From California sea cliffs to Florida's emerald coast — these are the rides that stop your scroll.
Not all bike rides are created equal. Some routes get you from A to B. Others are the reason you bought the bike. The ten routes below are the latter — chosen for their visual drama, their variety of coastal landscapes, and their accessibility to e-bike riders at most fitness levels.
Pack your phone mount. You're going to use it.
1. Pacific Coast Highway Bike Path — Malibu to Santa Monica, California
Distance: 22 miles one way | Surface: Paved | Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Few routes anywhere in the world match the visual impact of this one. The Pacific Coast Highway bike path hugs the California coastline with the Santa Monica Mountains on one side and the Pacific on the other. The light in the morning is cinematic. The light in the afternoon is operatic.
- Best shot: The point where the path crosses above the water near Carbon Beach — the Pacific fills the entire frame.
- E-bike note: Wind can be brutal heading south in the afternoon. A 52V system and fat tires make the return trip genuinely enjoyable rather than punishing.
- Best time: Early morning on a weekday. On weekends, the path gets crowded by 9am.
2. The 17-Mile Drive — Pebble Beach, California
Distance: 17 miles loop | Surface: Paved road (shared with cars) | Difficulty: Moderate
This private scenic road is technically a drive — but it's a spectacular bike route that winds through Pebble Beach's golf courses, cypress forests, and raw Monterey Bay coastline. The Lone Cypress, an ancient tree perched on a granite outcrop above crashing surf, is one of the most photographed scenes in California.
- Best shot: Lone Cypress at golden hour — bring a wide lens or use portrait mode with the cliff face in frame.
- E-bike note: The rolling terrain is manageable, but some stretches require climbing. Pedal assist makes the scenic overlook pullouts accessible without arriving breathless.
- Entrance fee: Yes — cyclists pay a reduced rate. Worth every cent.
3. Pinellas Trail — Clearwater to St. Petersburg, Florida
Distance: 38 miles one way (ride a section) | Surface: Paved | Difficulty: Easy
Florida's longest paved rail-trail runs parallel to the Gulf Coast from Tarpon Springs through Clearwater and down to St. Pete. The trail dips in and out of sight of the water, passes through beach towns, and is lined with enough cafes, murals, and beach access points to justify stopping every few miles.
- Best shot: The stretch through Dunedin, where the trail runs directly along the causeway with open Gulf water on both sides.
- E-bike note: Perfectly flat — this is where Class 2 e-bikes shine. You can cover the full 38 miles comfortably with a 52V battery.
- Don't miss: Safety Harbor and its old Florida downtown, accessed directly from the trail.
4. Cape Cod Rail Trail — Dennis to Wellfleet, Massachusetts
Distance: 27 miles one way | Surface: Paved | Difficulty: Easy
The Cape Cod Rail Trail is built on a converted railroad bed and runs through the heart of the Cape — through pitch pine forests, past kettle ponds, and into the dunes of the National Seashore. The light in New England summers is extraordinary: sharp and clear in a way that Pacific Coast light simply isn't.
- Best shot: Where the trail crosses over the salt marshes near Eastham — morning mist makes this look like a landscape painting.
- E-bike note: National Seashore rules apply as you approach Wellfleet. Class 1 & 2 are generally permitted; verify current NPS guidelines.
- Bonus route: Branch off onto the Nauset Marsh Trail extension for direct ocean views.
5. Cannon Beach to Seaside — Oregon Coast Trail, Oregon
Distance: 11 miles one way | Surface: Paved / hardpack | Difficulty: Moderate
Oregon's coast is dramatic in a way that California's is not — darker, wilder, with haystack rocks jutting from the surf and forests running to the cliff edge. The ride from Cannon Beach north to Seaside follows the coastal highway with opportunities to drop down to beach level. Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach is perhaps the most photographed beach landmark on the entire Pacific coast.
- Best shot: Haystack Rock at low tide with the surf in the foreground and storm light behind.
- E-bike note: Elevation changes are significant in sections — pedal assist is not optional here, it's necessary.
- Best time: Late afternoon in autumn when the crowds thin and the light gets moody.
6. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bike Path — New Orleans, Louisiana
Distance: 5.5 miles | Surface: Paved | Difficulty: Easy
This is a technically short ride that is disproportionately spectacular. The bike path runs alongside the world's longest bridge over open water — 24 miles of Lake Pontchartrain on both sides, water to the horizon. The sunrise from this path, with the bridge stretching into the distance and the sky going orange and pink over the lake, is genuinely otherworldly.
- Best shot: Stand on the path at dawn with the bridge perspective leading to the vanishing point — it looks AI-generated. It isn't.
- E-bike note: The path itself is flat and short, but the area connects to the broader New Orleans metro trail network for longer rides.
7. Virginia Beach Boardwalk & Back Bay — Virginia
Distance: 18 miles | Surface: Paved | Difficulty: Easy
Virginia Beach's boardwalk runs for three miles with the Atlantic on one side and a steady parade of beach culture on the other. But the real find is extending your ride south along the resort strip and then cutting inland through the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, where tidal marshes and migratory birds create an entirely different visual register.
- Best shot: The wooden boardwalk at sunrise before the beach chairs go out — the empty expanse of sand and ocean before the day begins.
- E-bike note: Back Bay Wildlife Refuge restricts motorized vehicles; confirm e-bike access before entering.
8. South Walton Scenic 30A — Rosemary Beach to Grayton Beach, Florida
Distance: 19 miles one way | Surface: Paved | Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Highway 30A in the Florida Panhandle runs through a string of planned beach communities and state parks along one of the most aesthetically considered stretches of coastline in the country. The water here is a specific shade of green-turquoise that doesn't appear anywhere else in the US. The bike path parallels 30A and connects all of the communities — Rosemary Beach, Watercolor, Seaside (yes, the one from The Truman Show), Grayton Beach.
- Best shot: Grayton Beach State Park from the dune overlook — turquoise water, white sand, and a natural frame from the scrub oaks.
- E-bike note: Some sections roll with moderate hills. 48V is fine; 52V is comfortable.
- Don't miss: Cycling into Seaside for a coffee stop. The town's architecture is uniquely worth experiencing from a bike.
9. San Juan Island Loop — Friday Harbor, Washington
Distance: 35 miles loop | Surface: Paved | Difficulty: Moderate-Hard
This one is for the rider who wants something genuinely remote. San Juan Island sits in the Salish Sea between Washington state and Vancouver Island, accessible only by ferry. The loop around the island passes through a landscape of old-growth forest, rocky coves, whale-watching points, and the English Camp and American Camp historical sites. On a clear day, Mount Baker floats above the horizon.
- Best shot: Lime Kiln Point State Park at sunset — the lighthouse with the Olympic Mountains across the water.
- E-bike note: This is the route where a 52V battery earns its premium. The terrain is hilly and the distances are real. Range anxiety on a 36V system here is legitimate.
- Logistics: Take the Washington State Ferry from Anacortes. Bikes (including e-bikes) are welcome.
10. The Strand — Manhattan Beach to Palos Verdes, California
Distance: 22 miles round trip | Surface: Paved | Difficulty: Easy
The Strand is the most famous urban beach bike path in the country. It runs along the LA County coast through Manhattan Beach, Hermosa, Redondo, and right to the edge of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The path is lined with beach volleyball courts, outdoor showers, surf shops, and ocean-facing homes worth approximately the GDP of a small country. It is a perfect distillation of Southern California beach culture.
- Best shot: The Manhattan Beach Pier from the south, looking north along The Strand at dawn — the pier, the path, the ocean, the hills.
- E-bike note: The path is completely flat but gets extremely crowded on weekends. Go early.
- Best time: Weekday mornings between 6am and 9am. Or sunset on any day — the light on the Santa Monica Bay in the evening is the platonic ideal of California.
How to Photograph These Routes
A few practical notes for getting the most out of these visuals:
- Phone mount on your handlebars: Essential for capturing movement shots without stopping every 30 seconds.
- Golden hour timing: Every route above is dramatically better in the first hour after sunrise or the last hour before sunset. Plan accordingly.
- Include your bike: A well-framed shot with your e-bike leaning against a railing, a rock, or a fence post adds scale and context. It also looks great.
- The behind-the-back shot: Hold your phone camera behind you while riding and shoot blindly. One in ten will be a keeper, and it captures a perspective no tripod can replicate.
Tag Us: Ride any of these routes on your beach cruiser e-bike? Tag @WaveAndWheel — we feature reader rides every week.