Or come for the weather in this Mediterranean-like climate nestled between the coastal Santa Ynez mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Or for the food if you prefer organic, locally grown fare. Or for the wine if you saw the movie Sideways. It made the Santa Ynez Valley wine region famous.
You’ve asked us for more California tours, and we’re listening. One of our favorite guides and California native, Nancy, designed this new tour for us. Stay in just two places and take the time to explore this beautiful area with us.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: The Hotel Oceana will be our lodging for the first three nights in Santa Barbara. Located downtown and across the street from the ocean and the bike path, it is the perfect site for the start of our tour. We’ll have an optional rental bike fitting at 3:00pm, an orientation at 5:30pm and dinner at 6:30pm. 0 miles.
Day 2: After breakfast, we’ll start our cycling on one of the many bike lanes that line the streets of this city. We begin to ascend quickly as we head away from the coast, into the foothills and along quiet, winding Mountain Drive. We’ll have the road to ourselves as we marvel at the beautiful vistas of the city below, the ocean beyond, and Channel Islands National Park rising in the distance.
Then it’s down to the beach town of Carpinteria, named by the Spaniards for the Chumash Indians who lived and made their oceangoing canoes there. A short bike path takes us back into Santa Barbara. You should have some time to take the trolley up State Street to browse the shops, walk the sandy beach or swim in the hotel’s pool before our dinner together tonight. 41 miles.
Day 3: Today, we head south along the coast, over Casitas Pass and by fields and greenhouses full of flowers and avocado trees. We’ll stop in Ojai for a picnic lunch and then a wonderful bike path will take us into Ventura. From there, we’ll board the train with our bicycles for a relaxing trip along the coast back to Santa Barbara. 49 miles.
Day 4: We parallel the coast today by cycling on bike paths and bike lanes North through the beautiful residential district of Hope Ranch and then to Goleta Beach State Park. Then it’s onto the campus of the University of California at Santa Barbara. You’ll need to follow the cues carefully, as there are bike paths everywhere. Everyone is on a bicycle on this college campus, and parking lots are full of bikes – not cars. It’s exhilarating.
Afterwards, take a minute to stop at the Ellwood Monarch Butterfly Preserve to walk among the eucalyptus trees and spot the butterflies that winter here. Then continue on to Refugio State Beach Park for a picnic lunch and a chance to play in the waves before we shuttle the rest of the way to our overnight in Solvang.
Solvang was founded by the Danish in 1911 and has worked hard since then to keep its old world charm. There are probably more bakeries here than in any other town its size. The fittingly named Wine Valley Inn will be our home for the next two nights. 29 – 36 miles.
Day 5: Today’s ride is completely different, but just as beautiful as what we’ve become used to. Instead of ocean, we now bike past gently rolling hillsides covered in vineyards, ranch land dotted with black Valley Oak trees, and steep ravines cut by creeks. We’ll bike through Foxen Canyon and then stop at La Purisima Mission State Historic Park for a picnic lunch. Take a walking tour of the mission’s restored buildings dating back to 1787. Learn about the network of 21 self-sustaining missions that the Spaniards built throughout what is now California.
We finish the day on Santa Rosa Road, designated by local riders as the prettiest stretch of riding in the county. If you need an excuse to skip the last 15 miles, stop at the Sanford Winery for some wine tasting of the famous Pinot Noir from this region. 44 – 69 miles.
Day 6: We complete our tour with one last ride around the Santa Ynez Valley and through two gaps: Ballard Canyon and Happy Canyon. We’ll pass lavender farms and apple orchards and then meet up at the Gainey Winery for a picnic lunch, optional wine tasting, and a shuttle back to Santa Barbara. Then we’ll say our good-byes and have you back at the airport by 3:00pm. 22 miles.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Also see tour packages in:
USA
California
Sweet Harmony
Women Tours
Bicycle Touring
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