May 31-June 5, 2026
San Francisco to LA
Ride between two iconic cities through Big Sur and the beautiful California coastline
About the Ride
This classic route takes us through beach towns of Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara while riding the rugged coastline between SF and LA.
May 31-June 5, 2026
San Francisco to Los Angeles
Dream of riding the California coast? Join us for a fully supported, six-day adventure where you can focus on the joy of cycling. We’ll travel between two iconic cities, savoring the views and companionship along the way. Whether your goal is to ride every challenging inch or to enjoy the week with a few boosts from our sag wagon, our team is there for you with delicious meals and quality support. After a day on the road, we’ll rest up and get back to nature, camping together amongst the redwoods and stars.
This is more than a bike tour; it’s a ride with purpose, as your fundraising efforts will directly benefit the nonprofit of your choice. Proceeds benefit our grants program, and you can choose beneficiaries when you register.
Event Details
Positive Planet Impact
Full Event Story
California Dreaming
Our cycling tour route focuses on the most scenic sections of Highway 1 as we travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Imagine riding along the edge of the continent, with dramatic cliffs plunging into the Pacific on one side and rolling hills on the other. You’ll pedal through the wild, rugged beauty of the Big Sur coast, past towering redwood groves, and across iconic bridges high above the turquoise surf. This bike tour offers an intimate connection with a world-renowned landscape, far different from simply driving through. It’s a curated coastal experience on two wheels.
Highway 1 is a bucket-list destination for many, but to truly feel its pulse and appreciate its scale, you have to experience it by bike.
Supported Road Cycling for All Levels
This 6-day Climate Ride is primarily a road bike tour. While we welcome new riders, this multi-day event requires a good level of fitness and preparation for significant climbing. Familiarity with basic road bike technique, group riding etiquette, and practicing your hill-climbing skills ahead of time will greatly enhance your enjoyment. We provide daily route options, full support (SAG vans, mechanics, marked routes), and share cycling tips during othe ride. Our goal is to help you succeed.
We handle the logistics so you can focus on the ride. This is a camping trip, and we will transport your gear and provide beautiful campsites each night. For those who prefer a bed, hotel options are available for an additional fee. All meals, snacks, and luggage transport are included.
More Than Just A Scenic Bike Ride
Participating in this charity ride is a powerful way to support climate action and conservation. Your fundraising efforts have a meaningful impact, as you can choose from Climate Ride’s extensive list of beneficiaries. Our events unite passionate individuals, offer incredible routes, and foster a shared commitment to protecting our planet. This trip lets you witness the beauty of the California coast firsthand and contribute to its future.
Photo Gallery
Map
Itinerary Overview
The itinerary is subject to change, but your Ride Guide will include full details. In the event that the Big Sur Coastline is closed due to slides, we’ll take an alternate inland route.
We can lengthen or shorten each day’s routes depending on your ride goals!
Day 1
Cycling: 82 miles
Elevation gain: 4,946 ft
We’ll start our ride in San Francisco and begin our route south along Highway 1. Today, we’ll see Half Moon Bay, ride the section of Devil’s Slide that is closed to vehicles and enjoy a big lunch at the beach. After we eat, we’ll ride through Santa Cruz and watch surfers catch waves off of Pleasure Point.
We’ll enjoy a sunset at one of our many beachside campsites along the route. The campsite will have showers available and we’ll enjoy a hearty meal together before resting up for the big week ahead.
Day 2
Cycling: 74.6 miles
Elevation gain: 4,512 ft
Following a hot breakfast and plenty of coffee, we’ll start pedaling past the Mariana Trench and Monterey Bay through strawberry fields and artichoke farms. We’ll have a good chance of viewing sea otters and harbor seals before we eat lunch near Monterey.
After lunch, we enter the stunning landscape of Big Sur and begin pedaling along the high cliffs above the Pacific. Keep an eye out for waterfalls and California Condors as we ride into this wild landscape. We’ll camp in the Redwoods of Big Sur and enjoy our digital detox while we connect with our new friends.
Day 3
Post-breakfast, we’ll continue riding along the Big Sur Coastline and its many punchy climbs. We’ll keep all riders well fed with snack stops and a picnic lunch along the caost. Today’s wildlife highlight includes the massive male elephant seals which may be basking on the beach to molt. We’ll hope for the trending coastal winds to blow us to our campsite in San Simeon.
Another night near the beach will give riders a chance to soak their tired legs in the cool ocean water or take a hot shower and get some rest in camp.
Day 4
Cycling: 100 miles
Elevation gain: +4,447 ft
In classic Climate Ride fashion, we’re throwing in a century day to allow riders to push themselves and take advantage of the endless snack bar that magically appears along the roadside.
Though it is a long day, our route becomes a little less hilly as we head inland past several “Morros” or volcanic plugs that are the remnants of ancient volcanos. We’ll pedal past vineyards and beach towns before arriving in Lompoc, CA. Your reward for riding 100 miles today is a good night’s rest in a real bed. Double occupancy hotel rooms are included for the night so rest up!
Day 5
Cycling: 69 miles
Elevation gain: 3,850 ft
Today will feel like a recovery day as your body becomes accustomed to riding all day! We’ll start to feel the Southern California vibes as we ride through Santa Barbara and enjoy many miles of paved bike paths. The afternoon will flatten out but the views will not.
We’ll eat a delicious dinner and enjoy another beach sunset while camped out at Carpinteria State Beach for the night. Showers are available again and we’ll recap the week of amazing cycling with an evening program.
Day 6
Cycling: 77 miles
Elevation gain: 2,213 ft
On our last day, we’ll give our climbing gears a break and hammer out the final miles to LA. We’ll enjoy one more filling picnic lunch along the coast and ride through Barbie and Ken’s hometown of Malibu. We’ll ride to LA but not through it and end our adventure near Santa Monica.
At the end of the ride, you’ll say goodbye to your new cycling buddies and call it a trip. We’ll offer a shuttle back to San Francisco the following morning on June 6th.
Ready to get started?
FAQs and More Info
What does my fundraising support, and why is it so important?
Cyclists can choose from the more than 100 incredible beneficiary organizations in our network! One of the things that make Climate Ride such an effective charitable event is that you can select the organization(s) you wish to fundraise for from our extensive list of beneficiary organizations. Our beneficiaries were selected for their work on the environment, conservation, sustainability, climate education, and active transportation advocacy. At the end of the year, Climate Ride grants the proceeds from our events to these hard-working organizations.
Overnight accommodations
This event is a camping trip where we’ll transport your gear from camp to camp. All of our campsites have showers available and we’ll have access to power, water, and plenty of food. On night 4 of the trip, all riders will stay in a hotel. Double occupancy rooms are included for all riders and we’ll pair riders up based on their preferences. Some single rooms may be available for an additional fee for the hotel night
There are hotels nearby all of our camps for riders who do not wish to camp during the trip. After registering, we’ll make a list of hotels adjacent to our campgrounds available to all riders. You’ll need to book these hotels on your own.
Travel information
We’ll meet at a central location in San Franciso at 8:00 AM on day 1 of our ride. The exact meeting spot is to be announced but it will be close to public transit. Parking and other details will be made available in the ride guide.
For those who wish to shuttle back to San Francisco on June 6th, the day after the ride, we’ll have a limited number of spaces available for you, your luggage and your bike for a small fee. Details for the post-ride shuttle will be available in the ride guide.
Can I rent a bike?
Yes, you can rent a carbon Salsa Warbird from Climate Ride with tubeless road tires for this trip. All bikes come with a pump, spare tube, tire irons, multi-tool, lights, a helmet, and either flat or spd mountain pedals, and a water bottle. Climate Ride will bring your rental bike to the ride start, and take the bike from you after the ride to make the logistics of getting to and from the ride much easier.
This sounds hard, can I do it?
Riding from San Francisco to Los Angeles in six days along the rugged California Coast is not easy. However, with the support of Climate Ride, and your fellow Climate Riders, you can do this! While this trip is designed for experienced cyclists, with proper training and preperation this trip is possible for just about anyone. The idea is to ride the full distance, but we will have support vehicles that can shorten each day’s mileage and help you reach your cycling goals for the trip.
What is included? What’s NOT included?
Included:
- Guides and expert support
- Camping and one double occupancy hotel night
- Vehicle support and bike support
- Plenty of snacks, sustenance and good cheer along the route
- Meals as specified in itinerary (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Not Included:
- Bike & personal cycling equipment (pedals etc). You can rent (see above).
- Bike helmet (required)
- BIke rental from Climate Ride
- The Post Ride shuttle back to San Francisco
- Travel/med insurance
- Alcoholic beverages or soft drinks
- Guide gratuities
- Items of a personal nature
Fundraising and transfer deadlines | important dates
Fundraising Deadlines:
| $500 to be raised by: | 2/26/2026 |
| $1600 to be raised by: | 3/31/2026 |
| Transfer Deadline: | 3/31/2026 |
| $3200 to be raised by: | 4/30/2026 |
Note: If you’d like to register after or near a fundraising deadline, don’t worry, we’re here to help you get up to speed!
Ride difficulty & terrain
This is a road bike tour, designed for road bikes. While we appreciate all forms of cycling, the route is meant for experienced cyclists.
The mileages and elevation of this trip is slightly harder than some other Climate Rides. This is an event you’ll need to train for. While we can shorten daily mileages with shuttles, riders have a high level of fitness to complete this ride.
Big Sur Road Closures
Historically, Highway 1 through Big Sur has been impacted by landslides and washouts. In the event that this section of Highway is closed to cyclists, we will have a plan B route for half of day 2, day 3, and half of day 4.
Bike safety
Bike safety is our top priority. All participants must follow bicycle rules of the road and state laws. Wearing approved bicycle helmets (a proper safety helmet that is less than 3 years old) is mandatory at all times while cycling. Our support crew provides guidance, SAG (Support and Gear), and reinforces bike safety tips throughout the event for comprehensive bicycle safety. Please see our Safety Page for more information.
More questions?
Be sure to review our general FAQ and policies or contact us!
