Places to Ride in/around Balboa Island

[melissam]

Hi,

I'll be on Balboa Island for a family vacation the first week of August, and I'm planning to bring a bike.

Does anyone have any good ideas for bike rides in this area? Low traffic is a bonus! Flat or rolling hills are good -- nasty climbs like Mt. Hamilton are probably out!

I'm planning to bring my road bike, but I could bring the mountain bike instead.

Thanks in advance for your help!

-- Melissa

[Brandy]

Hi Melissa :)

You can take Marine Dr. off of Balboa Island and make a left on Bayside Drive, cross over PCH and ride through Newport Dunes to Back Bay. Once through Back Bay you can take the San Diego Creek Trail up to Irvine. The traffic you would encounter would be on the very first part of the ride and very minimal.

If you want someone to ride with when you're here, give me a shout. Tiffanie and I are just north of Newport Beach, in Huntington Beach!

[Brandy]

Oh...and if you want to ride the beach paths, just take the ferry over to Balboa Peninsula and you can catch the bike path by the Balboa Pier. It will take you north right along the sand, then you jump off and onto bike lanes on Seashore Dr. until you hit Orange. At Orange I usually jump on the sidewalk on PCH, take it over the Santa Ana River Jetty and then you hit the beach path in Huntington Beach that will take you all the way up to Bolsa Chica State Beach. It's a pretty ride, though be prepared for people on the path and slow riding at some points.

[melissam]

Brandy,

Thanks for the suggestions. Do you typically ride road or mountain bikes? Can a skinny-tired road bike do well on the beach paths?

It would be a lot of fun to meet up with you & Tiffany when I'm down there.

Hey, do you know of any bike shops that rent bikes in that area? I think my brother and his wife might be interested in renting bikes.

Thanks again for your help!

-- Melissa