34 places
Places to ride a motorcycle to
Rider hangouts, food stops, mountain passes and lake towns across California, picked by us. Each page has the riding roads that get you there, this week’s weather and the motorcycle crashes reported nearby.
Rider hangouts
- The Rock StoreRoadside café on Mulholland Highway in Cornell, a weekend meeting spot for riders for decades.
- Neptune's NetSeafood shack on Pacific Coast Highway at the Ventura County line, busy with riders on weekends.
- Newcomb's RanchRestaurant and bar on Angeles Crest Highway, one of the few places to stop on the Crest.
- Bike Shed Moto Co.Motorcycle-themed restaurant, bar and shop in the Arts District, downtown LA.
- Deus Ex MachinaCafé and shop of the Deus Ex Machina motorcycle and surf brand, on Lincoln Boulevard in Venice.
- Cook's CornerRoadside bar where Santiago Canyon Road meets Live Oak Canyon Road, a long-time weekend rider stop.
- Cold Spring TavernOld stagecoach stop just off San Marcos Pass (SR-154) above Santa Barbara, where riders gather on weekends.
- Alice's RestaurantRestaurant at Skylonda, where Skyline Boulevard (SR-35) meets La Honda Road (SR-84), a weekend rider stop.
Food stops
Views & passes
- Mount Wilson ObservatoryObservatory at the end of Mount Wilson Road, off Angeles Crest Highway, with views over the LA basin.
- Wheeler GorgeThe gorge on Highway 33 north of Ojai, where the road climbs into the Los Padres National Forest.
- Bixby Creek BridgeArched bridge on Highway 1 in Big Sur. Parking at the pull-outs is limited and busy.
- Lick ObservatoryObservatory at the top of Mount Hamilton Road (SR-130), climbing from San José.
- Sonora PassHighway 108 at 9,624 ft, the second-highest highway pass in the Sierra. Closed in winter.
- Tioga PassHighway 120 at 9,943 ft at Yosemite's east entrance, the highest highway pass in California. Closed in winter; the park charges an entry fee.
- Glacier PointViewpoint over Yosemite Valley at the end of Glacier Point Road. The road closes in winter; the park charges an entry fee.
- Ebbetts PassSR-4 at about 8,730 ft, a narrow road with stretches that have no centre line. Closed in winter.
- Carson PassSR-88 at about 8,570 ft, on the way to Lake Tahoe. It can close in winter storms.
- Figueroa MountainPeak above the Santa Ynez Valley, reached by Figueroa Mountain Road from Los Olivos.
- Morro RockVolcanic rock at the mouth of Morro Bay harbour, just off Highway 1.
- Mount DiabloSummit of Mount Diablo State Park, at the top of Summit Road. The park charges a vehicle fee.
- Point Reyes LighthouseLighthouse at the tip of Point Reyes, at the end of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.
Towns & lakes
- OjaiValley town at the foot of Highway 33 and the Maricopa Highway.
- Lake ArrowheadMountain lake village on the Rim of the World Highway (SR-18).
- Big Bear LakeMountain lake town reached by SR-18 and SR-38.
- JulianOld gold-mining town known for apple pie, where SR-78 meets SR-79.
- HollisterSan Benito County town known for its 1947 motorcycle rally, close to the rural roads south of it.
- MurphysGold Country town on SR-4, on the way up to Ebbetts Pass.
- Pine Mountain ClubMountain village at the end of Mil Potrero Highway, west of Frazier Park.
- Mount LagunaMountain village on Sunrise Highway (S1) in the Laguna Mountains, east of San Diego.
- Nevada CityGold Rush town where SR-49 meets SR-20.
- DownievilleGold Rush town on SR-49 along the North Yuba River.
- South Lake TahoeLake town where US 50 and SR-89 reach Lake Tahoe.
Places picked by us; locations from OpenStreetMap. The map also shows viewpoints, peaks, beaches and bike parks found in OpenStreetMap. Crash counts on each page are motorcycle crashes reported within a mile, from the California Crash Reporting System (CCRS). Popular places see more crashes partly because more people ride there.