Adventure Cycling Association

We’ll set sail from Bellingham, Washington, with a quick spin up to the Canadian border before heading south from the 49th Parallel. We’ll flirt with the waters of Puget Sound for many miles, going from Anacortes to Whidbey Island to the Victorian splendor of Port Townsend, perched at the northeast edge of the Olympic Peninsula. After passing through the shipbuilding center of Bremerton, we’ll leave the Puget Sound behind to trace a delightful series of backroads through the inland regions of southwestern Washington. At the end of the week, we’ll find ourselves in the vicinity of Lewis and Clark State Park, some 40 miles northwest of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Upon meeting the Columbia River in the Kelso/Longview area, we’ll turn west to follow the mighty river to the Pacific Ocean, riding first on the Washington side then crossing over to Oregon on the region’s only working ferry. After a layover day in hilly and historic Astoria, where we can visit the world-class Columbia River Maritime Museum, we’ll continue through a chain of charming resort towns, including Seaside, Cannon Beach, and Nehalem. In Tillamook, you’ll want to tour the famous Tillamook Cheese Factory. Fueled by one of the dairy’s legendary ice cream cones (which come in 38 flavors), we’ll take the Three Capes Scenic Drive back to the Pacific Ocean in spectacular fashion. From there, we’ll stick close to the beach all the way to Florence, located midway along the Oregon coast (and one of the end points for the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail).

You might begin to think that Oregon’s incredible coastline goes on forever as we continue riding south. Quaint towns such as Bandon and Port Orford boast saltwater taffy shops, bays inhabited by lovable harbor seals, and small cafés dishing up some of the best clam chowder and wave watching anywhere. Separating the villages are pristine beaches that simply boggle the mind in their beauty and scope. South of Gold Beach, where the storied Rogue River empties into the Pacific, we’ll enter California near Crescent City before visiting Redwood National Park, home to giant trees over 2,000 years old and 300 feet tall.

After riding a rugged and forested inland route south of Eureka, we’ll reunite with the Pacific at Cape Vizcaino north of Westport. We’ll pass through the Fort Bragg/Mendocino area, a bountiful and beautiful mix of oceanfront real estate, redwood forests, wineries, and excellent food and microbrews. Among the highlights north of San Francisco are Point Reyes National Seashore and the wild Sonoma coast. After having cycled through that portion of the Golden State above San Francisco, you’ll understand why the locals hold themselves apart from Southern Californians: The communities in the wild and largely rural north feel about as far from Hollywood as you can possibly be. We’ll finish the week with a layover day in the cultural and culinary paradise of San Francisco, arguably the most beautiful city in the U.S.

South of San Francisco, we’ll continue along the coast, visiting Monterey, Big Sur, and San Simeon, home to the Hearst Castle. Nicknamed the “Middle Kingdom,” this region is home to some of California’s most spectacular ocean vistas. It also harbors some outstanding wildlife habitat, including Point Piedras Blancas, where hundreds — sometimes thousands — of elephant seals arrive each winter to give birth and breed. We’ll take a largely inland route from Morro Bay to Santa Barbara, situated on an east-west trending stretch of coast, a unique geographical aspect along our route between Canada and Mexico.

South of Santa Barbara, we’ll again remain close to the Pacific, even through the urban sprawl of the City of Angels. We’ll camp at several more state beaches before making our final approach to San Diego and the Mexican border. It’s a stunning finish to an extraordinary trip — from the cool, green Canadian border to the golden sands of Southern California.