Eighteen flat, paved miles of oceanfront cycling from Castroville to Pacific Grove.
The Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail follows the waterfront for 18 paved miles from Castroville to Pacific Grove, passing through Monterey, along Cannery Row, and out to Lovers Point. The trail is flat, wide, and separated from vehicle traffic for most of its length, which makes it accessible to cyclists of all abilities and suitable for e-bikes, which several rental operators now offer.
The ocean is visible for the majority of the ride. The section through Cannery Row passes the Monterey Bay Aquarium and runs directly along the rocky shoreline where harbor seals rest on the rocks below. The stretch out to Lovers Point in Pacific Grove is quieter and provides views across Monterey Bay to Santa Cruz on clear days.
Bike rental prices range from $24 for a standard bicycle for two hours to $64 for a full-day e-bike rental. Adventures by the Sea, Bay Bikes, and Big Sur Bikes all operate rental shops along the trail. E-bike tours guided by a local operator are available through Viator at approximately $89 per person.
For golf travelers, the coastal trail fills a rest-day morning or an afternoon after a round. The physical effort on a standard bicycle is moderate; on an e-bike, it is minimal. The ride provides a different vantage on the coastline than the courses offer, and the flat terrain means it will not tax legs that are needed for walking a course the following day.
The trail's practical virtue is its flexibility. A rider can complete the full 18-mile out-and-back in under three hours, or cycle a shorter section to a restaurant on Cannery Row and return the bike after lunch. No booking is necessary for rentals; walk-in availability is typically sufficient outside of peak summer weekends.
Bike rental shops typically open 9 AM to 5 PM. The trail is paved and flat throughout. Helmets are included with rentals and strongly recommended. The trail gets busy on summer weekends, particularly the Cannery Row section. Morning rides before 10 AM are quieter. The Pacific Grove end of the trail is less crowded than the Monterey sections. E-bikes are available and extend the comfortable range significantly.
The simplicity. Eighteen miles of flat, paved, ocean-view cycling with no navigation required. It is the lowest-effort way to experience the Monterey coastline outside of a car, and the e-bike option makes it accessible to riders who have spent the previous three days walking golf courses.