Best 5 Rides Around Los Angeles Area
Yes, Los Angeles has some great bike rides!
Despite the recent wild fires, the bright lights and red carpets still showcase the magic of Hollywood and the City of Angels!
Today, we are highlighting some of the ways you can explore the star-studded city of Los Angeles, California on a bike! Los Angeles is a cyclist’s paradise: the weather is always beautiful and there is a perfect mix of coastal and mountainous scenery. Whether you want to bike along the rocks of the Pacific Ocean or through the surrounding Angeles National Forest, there is bound to be a route here that piques your interest.
We have put together our top 5 bike rides in the Los Angeles County area. All of these routes start at or near a parking lot, so you can easily find the path and get riding right away!
View Maps & GPS on the ALLEN KOMOOT COLLECTION >
1. Santa Monica Beach Ride
First on our list is a ride in one of LA’s most popular spots: the Santa Monica beaches! This ride takes you all along Santa Monica’s beautiful beach greenway path. Although the ride is 51.5 miles, 98% is on a cycle path and the ride only has 725 feet of elevation gain. You will get to see many iconic parts of the beautiful Santa Monica & Venice Beach boardwalk. If you are not looking for a 50 mile ride or are hoping to do this route with kids, no worries! You can make the ride as short or long as you would like by turning back on the bike path at any point.
2. San Gabriel River & Rio Hondo Greenway
The next ride we are highlighting is another ride with over 90% greenway! Not too far outside of downtown LA, you can visit two great greenways: the San Gabriel River Greenway and the Rio Hondo Greenway. This 41.5 mile route takes you along both of these beautiful routes with minimal elevation gain and great views! Just as with the Santa Monica ride, you are easily able to cut this ride shorter if all 40 miles is not for you.
3. Angeles National Forest
We are now moving away from the beach for a moment and into LA’s nearby mountains.
Angeles National Forest lies just east of Los Angeles and is home to some excellent and
challenging road riding. We have put together three rides for you to check out. These three vary in length, with options encompassing 33 miles, 49 miles, and 55 miles. This way, you can decide how far you are interested in riding. All rides contain plenty of stunning mountain views and, of course, breathtaking climbs and fun descents. They are in different areas of the forest, though, so do both if you are interested in some different scenery!
4. Big Bear Lake
Next on our list is our shortest ride: Big Bear Lake. This 15 mile ride also takes place in the hills adjacent to downtown LA. However, unlike the mountainous rides we just touched on, this ride has only 550 feet of elevation gain and takes you on a scenic and family-friendly loop around Big Bear Lake. There are plenty of gift shops and cute restaurants to stop at along the way, making it the perfect day-trip getaway!
5. Malibu ride
The final ride we are highlighting today is a beautiful and challenging ride in the scenic Malibu, California, just outside of LA. This 50 mile ride will allow you to explore both the beaches and the mountains in one go. Ride along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway and visit Leo Carillo and Point Mugu State Parks. This is one of the most beautiful rides on our list, with constant views at every mile. This ride is best suited for those looking for a gravel or mixed-medium ride, as 5 miles of this is on unpaved surfaces.
You can find the maps and more information about each of these rides in our corresponding Komoot collection.
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