San Francisco is one of the most bike-friendly cities in America.
This gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community consistently lands near the top of every ranking of bike-friendly cities, and for good reason. Yes, there are 45-degree hills here, but with a well-planned network of bike lanes — many of which wiggle through town to avoid the steepest grades — it’s easy and fun to get around. (You won’t be alone: 82,000 trips are made by bike in San Francisco each day.)
Expect vibrant street art, dazzling views of the Golden Gate Bridge, and quiet loops in Golden Gate Park. Everywhere you go outside of city, the riding is even better: the birthplace of mountain biking, Marin County, boasts trails that wind through deep redwood forests and over grassy hilltops. And large, popular Annadel State Park, 90 minutes north, is worth the trek for technical singletrack. Road biking is aces here, with the steep Oakland Hills, the winding Marin Headlands, and the climbs up from Palo Alto all within reach from the city.
Organized rides and races showcase the region’s unique beauty and bounty, whether it’s the Wine Country Century, the Sequoia Century, or the popular Levi’s Gran Fondo. You can even ride all the way from San Francisco to Los Angeles (525 miles) in the California Coast Classic!