Best E-bike Vacations : California

Next on our series highlighting the best places to vacation with your Espin electric bike, California. 

Whether you prefer pedaling along with stunning ocean vistas, picturesque mountains, or natural woodlands, California has it all. With some of the largest National Parks and best beaches in the country, California is one of the best vacation spots for e-bike enthusiasts. So, let's look at some of our favorites.

Bayshore Bikeway

The Bayshore Bikeway is a 24-mile loop around San Diego Bay with beautiful scenery, interesting businesses, and even a historic building to see. You'll start out with a ferry ride across the bay to Coronado Ferry Landing. You'll find a number of shops in this area if you choose to look around. When you're ready to start, head south on the trail.

The path has plenty of restaurants and cafes along its length. Eventually, it passes by Tidelands Park. This is the largest San Diego Bay Park. It contains many great features, including a small beach and a nice bike path of its own. The path leads from the Silver Strand to the Old Ferry Landing. 

It then passes under the Coronado Bridge. The pillars holding the bridge have large painted murals, which are a part of Chicano Park. This park is a National Historic Landmark and well worth checking out if you have the time.

At this point, the trail runs past the Hotel del Coronado. The hotel was built in 1888 and is famous for being shown in the movie "Some Like it Hot," starring Marilyn Monroe. The trail continues and passes over what used to be part of the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway.

The bike trail also goes past the U.S. Naval Amphibious Base, where the Navy Seals train. At this point, there is a short nature trail with an observation deck. As the bike trail continues, it passes the Silver Strand State Beach. Further on, you can see the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. 

The refuge is 3,940 acres and contains a large number of threatened and endangered species of fauna and flora. Riders have the opportunity to bird watch at points along the bike trail.

Starting at Main Street in Chula Vista, the paved portion of the trail ends and then goes through downtown San Diego and back to the start. For families, instead of going along the roadside bike lanes, it's easy to loop back on Imperial Beach and enjoy this bike route. There are many sights to see along the way. In fact, you could enjoy an entire e-bike vacation in Chula Vista.

Lost Man Creek Trail

This trail gives bikers the chance to experience a very different environment than the Bayshore Bikeway. The Lost Man Creek Trail is a dirt logging road open to e-bikes in Redwood National Park, following along an easy slope up Holter Ridge before running down along the ridge on its way to Bald Hills Road.

This is a perfect route for e-bike riders to enjoy a quiet, natural ride at a little slower pace than on a paved road. The wide old logging road crosses through California's century-old redwood trees, along with gushing creeks, and across a scenic steel bridge.

This loops down Bald Hills Road for over 20 miles, continues for over a mile on a bike lane on Highway 101 and finishes on the paved Davidson Trail, where you can enjoy a little more speed.

Do you have a favorite spot to take your electric bike in California? Let us know in the comments!