California

California

Central Coast Cycling Camp
Guest Reviews 11
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  • From $3350
  • Location Santa Ynez, CA
  • Duration 6 Days / 5 Nights
  • Rider Level 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

Explore vast landscapes of rolling vineyards and enjoy farm-to-table cuisine and incredible wine in Santa Ynez Valley.

If combining extraordinary local food, wine, and cycling sound like the perfect vacation, this escape to Santa Barbara wine country is meant for you! Start daily with a healthy breakfast at the charming For Friends Inn before exploring the picturesque Santa Ynez Valley on two wheels, supported by The Cycling House guides. Each guided, supported ride boasts its unique beauty – from an epic climb up the iconic Mount Gibraltar to a rolling journey toward the Pacific Ocean to quiet rides through wine country towns. You’ll love this trip’s variety and alluring routine: eat, ride, eat, drink wine, sleep.

Highlights

  • Relax at the charming 14-room For Friends Inn in Santa Ynez 
  • Meander through rolling rural roads dotted with horse ranches, vineyards, and mountains, led by The Cycling House guides
  • Enjoy homemade, family-style picnic lunches after rides
  • Climb Mount Gibraltar, featured in the Tour of California
  • Taste the fresh, seasonal food on-site and at our favorite local restaurants
  • Sample the spectacular local varietals of this down-to-earth wine region
Cycling House Solvang California bike trip

Food

The Santa Ynez Valley is both a thriving wine country destination and a culinary hot spot. Throughout the trip, you’ll taste the innovative cuisine of this bountiful California region. You’ll be treated to a nourishing pre-ride breakfast at For Friends Inn, and the Cycling House’s talented guides will prepare a delicious picnic lunch. Dinners include homemade meals from The Cycling House staff and meals at our favorite local restaurants.

Accommodations

Your home for the week is the award-winning For Friends Inn, an inviting 8-room and 6-bungalow hotel with the cozy-yet-sophisticated feel of a bed and breakfast. In the heart of Santa Ynez, a small town in the Santa Ynez Valley. The location is perfect, and we are in the heart of California’s best-kept secret for cycling. After a day in the saddle, sit back and relax with a glass of wine on their beautiful property or take a stroll into Santa Ynez. 

ITINERARY

Riders who fly into Santa Barbara (SBA) will be shuttled to For Friends Inn. Upon arrival, we will have lunch and build bikes and fit rentals to get ready for an afternoon spin (official check-in at For Friends Inn is not until 3 p.m.). We’ll go on a mellow 20- or 30-mile cruise through the vineyards and ranchlands of the Santa Ynez Valley and do a pre-camp briefing before dinner.

Today’s Ride:

Arrival Spin in Ballard: 30 miles, ~1,500 feet of climbing, ~2 hours

Most queen stages are defined by a significant climb but do not let our Jalama beach route fool you. It is an epic route! This ride will be an endurance challenge with great climbs and lonely country roads. The Long Option starts at The For Friends Inn, and the shorter option shuttles the first 24 miles of the ride to the junction of iconic Highway 1. Once we turn towards Jalama Beach, we have another 14 miles to the Pacific Ocean and Jalama Beach. The secluded beach sits on the rugged coastline and has a small restaurant known for the Jalama Burger. The support van will have snacks to fuel us up before retracing our route back to Highway 1. Once reaching the highway, we will turn left towards Lompoc before heading onto Santa Rosa Road. This stretch of road is full of agriculture and vineyards. Before returning to Santa Ynez, the final miles will bring us through Buellton and Solvang.

Today’s Ride:

Jalama Beach: 62-85 miles, 4,500- 5,500 feet of climbing, ~5+ hours

Mount Gibraltar is a challenge! The ride has steeper pitches, amazing views, and fun descents; it’s been used in the Tour Of California. The climbing starts after 10 miles; the bulk of the climb comes in a 10-mile stretch gaining 3,500’ at an average grade of 6.2%. We have an option to do a nice out-and-back along the ridgeline of the Santa Ynez mountains to extend the ride. We still have more climbing once you crest the ridgeline, but the descents offer a great reward.  We will finish up and have a short shuttle back to Santa Ynez.

Today’s Ride:

Mount Gibraltar: 28-41+ miles, 4,700-6,100′, ~3+ hours

An easy valley spin is welcomed by most after a couple of solid days of riding. The route will include a coffee shop stop in Santa Ynez at The Bakers Table. Looking for more? We will have the option to ride up the first few miles of Mount Figueroa.

Today’s ride options:

Recovery Ride: 20-36 miles, 1,200-2,900′, ~2+hours

 

 

The Canyons ride has something for everyone: rolling hills, quiet roads, and plenty of vineyards and open spaces.  The route follows the wine trail North of Los Olivos on Foxen Canyon and climbs up Firestone hill, which offers an expansive view of the valley.  At Sisquoc, we head up Tepusquet and gradually climb on a beautiful quiet road. At the top of the climb, guests can decide whether to drop down the backside of Tepusquet and turn around at Highway 166. The descent is lovely; it feels like a European descent with many hairpin turns and very low traffic. The climb up the backside is slightly over 5 miles gaining 1,100’, and is a 5.5% average grade. From there, it’s a net loss as we follow the same route back to Figueroa Mountain Brewing in Los Olivos, where we will finish with a post-ride picnic lunch celebration.

Today’s ride:

Foxen Canyon: The route options range from 48-76 miles, with 3,300–5,700′ , ~3-5+ hours

We’ll say goodbye to For Friends Inn and shuttle riders back to Santa Barbara for departures. Checkout is 11 a.m. 

Shuttles to Santa Barbara in the morning. Checkout is 11 a.m.

DATES & PRICES

We'd love to help you plan a dream cycling trip for you and your riding crew.
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DETAILS

What's Included

  • 5 nights accommodations (double occupancy)
  • Airport transfers to/from Santa Barbara International Airport (SBA)
  • All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • Afternoon appetizers and wine
  • Mechanical support (including bike build and breakdown)
  • Professional trip guides
  • Daily sag support
  • Ride nutrition products
  • High-quality ride photos
  • Question about COVID-19 and what we’re doing to keep our guides and guests healthy and travel responsibly? Check out this article or contact us.

What's Not Included

  • Airfare
  • Bike rentals
  • Gratuity for guides
  • Mid-ride café stops
  • Personal shopping 
  • Massage therapy
  • Wine Tasting (+$)
  • Single occupancy (+$)

Optional Activities

  • Wine tasting (+$)
  • Core/stretching sessions
  • Hiking/trail running

Questions?

Have more questions? View our FAQ page or call us at 406-312-5770.
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BIKE OPTIONS

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Rent A Bike

Traveling through the airport with a bike—and paying for it to fly—is not everyone’s idea of a fun way to start a vacation. Fortunately, we offer high-quality, full carbon bikes on all of our trips across the United States and Europe. Want to just show up and ride? Just bring your shoes, pedals, helmet, and saddle (if you want), and rent one of ours.

Available this trip:
Cervelo Aspero 2021-Tucson Rental Bike
Cervelo Aspero Road/Gravel Bike
Manufacturer: Cervelo
Type: Gravel Bike
Cost: $300 / trip
Specialized Vado SL 4.0 E-Bike
Manufacturer: Specialized
Type: Gravel Bike
Cost: $300 / trip
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Bring Your Own

Your bike is yours—we get it. Bringing your own bike has obvious advantages in terms of individual comfort. Before your trip, we suggest getting a tune-up at your local bike shop so it’s ready to roll for your week of riding. Once you arrive, we’ll be sure to have our mechanics build it and help with any necessary tweaks. Check out some helpful resources here:

Shipping your bike

Flying with your bike.

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Skip The Bike

If you or your travel partner want to enjoy the trip and explore a new destination without a bike, drop us a line and we’ll discuss options. Some trips are better suited for non-rider participants than others.

TRIP TEAM

GUEST REVIEWS

Share your trip experience with others by leaving a review.

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George F., Potomac, MD
April 5, 2019
Fantastic trip. Great rides, excellent food, guides were always very positive. Excellent.
Susan B., Saint Louis, MO
April 8, 2019
Fantastic trip! Great rides, food, wine, people on the trip. The guides were excellent as always. How they deal with many different levels and perspectives is a gift! Always a pleasure with the Cycling House. I will be back soon.
Show All Reviews
George F., Potomac, MD
April 5, 2019
Fantastic trip. Great rides, excellent food, guides were always very positive. Excellent.
Susan B., Saint Louis, MO
April 8, 2019
Fantastic trip! Great rides, food, wine, people on the trip. The guides were excellent as always. How they deal with many different levels and perspectives is a gift! Always a pleasure with the Cycling House. I will be back soon.
Dana S., Nashville, TN
April 8, 2019
Perfect 10 and I wouldn't change a thing! Chef Hannah deserves a huge round of applause! She was amazing pulling double duty as ride guide and chef - she didn’t miss a beat.
Stephen S., Littleton, CO
April 15, 2019
Each trip that I've been on with The Cycling House has exceeded my expectations. I'm so impressed with your staff and how great they are. I appreciate how The Cycling House has ride extensions available for those that like more mile and more climbing. I'm planning on a Cycling House trip each year.
Jim D., Minneapolis, MN
April 11, 2017
This trip was amazing!
Rhonda H., Regina, Canada
May 1, 2023
Fun, well guided rides for a variety of riders and beautiful scenery! Would love to do another ride with Cycling House.
Jack S., Gig Harbor, WA
October 28, 2022
We did a private trip in Solvang, CA. Brendan, Drew, Emily (Kipp), and Jim hosted us on a great trip riding in the local mountains. They paid attention to every detail giving each of us a very personalized experience.
Andy G., Franklin, TN
April 25, 2023
Just returned home from my sixth trip with TCH and am already registered to go on another trip with them later this year. They're the best in the business of cycling vacations. The routes, meals, accommodations, and especially the staff are terrific. Highly recommend.
David D., Walnut Creek, CA
May 5, 2021
I recommend Cycling House very, very highly. The staff are incredibly nice people to spend a week with. The food is fantastic. Accommodations are always comfortable and relaxing. The rides allow you to take it as easy or push as hard as you want. I have ridden with them in Glacier, Tucson, and Solvang, and loved all three experiences.
Daniel B., Tacoma, WA
October 28, 2021
My second trip with Cycling House and both trips were fantastic. The crew takes care of every detail and they and make it enjoyable for any skill level. Great accommodations and food and always very scenic rides. Thank you Brendan, Kipp, Jim, Drew and Ian!!
Leonard F., Charlotte, NC
April 16, 2023
Third time touring with The Cycling House, this time in Southern California and again the Guides, lodging (For Friends B&B), food and cycling routes were top shelf. Had a wonderful time as I was joined by 14 other cyclists many were also multiple returning clients. Tells you they must be doing something right. The guides (Cory, Forrest, Jamie and Hannah) worked hard every day to insure we were well supported during the rides and made you feel special. Our meals cooked by Chef Hannah were so delicious and the Happy Hour wine and charcuterie provided by For Friends was very much appreciated after a long hard day of cycling. Don't miss this trip!