Pacific Coast Bike Tour

The "LA to LA" ride: Los Altos to Los Angeles.

Day 6 · Thursday, September 10

Oceano → Solvang

Distance
59.2mi95.3km
Elevation gain
2261ft689m
Elevation loss
1804ft550m
Max elevation
1578ft481m
Oceano → Solvang Switch basemap (elevation / vegetation / plain) top-right; click any point for Google Maps, Apple Maps or Street View.
Download GPX — Day 6 Open in Google Maps Open in Apple Maps

The day at a glance

The wine day. Santa Maria around mile 18 sits in one of the state's biggest strawberry and broccoli districts, then Foxen Canyon is the spine of the Santa Maria Valley AVA — a cool, wind-exposed valley that opens west to the ocean, which is why pinot noir and chardonnay do well this far south. The last stretch into Los Olivos and Solvang crosses into the Santa Ynez Valley AVA.

Worth looking up for

  • The best day for small towns: Arroyo Grande Village, Nipomo, Sisquoc, Los Olivos and Ballard are all on or near the route.
  • Rides the length of Foxen Canyon through the Santa Maria Valley wine country — tasting rooms are the main thing open along the middle of the day.

What to watch for

  • No mapped tree cover anywhere on the route — 0%, the only day on the trip with none.
  • The longest stretch without anywhere to stop is 17 mi, from Santa Maria to the Riverbench winery. Between there and Los Olivos the stops are tasting rooms, whose hours are far less dependable than a shop.
  • Late climb at mi 43.5–44.4, 301 ft at 6.6%, when the day is nearly done.

Towns along the way

  1. 0 Grover Beach 1.0 mi off
  2. 3 Arroyo Grande 1.4 mi off
  3. 11 Nipomo 1.4 mi off
  4. 18 Santa Maria 1.8 mi off
  5. 22 Rex
  6. 29 Garey
  7. 49 Rancho Los Potreros 0.9 mi off
  8. 53 Los Olivos
  9. 58 Solvang

Stops along the way

Mapped in OpenStreetMap and carried in the GPX as waypoints, so they show on a head unit too. Distances are miles from the start. Tap a name for Google Maps, or the arrow for Apple Maps. Not verified on the ground — opening hours and whether a tap actually runs are anyone’s guess.

Water 1

Shops & markets 2

Food & coffee 4

Tasting rooms & bars 4

Parks 1

Restrooms 3

Historic 2