South Bay Bicycle Trail
South Bay Bicycle Trail
4.4
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.4
5 reviews
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2
Very good
3
Average
0
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Terrible
0
HannahCatherine
Glasgow4 contributions
Sept 2012 • Couples
Having spent two days gridlocked in LA traffic when trying to get around the city, my husband and I decided to try the South Bay Bicycle Trail on our last day in LA. Bike hire was competitive - there are a dozen hire shops along Santa Monica beach alone - but not cheap. Then again, nor is anything in LA, so no complaints on that score!
We didn't have time to cycle the whole 22 miles of the bike trail, but instead cycled from Santa Monica to Marina Del Ray, past Venice Beach, and back again. The trail is good, mostly composed of paved concrete with separate lanes for cyclists and pedestrians, and the views are stunning - classic SoCal beach on the one side, complete with volleyball courts and outdoor gym equipment, and a bustling mish-mash of shops, cafes and houses on the other side, with a colourful (if somewhat stereotypical) array of street vendors thrown in. There are lots of places to chain your bike up, so stopping to eat, play or shop is no problem. I would recommend cycling earlier in the morning - it gets very hot in the early afternoon - but perhaps that's the chronic vitamin-D deficiency of a Scot talking. We were visiting midweek in September, and while the bike trail was well-used, there was no sense of crowding.
The only negative to the experience was that the beaches along Santa Monica and Venice, while beautiful, are also surprisingly polluted. We stopped briefly to head down to the ocean, and in the space of 5 minutes my husband managed to get crude oil on his feet, which is a pain to get off. Fortunately, the beaches are well supplied with outdoor shower blocks (and inside toilets), but we paid more attention to the cleanliness of the sand after that, and noticed a number of patches of crude oil. Otherwise a pleasant experience, and a nice change from the business of downtown LA.
We didn't have time to cycle the whole 22 miles of the bike trail, but instead cycled from Santa Monica to Marina Del Ray, past Venice Beach, and back again. The trail is good, mostly composed of paved concrete with separate lanes for cyclists and pedestrians, and the views are stunning - classic SoCal beach on the one side, complete with volleyball courts and outdoor gym equipment, and a bustling mish-mash of shops, cafes and houses on the other side, with a colourful (if somewhat stereotypical) array of street vendors thrown in. There are lots of places to chain your bike up, so stopping to eat, play or shop is no problem. I would recommend cycling earlier in the morning - it gets very hot in the early afternoon - but perhaps that's the chronic vitamin-D deficiency of a Scot talking. We were visiting midweek in September, and while the bike trail was well-used, there was no sense of crowding.
The only negative to the experience was that the beaches along Santa Monica and Venice, while beautiful, are also surprisingly polluted. We stopped briefly to head down to the ocean, and in the space of 5 minutes my husband managed to get crude oil on his feet, which is a pain to get off. Fortunately, the beaches are well supplied with outdoor shower blocks (and inside toilets), but we paid more attention to the cleanliness of the sand after that, and noticed a number of patches of crude oil. Otherwise a pleasant experience, and a nice change from the business of downtown LA.
Written 8 October 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dee_Green15
Los Angeles, CA43 contributions
Sept 2016 • Family
We have cycled down this path in both directions; starting at the Santa Monica pier.
The highlights for our daughter included the following attractions along the cycling path:
1) Carousel on the Santa Monica pier
Its $2 per ride. It's relaxing and not busy at all. She loved sitting on the horses or even the pig.
2) Annenberg Beach Community Center
It has splash pad and decent playground for kids
It's free
3) Venice Beach
Our little one loves dancing to the live music.
Try to do this cycling trip on a cloudy day unless your skin can really take the sun burning down on it
The highlights for our daughter included the following attractions along the cycling path:
1) Carousel on the Santa Monica pier
Its $2 per ride. It's relaxing and not busy at all. She loved sitting on the horses or even the pig.
2) Annenberg Beach Community Center
It has splash pad and decent playground for kids
It's free
3) Venice Beach
Our little one loves dancing to the live music.
Try to do this cycling trip on a cloudy day unless your skin can really take the sun burning down on it
Written 9 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tuffguppy
Utah34 contributions
Mar 2012 • Business
Some parts are very crowded, but away from the parking lots not so many people. Good way to see Manhatten Beach pier and main street. I also rode north to the Santa Monica pier where the roller coaster and ferris wheel and other attractions and restaurants are. Venice beach areas are interesting too.
I rode my own bike so I don't know about the best places to rent a bike.
I rode my own bike so I don't know about the best places to rent a bike.
Written 27 March 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DAVID L
Los Angeles, CA8,045 contributions
Jun 2015 • Couples
The South Bay Bike Trail is a great way to see the many beach cities (Santa Monica, Venice, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, LA, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, etc,) from the gorgeous California coastline next to the sand. We use the Santa Monica - Venice section and enjoy it. Nicely paved and pretty wide. Passed lots of eateries, so you're all set. Enjoy the coast. ...
Written 17 December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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