Motorcycle Trips in the Bay Area
The Bay Area is a great place to visit, with some of the finest city life, food, entertainment, and of course motorcycle rides. Head into San Francisco for a bite to eat, then visit the coast for a nice stroll, and then climb onto your motorcycle and let a scenic ride blow you away. Here at CalMoto, we love tripping around the Bay, and we’re excited to share some of our favorite routes with you. If you have any more questions or just want to come by to see our great selection of new and used European motorcycles, head to one of our locations in Mountain View or Livermore, California. We’re located near San Jose and Tracy, and we’re proud to serve the greater San Francisco area.
Mount Hamilton Loop
You might already take this road for the scenic route, so why not hop on your bike and see it a whole new way? The road follows the bottom of a narrow ravine that eventually climbs through a series of tight switchbacks. The ride provides views of mountains between a handful of bright white observatories and then drops you to the valley floor for a spectacular finish . While it’s not uncommon to have the entire road to yourself, the road is narrow and can be a problem when there are other motorists or cyclists on the road. While most of the road on this route is in good order, there are some rough patches to watch out for. You should take your time on this route anyway!
Niles Canyon Historic District
This is a fantastic ride for anyone with dreams of doing a bit of western touring. You’ll find a clear sense of the Old West, from old locomotives to the stylized buildings. Alameda County offers up tons of fun activities and sites. This unincorporated area of Alameda County is famous for its Old West vibe and history of silent films. There are also a ton of ways to traverse it, so feel free to get lost in its canyons, but this ride starts from central Contra Costa County about 20 minutes north.
Oakland Hills Ride
If you’re itching to ride through some regional parks, you’ll love this route. Hop on beautiful Highway 13 North for a short stretch of hilly highway. You’ll have to snake through a busy downtown and residential streets on Snake Road, which meanders up the hill to become Skyline Boulevard then Grizzly Peak Boulevard. The ride up may be taxing, but the views from Grizzly Peak are picturesque, with the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, San Francisco, and the twinkling lights of the Port of Oakland there for you to take in.
Pacific Coast Highway
This sublime drive has breathtaking views of giant sequoias, relaxing ocean waves, and towering mountains. This is no day trip. The Pacific Coast Highway stretches a whopping 2000 miles, from Northern Oregon all the way to Southern California. This is a dream trip along the West Coast that starts in Long Beach, California and goes through Sequoia National Park and Yosemite before crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. The route then takes you all the way up to Portland, Oregon. You can explore Shasta-Trinity National Forest and the Avenue of the Giants with old-growth redwoods that will have you questioning whether you’ve fallen into some sort of magical realm of wind and spirits. You’ll get plenty of curves along the way, but be careful about riding during summer holidays when the roads might be a bit too busy to enjoy.
Of course these are just a few of the fantastic motorcycle routes in and around the Bay Area. If you’d like to talk some more about touring trips, tell us about your own great routes, or just take a look at the best new and used motorcycles around, then head to CalMoto in Mountain View and Livermore, California. We’re also proud to serve San Jose, Tracy, and the greater San Francisco area. Come in today so our team of knowledgeable and courteous professionals can help you find what you need!
