10 Best Electric Bike Routes in San Diego
Exploring San Diego on an e-bike is a great way to discover the region’s diverse neighborhoods and outdoor sights. And with rental shops all over the city, it’s never been easier to go on an electric-bicycle adventure here. Check out these routes for a scenic e-bike tour through San Diego.
1. Mission Bay & Beaches
Cruise along the 27 miles of winding, paved bike paths that circle Mission Bay for family bike rides, leisurely biking and sightseeing. Bike around Fiesta Island, past SeaWorld San Diego and through bayside parks, all with breathtaking water views. You can pick a range of distances along the bay or branch off on side trips to the nearby Pacific Beach and Mission Beach boardwalk, Ocean Beach and Mission Valley. View an array of wildlife, including rare species of birds, while biking along the San Diego River Trail that connects the Mission Bay bike bath to Mission Valley along the San Diego River channel.
Rent electric bikes at Paradise Point Resort & Spa, San Diego Mission Bay Resort and Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa.
2. Balboa Park to Old Town
Take in the sights of Balboa Park, neighboring Mission Hills and Old Town San Diego on a guided electric bike tour that nods to San Diego’s past. See beautiful historical homes, scenic canyons and hidden footbridges. Start at the historic carousel in Balboa Park, the largest urban cultural park in the nation. Ride amid the park’s spectacular architecture and gardens and end in Old Town San Diego. The tour takes approximately two hours.
Local experts at Where You Want to be Tours will take you on guided electric bike tours where the guidebooks don’t. Choose from a variety of tours, including the Balboa Park and Mission Hills Bike Tour (Zoo to Blue). The fun-filled and informative rides are designed for all skill levels.
3. Downtown and the Embarcadero
Spend the day riding around downtown and the scenic Embarcadero on an electric bike. Start near the Maritime Museum of San Diego and glide past the USS Midway Museum, Seaport Village, Embarcadero Marina Park North and Embarcadero Marina Park South, and the San Diego Convention Center. Cruise through downtown’s vibrant neighborhoods, including East Village, the historic Gaslamp Quarter and colorful Little Italy. End your journey at Waterfront Park, located across the from the Maritime Museum, to watch the sun set over San Diego Bay.
4. Coronado
Coronado is a biker’s dream regardless of whether you’re pedaling or sitting back and taking in its unique character. Bicycle the relatively flat, mile-long “island” and see the famous Hotel del Coronado, beautiful homes with manicured gardens, and Coronado Beach. It is often rated one of the best beaches in the nation. Cruise the Silver Strand, an easy 10-mile ride between Coronado and Imperial Beach along a portion of the Bayshore Bikeway. You’ll bike parallel to the ocean and scenic San Diego Bay along this route, which is often referred to as the most beautiful and cyclist-friendly bike route in Southern California.
An electric bike rental at Bike and Kayak Tours Coronado includes a helmet and water bottle cage. For a self-guided tour, you also get a custom illustrated bike map highlighting scenic spots, photo opportunities, great sights and, of course, bike paths and bike-friendly roads around Coronado.
5. Bayshore Bikeway
Embark on a self-guided tour of the Bayshore Bikeway, a 25-mile ride along San Diego Bay through several unique neighborhoods. The bike lanes are safely separated and clearly marked along the Bayshore Bikeway route. Start at the Embarcadero in downtown and head south through National City and Chula Vista. Loop around San Diego Bay into Imperial Beach and then catch the Silver Strand into Coronado. Sights along the way include the U.S. Naval Amphibious Base (where the Navy SEALs train), beautiful Silver Strand State Beach, and the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Hop on the Coronado Ferry with your bike to cross over San Diego Bay back into Downtown.
6. Carlsbad
Discover the charming oceanfront community of Carlsbad, located along San Diego’s picturesque North Coastal beachfront. Ride your electric bike alongside historic Highway 101, where the iconic route hugs the Pacific Ocean. Rest halfway at Lookout Point, a bluff high above the ocean’s edge where you’ll view the waves crashing on the rocky beach below. This is also a great surf spot, so you can see skilled surfers ride the challenging waves. If you’re lucky, you might also see some dolphins or whales passing through the ocean waters.
7. La Jolla
Bike through luxurious La Jolla, referred to as San Diego’s “Jewel by the Sea” — and for good reason. Take in the spectacular scenery as you cruise along beautiful La Jolla Cove, Ellen Scripps Browning Park, the Children’s Pool and La Jolla Shores beach. Your electric bike will come in handy to climb the hills to the Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial, where spectacular views await. Or head north of the “village” to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and the Torrey Pines Gliderport, where you can watch colorful paragliders float above dramatic 300-foot cliffs and the Pacific Ocean below.
8. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Explore the vast Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in East County San Diego on an electric bike. Discover Galleta Meadows, a “Lost World” art display, featuring 40 fantastic metal sculptures of dinosaurs, mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, sloths and other ancient residents. You’ll also find life-size figures of animals of the non-prehistoric kind, including camels, tortoises and wild stallions. Experience the geological wonderland of the Fish Creek drainage. Ride back through time and discover the fossil evidence of a long-lost sea. You’ll also be treated to spectacular desert panoramas along with beautiful displays of wildflowers during the spring season.
9. North Park and Pershing Bikeway
With the addition of the Pershing Bikeway in 2023, cyclists now have excellent connectivity between the uptown culinary and cultural hub of North Park and the urban arts, culture, food and nightlife in Downtown San Diego. The two-way, separated bike lanes begin in North Park and run through Morley Field, Golden Hill Park, past the Balboa Golf Course and into the heart of Downtown. Any standard e-bike should handle the grade up Pershing Street with ease, and countless coffee shops and local restaurants await riders at either end of the route.
10. Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
One of San Diego’s most popular, if tucked-away, trail systems is in the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, a centrally located open space perfect for hiking, biking, horseback riding, birdwatching and picnicking. Class 1 and 2 electric bikes are welcome on most trails. For a scenic, fun ride, start at the Rancho Penasquitos Ranch House and take the mostly dirt trail out to the waterfall before turning back to make it a roughly 6-mile trek. The area is also popular with hikers and even crosses through equestrian areas, so remember to be mindful of other nature lovers on the trail.