Do you want to go on an exciting bike ride?
San Francisco offers lovely biking paths with plenty of thrill.
The City by the Bay offers some of our favorite bike rides, ranging from ocean-side cruises to challenging hill climbs to urban singletrack.
Examine the most popular best bike rides in San Francisco, complete with hand-curated trail maps and driving instructions, as well as insightful reviews and images from hikers, campers, and nature enthusiasts like you.
San Francisco – Excellent for bike riders
San Francisco is one of the world’s most iconic urban bike locations, a complete cyclist’s paradise in every way.
It’s a dramatic mix of gigantic views, different neighborhoods, and breathtaking wildlife.
They have connections through an excellent network of existing bike routes.
The City by the Bay features rides for every ability level, from flat, beginner-friendly jaunts to advanced hill climbs, whether you want to ride road, dirt, or gravel. Here are a few recommendations to get you started.
The City by the Bay has some of the views in the country, with undulating hills, broad beachfront, and gorgeous sites to meet you along the way.
Summary of the 16 Best Bike Rides in San Francisco
The ideal bike rides for the family include sunlight, a beautiful landscape, and a little cafe. Check out our best bike rides in San Francisco, then grab the kids and your Hamax bike seat or trailer and go!
1. Muir Woods Cycling Trail
The Muir Woods Cycle Loop is a beautiful San Francisco biking track with vivid wildflowers and unspoiled woodlands.
This route is known as the “lunch ride” among locals because it takes roughly an hour to conclude.
This well-known Marin County route runs through the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Muir Woods National Monument.
This bike path’s best feature is that you can ride it clockwise and anticlockwise.
Location: 2157 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94123, United States
2. Angel Island Perimeter Loop
This 5-mile bike ride follows the island’s circumference. Angel Island, which is only accessible by ferry, feels like a hideaway despite its proximity to the metropolis. Although the road is asphalt, you can take a mountain bike to visit spots.
Hamax child bike seats and trailers are tough enough to keep kids comfortable on =road and gravel surfaces.
You may plan your itinerary by visiting the visitors center at Ayala Cove, where the boats dock.
If the kids require a break, there are various picnic places on the island, a home museum, and several other historical monuments. Don’t forget to bring your camera; the sights are breathtaking!
Location: Tiburon, CA 94920, United States
3. The Golden Gate Bridge Bicycle Path
The Golden Gate Bridge Cycling Trail is one of the best bike rides in San Francisco. It’s undoubtedly San Francisco’s most well-known cycling path.
The paved path provides one of the bike rides in the city.
As you travel to the top of the headlands and descend the exceedingly steep hill, cycling on this spectacular track quickly becomes like riding a roller coaster.
The sights along the way are spectacular; it’s no surprise that the spiral trail is one of the best bike rides in California.
Location: 2157 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94123, United States
4. Valencia Street path
It starts outbound from Market Street and angles left at the lights for Valencia Street, cruise along the Mission on this flat road with the most bike traffic in San Francisco.
It serves as a cycling entryway to the Mission and a place for culinary, fashion, and retail.
You can conveniently park your bike, and popular destinations like Dolores Park, Bi-Rite Market, and Tartine Bakery are nearby.
The traffic lights on Valencia Street have times according to bike speed.
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
5. The Tennessee Valley Bike Trail
You can ride a bike and see the waves of the ocean and the hills of the Tennessee Valley. The Tennessee Valley Bike Path is an excellent choice for a short bike trip.
The paved trail is home to bobcats, deer, roving coyotes, and beautiful wildflowers.
The part of this Sausalito bike trail is towards the end—a mysterious beach with magnificent rock formations.
Nothing like biking to the beach and treat yourself to a well-deserved break by the sea.
Location: 591 Tennessee Valley Rd, Mill Valley, CA 94941, United States
6. Glen Canyon Park
This 60-acre park is among the best bike rides in San Francisco, tucked away in the city’s core, and is a little-known beauty. With 3.7 miles of trails, you can go at your own pace across diverse environments.
The lush creekside vegetation gives way to scrublands, which then give way to wildflowers, which bloom each spring.
At the summit of Twin Peaks, you can get a birds-eye perspective over San Francisco and the bay area. To begin your tour, view a park map here.
Location: Elk St and, Chenery St, San Francisco, CA 94127, United States
7. San Francisco Bay Trail
The San Francisco Bay Trail never ceases to amaze us. This bicycle and pedestrian corridor will eventually connect 47 districts across nine counties and pass seven toll bridges, spanning over 500 miles of paved highways.
The San Francisco Bay Trail has 356 miles built as of 2020, and our favorite sections are the Foster City and San Mateo Bikeways.
You can ride your bike around the Bay while airplanes fly overhead and sailboats glide alongside you.
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA
8. Loop of the Alpine Dam
Alpine Dam Loop departs from downtown San Francisco, based on Strava’s local guide pick.
After passing through a few towns, one of the best bike rides in San Francisco begins to climb – and this is where the loop truly distinguishes itself.
This route is about happiness and suffering, mixing breathtaking views and landscapes with climbs and gnarly drops.
Location: Fairfax – Bolinas Rd, Bolinas, CA 94924, United States
9. Old Mount Tamalpais Railroad Grade
The Old Railroad Grade is the best method to visit the top of Mount Tamalpais on a mountain bike.
This San Francisco bike path is anything but matte, despite its incline. The Old Railroad Grade, sometimes known as the “Crookedest Railroad in the World,” winds through woodlands and past the West Point Inn on its route to the summit.
When you reach the top, take in the breathtaking views of the Bay. The Old Railroad Grade is one of the mountain biking tracks in the Bay Area.
Location: E Ridgecrest Blvd, Greenbrae, CA 94904, United States
10. Marshall Wall trail
A century ride to the north of San Francisco mixes peaceful country roads, charming fishing villages, and some nice 1,750m peaks.
On the trip back to San Francisco, you’ll pass through some stunning redwood woods and enjoy the best bike rides in San Francisco as you cross the Golden Gate Bridge.
Location: 3850 Lucas Valley Rd, Nicasio, CA 94946, United States
11. Great Highway to Fort Funston
This short, flat journey concludes at Fort Funston’s famed dog park.
The park has a hang gliding launch place, a viewing platform, and hiking and equestrian riding routes.
The viewing platform overlooks the 200-foot-high bluffs, offering a stunning coast view and a chance to cool down in the sea air. If you visit between March and June, you’ll be in for a treat if you see some baby swallows.
You can start your journey anywhere along the Great Highway trail, which begins at Fulton St on the outskirts of Golden Gate Park. The bike is approximately 8.5 miles round way if starting on Fulton St.
Location: Fort Funston Rd, San Francisco, CA 94132, United States
12. Three Bears Loop
The Three Bears Loop is one of the best bike rides in San Francisco, and it’s well worth the trip over the Bay.
Take the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to the Orinda station. The 25-mile loop continues along San Pablo Dam Road, with views of the glittering San Pablo Reservoir.
The road then circles back to the spiral’s namesakes, three relatively minor climbs on a 10-mile section of Bear Creek Road known as Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and Baby Bear.
The trail resumes through Briones Regional Park before returning to the picturesque hill town of Orinda.
The terrain here teems with verdant hills and wildflower blossoms after the spring rains.
Location:
13. Paradise Loop
The highest Sausalito cycling path is the Paradise Loop. The trail offers riders to see animals while providing breathtaking views of the Bay and city skyline.
Paradise Loop provides a glance into the city’s secret gems—lovely houseboats along Richardson Bay and magnificent houses on the Tiburon Peninsula reveal the Bay Area’s unexplored side.
Begin your travel at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge and walk through the lovely town of Sausalito; it will be a ride you will never overlook.
Location:
14. Lake Merced Park
This 614-acre park is among the best bike rides in San Francisco, popular with boaters, hikers, and cyclists.
The 4.5-mile paved spiral around the enormous freshwater lake is ideal for a family afternoon outing.
Around the path, there are various picnic sites with shaded and open places.
Three golf courses surround the park, with a boat house, fishing pier, and boat launch. To help you plan your visit, below is a map of the park.
If you’re willing to hit one of San Francisco’s beautiful biking paths but need a method to bring the kids along, check out Hamax child bike seats and multi-bike racks.
Location: Skyline Blvd & Harding Rd, San Francisco, CA 94132, United States
15. The Golden Gate Park loop
Golden Gate Park is the third most visited park in the United States, offering several notable attractions.
Biking is, of course, essential here. This San Francisco flat bike route takes you to the California Academy of Sciences, the Conservatory of Flowers, the de Young Museum, and the Japanese Tea Garden.
A diverse range of plants and animals complement and improve the biking ride.
There’s also an abundance of shade to keep you out of the sun. You can go on another adventure with the park’s various side pathways.
Location: San Francisco, CA, United States
16. Hawk Hill Loop
This road loop in the Marin Headlands is one of the best bike rides in San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay, and San Francisco.
Hawk Hill, named after its migratory raptor population, was once home to a World War II-era stronghold.
To avoid excessive mileage and uphill pedaling, alter the loop to incorporate a ride over the Golden Gate Bridge or a start immediately after.
The loop is about 8 miles from Golden Gate Vista Point, but desire an abundance of height gain as you cross the rocky headlands.
But the sights are so wonderful that you’ll want to try the climb.
Just be cautious of other bikers, runners, and walkers, as well as the incredible fog and unpredictability of the weather.
Location: Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA 94941, USA
FAQs
Is San Francisco a bike-friendly city?
San Francisco has ranked among the top five bike-friendly cities in the United States.
What is the San Francisco bike rule?
Bicyclists aged 13 and up are not permitted to ride on the pavement in San Francisco. Bicyclists are free to use the city’s bike paths. Mopeds and high-speed electric bikes have no permission in certain places unless otherwise specified.
What is the length of San Francisco’s longest road-riding trail?
The Ferry Building to Mount Tamalpais Cycle Route is San Francisco’s longest road bike trail, according to AllTrails.com. The length of this trail is estimated to be 95.8 km.
Is it secure to ride a bike in San Francisco?
San Francisco is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country, with high ratings for road safety and access to the city’s many neighborhoods.
Final words
We’re never too weary of the best bike rides in San Francisco.
San Francisco has miles and miles of bike paths, so your possibilities for exploring the city are virtually limitless.
Don’t worry if you don’t ride a bike regularly (or if you don’t know how to ride yet): San Francisco, as one of the bike-friendly cities, is the ideal spot to discover your passion for riding.
All you require is some inspiration; select what kind of landscape you want to see along the way, then get your wheels rolling on these must-ride San Francisco bike routes.