West Coast, best coast? Teen Treks has been on the road, rediscovering the magic of the Pacific Coastal Bike Route. Is it the best coast? We biked from Seattle to San Diego and met bikers from all around the world following the same route, some ending in Tijuana, some going all the way to Patagonia. Many Warmshowers hosts we stayed with had hosted hundreds, if not thousands of cyclists in some cases. So what’s the draw? Is it the good weather? The laid-back West Coast vibe? The stunning cliffside ocean views? The challenging climbs along the way? The diversity of scenery from the Redwood National Forest to Big Sur to Venice Beach? The opportunity for numerous marine sightings? Or is it just great to bike one of the most famous scenic highways?
I’d say C, all of the above! The Pacific Coast Highway is definitely magical. The people are great, the vibes are groovy, the weather is hard to beat (minus the rainy northwest) and the views… man the views are phenomenal! But you don’t get those scenic desserts without tons of effort, making the reward of stunning cliffside views all the more worth it!
Re-Scouting Teen Treks West Coast Trips
On our journey, we’ve been re-scouting Teen Treks’ three West Coast trips: Pacific Northwest, Pacific Redwoods and our California Coast Trek. We took field notes in order to reimagine itineraries and find hidden gems and well-known must-do’s in order to create an unbelievable West Coast experience.
We have notes from the road we’ll be sharing, as well as plenty of photos to show off the best of the West Coast! Stay tuned.
So is the West Coast Superior?
And as someone who has now biked the West Coast and East Coast, I have my own thoughts about which is the best coast, which I will share at a later date… but my easy copout is that they both are different in many ways! I will say… being on one of the most well-travelled bike touring routes in the country was a pretty incredible opportunity. But maybe you’ve got to get out there and answer that question for yourself!
