San Francisco is a biker’s Mecca. The city is very accessible by bike and the mild climate makes most days good biking days. You can grab city bikes to tour the Financial District or Valencia Street. Or try electric bicycles to tackle the Marin Headlands. Either way, you’re going to see some amazing scenery.
The Golden Gate Bridge
This iconic symbol of San Fran should be on your list of things to see. Fortunately, it’s easy to get a good view on bike. You can ride right across it using the east walkway Monday through Friday, and the west walkway on weekends. The Golden Gate Bridge links to the Bay Trail, so you can continue your ride for another four miles. Note that if the wind is blowing, riding across the bridge is a real workout and not for the faint of heart.
Another way to see the bridge is to ride John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park. On Sundays, the drive is closed to cars and open for 7.5 miles of beautiful biking. Not only do you have views of the bridge, but you can also see other San Francisco sights, including:
- DeYoung Museum
- Japanese Tea Garden
- Dutch Windmill
- Stow Lake
- California Academy of Sciences
The Marina District
Hop on the Bay Trail at the Marina and you can see art deco architecture, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Exploratorium. Continue biking west of the Palace of Fine Arts and you will come to the Presidio, a former army base. In 1994 it was converted to a national park. It now offers unprecedented views of the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Angel Island
A great place to ride hybrid bikes, Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay is quiet and isolated, despite the bustling city just across the water. The main trail, a five-mile loop, offers a panoramic sweep of the entire San Francisco Bay. Explore an immigration station, abandoned army barracks, and historic batteries while enjoying some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the area.
Fisherman’s Wharf
To see Fisherman’s Wharf and other San Fran sights, the best route is the National Park bike path. It takes you through Aquatic Park, Fort Mason, the Marina, and Presidio National Park to the Golden Gate Bridge. You can continue around Land’s End, past Seal Rocks, and end at Ocean Beach with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. This a lengthy ride, to be sure, but it encompasses so much of what makes San Francisco a great city.
The Marin Headlands
For another spectacular look at the Golden Gate Bridge, head out to the Marin Headlands. This is a 20-mile loop with a tough uphill climb. The view at the top, however, makes it all worthwhile. You can see the city, the bay, the bridge, and the ocean, all in one fell swoop.
Don’t Miss the Fun
Give your bike a tune-up and make sure it’s humming along. Or take a look at some of the newer bikes available online. It’s time to rock and roll.
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