Distance: 26 mi
Elevation: 791 ft
Moving Time: 2:24
Come enjoy the metropolitan wonders of downtown San Diego and the charm of its old neighborhoods on this cycling route.
We start our ride at the south east corner of Snapdragon Stadium’s complex on Rancho Mission Road. Go under Interstate 15 and make a right on Ward Road then left on Camino Del Rio North until you reach Fairmount Ave.
From here, there is a bike lane which I recommend you use. Fairmount Ave is very wide and busy resembling a highway more than a street. Be extra cautious when cycling past the onramps and assume the motorists don’t see you. This 1.8 mile stretch with 300ft of climb can be a bit sketchy so I recommend taking the offramp for Camino Del Rio South and continuing south on that street instead of Fairmount Ave. Eventually, Camino Del Rio South will connect back with Fairmount Ave but you avoid a giant interchange with Montezuma Road which is the last of the sketchy bit. From there you continue up the hill along a bike lane until you reach the top at Meade Avenue in Kensington.
Congratulations, from here the rid becomes much flatter and smoother. You will continue down Meade Ave which has recently (since the time of writing) been outfitted as a bike boulevard. Even though there is cycling infrastructure here, be cautious. You will encounter a series of roundabouts which are unfamiliar to american motorists. However, the rest of Meade Ave is very nice to ride on for the next 2.4 miles before you turn left on Georgia Street towards downtown.
Take Georgia Street for about a mile until you reach Robinson Ave then make a right. Continue west on Robinson Ave for about a mile and then turn left on 4th Ave. Here you can enjoy a nice 2.8 mile stretch of downhill along a separated bikeway through the older parts of San Diego before reaching downtown.
Now that you’re in downtown San Diego take the time to freestyle a bit and create your own cycling route. See the USS Midway, stop for some food and drink, or check out whats going on at The Shell.
To continue on our loop find your way back to Harbor Drive and head north. You have a few options here. If you want to go fast, there is a bike lane on the street. However, once you reach the airport you will have to compete with airport traffic which is dangerous even in a car. Instead there is a Class I multi-use path called the Bayshore Bikeway off the south side of Harbor Drive It’s essentially a wide sidewalk with pedestrians so be sure to go slowly and be courteous. After traveling west on the Bayshore Bikeway you’ll encounter some water where the bikeway will go under Harbor Drive and and up onto another pedestrian bridge. Go over the bridge and hug the water past Liberty Station and to the Loma Club where you will be let out onto Lytton Street. Go left on Lytton, then take a quick right onto Rosecrans Street and ride for a mile before making a left on Pacific Highway. Rosecrans and Pacific Highway are somewhat busier streets, and a portion of Rosecrans does not have any bike infrastructure so be careful.
After a short jaunt on Pacific Highway you will encounter the San Diego River Trail, a Class I multi-use path. You’ll Only be on there for about a mile before it dead-ends into Hotel Circle. Take the bike lane past Riverwalk Golf Course until you hit Fashion Valley Road and go right till you hit Riverwalk Drive. Here is the start of the San Diego River Bikeway which, just as the name suggests, follows the San Diego River. Take this Class I bike path for 4 miles until you hit Qualcomm Way. You’ll notice there is no crosswalk here but there is a wheelchair ramp to your left. Go up the wheelchair ramp and continue along the tracks until you’re under Interstate 805. Make your way to Rio San Diego Drive and ride until you reach Fenton Parkway. Go right towards the trolly station where you will meet up with Snapdragon Stadium.
I love this cycling route for its diversity of scenery. There’s the quaint Northpark neighborhoods, the bustling downtown, the harbor, and the river. You really get to see a lot of San Diego that you wouldn’t normally see by car. Have fun with this one!