Day Trippin' › California › From Los Angeles › Best biking spots
Our picks for the best biking spots within 3 hours of Los Angeles: 12 places, 6 under an hour away, 6 between 1 and 2 hours and 0 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 90012.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Long Beach Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor, 28 min south of Los Angeles.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Blervis, CC0
#1 · State park · 38 min east
Rolling grass and oak hills with trails for hiking and mountain biking.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Rattlesnakes are common. Open 8 AM to 5 PM in winter; closes 48+ hours after rain over 1/4 inch and during Red Flag Warnings
Photo: Benoît Prieur, CC0
#2 · Small town · 28 min south
Harbor boardwalk with shops, carousel, ferry to the Queen Mary and bike paths.
Heads-up: Parking is paid. City page for Rainbow Harbor; Shoreline Village shops and rides adjacent.
Photo: David Lofink, CC BY 2.0
#3 · Bike trail · 38 min southeast
A long paved river path through Orange County, good for bikes and walks.
Heads-up: Little shade. Bring water. OC Parks trail map; paved multi-use trail.
Photo: Basar, CC BY-SA 3.0
#4 · Bike trail · 43 min east
A long paved trail along the river for biking and walking through Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Heads-up: Hot and shadeless in places in summer. Parts can close after storms. Multi-use trail; only about 60 percent complete, with gaps.
Photo: Sergei Gussev, CC BY 2.0
#5 · Bike trail · 49 min southeast
Paved and dirt trails around a wildlife reserve with wetlands and birds.
Heads-up: Little shade. Bring water. CDFW Upper Newport Bay reserve; leashed dogs only, no horses.
Photo: Themaeeandhisfriend, Public domain
#6 · Hike · 54 min southeast
Trails and mountain bike routes close to the beach, with canyon and ridge views.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Rattlesnakes (confirm before you go). OC Parks; 7am to sunset; no dogs; parking fee.
Photo: Summit Hopper, CC BY 2.0
#7 · Swimming · 1 hr 13 min east
A big lake with a swim beach, boating, a bike path and rocky climbing.
Heads-up: Summer heat. Check beach hours and water quality. Open; some east-end closures on select Thursdays for waterfowl hunting (Nov 5, 12, 19)
Photo: inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
#8 · Lake · 1 hr 15 min east
A mountain reservoir with a swim beach, fishing and a paved bike trail.
Heads-up: Check for fire or road closures. Swimming is limited to summer. Open; algae advisory at Sawpit Beach (no swimming); winter hours 7 AM to 7 PM
Photo: Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 4.0
#9 · Beach · 1 hr 31 min west
Wide sandy beach near the harbor with volleyball, a bike path and a Cabrillo Bathhouse.
Heads-up: Lifeguards in summer only.
Photo: Rschen7754, CC BY-SA 4.0
#10 · Bike trail · 1 hr 46 min northwest
A paved path along the Kern River in Bakersfield, good for biking and walking.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. City of Bakersfield parkway and bike trail.
Photo: Mark Skovorodko, CC BY-SA 4.0
#11 · Hike · 1 hr 51 min southeast
Rolling oak and grass hills above Escondido with wide trails for hikers and mountain bikers.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Closed on very windy or high fire days. Open dawn to dusk; 25+ miles of trails.
Photo: Alfred Twu, CC0
#12 · Beach · 1 hr 54 min southeast
A huge bayside park with calm water, bike paths and picnic lawns.
Heads-up: Summer crowds.
Our top picks are Chino Hills State Park (38 min), Long Beach Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor (28 min), Yorba Linda Santa Ana River Trail (38 min), Santa Ana River Trail (43 min) and Newport Back Bay Loop (49 min). The page lists 12 places in all.
12: 6 under an hour away, 6 between 1 and 2 hours and 0 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 90012.
Long Beach Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor, about 28 min south of Los Angeles.
7 need no pass or fee, including East Beach Santa Barbara, Santa Ana River Trail and Long Beach Shoreline Village and Rainbow Harbor. Fees change, so check each place.
12 of the 12 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.