the best months for riding.

From the Golden Gate Bridge, the route heads directly to the coast via city streets. After rejoining SR 1, you'll encounter heavy traffic but here SR 1 has shoulders in most places. From Carmel Heights to San Simeon there are few services. This is a beautiful but demanding road with minimal shoulders traversing open grasslands and timbered slopes above the ocean. State and national campgrounds provide sites overlooking the beach. They are quiet in the off season but extremely busy in the summer.

You'll encounter five major climbs along the border of the Los Padres National Forest; one of these takes you to almost 1,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean. The route flattens south of Harmony. From Morro Bay to Pismo Beach you'll leave SR 1 for local, county, and state roads with intermittent shoulders. At Oceano you'll head inland, then join US 101 and ride back to the coast.

West of Goleta you'll leave US 101 and travel along business arterials to enter Santa Barbara. .

ABOUT ADVENTURE CYCLING MAPS
Adventure Cycling maps are created by cyclists, for cyclists, and they are some of the best available for those in search of discovery and adventure in North America. The maps reflect the association's research as well as suggestions from thousands of cyclists who have explored the Adventure Cycling Route Network. Adventure Cycling develops the best cross-country, loop, coastal, and inland cycling routes available, with turn-by-turn directions, detailed navigational instructions for the tricky sections, and elevation profiles in the high country.

The maps are waterproof and designed to fit in a handlebar-bag window or jersey pocket. The maps provide information specifically for cyclists: the location of bike shops, sources for food and water, and listings of overnight accommodations including camping facilities, small hotels, and cyclists-only lodging.