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Coast to California

15 Days Total, 13 Riding Days. (Unfortunately Harley Davidson bikes are not available for this particular tour)

Trip Overview

Offering the best of both the Canadian and American west coast, the Coast to California holiday starts in Whistler, travels to the BC interior and follows the Okanagan Valley south over the international border to the Columbia Gorge. We visit Mount St. Helens and head west to the Pacific Ocean before turning south along the Oregon Coastline to California.

Once in California, we ride Northern California's “Forgotten Coast,” followed by a stop in Mendocino on the way to finish the ride in Sonoma wine country. This 15-day, one-way holiday presents without a doubt the most diverse scenery of any Rocky Mountain holiday and offers the best of both the Canadian and American West Coast.

 

What to Expect

Your holiday begins in Whistler, BC, with a warm welcome to the mountains. We meet for dinner and go over all the details of the next morning’s ride. Of course you’ll be staying in Whistler’s finest boutique hotel: The Summit Lodge.

Our ride begins with the incredible scenery and twisties of Highway 99, the Sea to Sky Highway. We head north on the famous Duffey Lake Road, then cut west towards the wine regions of the Okanagan Valley. Our destination is the Manteo Resort in Kelowna, where we will have a fantastic dinner overlooking Lake Okanagan.

On our second day, we’ll cross the Canada-US border at Midway and test out some of the twisties in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. We’ll stop for the night in a little place called The Inn at Soap Lake, where you can soak in your own tub filled with the rejuvenating spring water that has made Soap Lake famous.

On day 3, we’ll ride a wonderfully twisty road which winds its way down towards the edge of the Columbia River. We follow the Columbia until we cross into Oregon at Hood River where we’ll spend two nights at The Hood River Hotel. As with all rest days, riding is optional, but we think you’ll agree that the ride up to the crater of Mount St. Helens is worth it. The roads and scenery are remarkable as we pass the site of one of the biggest volcano eruptions of modern times.

On the way out of Hood River, our morning is spent riding some of Oregon’s best roads. Lunch is in Shaniko, Oregon’s ‘best known ghost town’ with a population of approximately 30 people. The afternoon ride takes us through Oregon high prairie and scenic native American land.  Our destination is the Sun River Resort, nestled in the middle of Newberry volcanic area.

On day 6, we take the scenic route to Mt. Bachelor, following the Cascade Lakes Highway south towards Crater Lake, where we’ll stop for lunch and pictures.  We’ll end the day in the artsy town of Ashland.

As we leave Oregon, we have a chance to check out California’s famous Redwood trees. We spend the day riding through the forest and roll into Ferndale, California for the night. The Victorian Inn is where we lay our heads for the next couple of nights. Another day off can be spent walking along the beach or on a special day ride, exploring the Avenue of the Giants and the Forgotten Coast.

Day 10 takes us back to the ocean and rolling waves. We start the morning with about 35 miles of tight twisties and then hook back up with the coast. This is Old Highway #1, with much of the road cut into bluffs along the ocean’s edge. Our stop for the evening is the oceanfront Mendocino Inn, where whales can be spotted playing in the surf. Wow!

Our last three days take in some of California’s very best roads. From the coast we ride inland towards the vineyards of Northern California. We’ve had numerous guests return to this holiday just to ride the stretch of road from Stewart’s Point to Lake Sonoma.

We spend the next two evenings at a fun and charming inn called The Hotel Eldorado. The area offers great riding either along the coast or up to Lake Berryessa.

Since we’re in the Sonoma/Napa area, anyone up for a winery tour or two? This area is famous for its wine, and this is a great time to sample what they have to offer. After many years of running this holiday, Brandon (our lead guide) has put together an incredible winery tour.

Our final day’s ride takes us back to the coast, along the twisty roads of Marin County and over the Golden Gate Bridge to our final destination, the famous Fisherman’s Wharf area in San Francisco.

After your holiday is over, if you just can’t get enough of the area, we can help you book some extra time in San Francisco.

Want a longer trip?

Combine Coast to California with California Sea to Sky.

Trip Highlights

• The Duffey Lake Road, Lillooet and Merritt
• Republic, Coulee Dam and Dry Falls
• Bickleton/Goldendale Highway and Columbia River
• Day off in Hood River to explore Mt. Saint Helens and the Windy Ridge Lookout
• Bakeoven, Shaniko, and Antelope
• Day off in Sunriver to explore Oregon’s Newberry volcanic area
• Cascade Lakes Highway, Mt. Bachelor, and Crater Lake
• Jacksonville, Redwood forests, and Crescent City
• Day off in Ferndale to explore the Capetown Peninsula and Avenue of the Giants
• The Chandelier Tree and King Mountain Range
• Stewart’s Point, Lake Sonoma, and Geyserville
• Sonoma and Napa Valley wine tours and Lake Berryessa
• Santa Rosa, the Coastal Highway, and the Golden Gate Bridge

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Route

(all routes are subject to change)

Day 1
Arrive in Whistler for Tour Orientation and Meet & Greet Dinner.

Day 2
Whistler to Kelowna, BC

Day 3
Kelowna to Soap Lake, WA

Day 4
Soap Lake to Hood River, OR

Day 5
Day off in Hood River, OR

Day 6
Hood River to Sunriver, OR

Day 7
Day off in Sunriver, OR

Day 8
Sunriver to Ashland, OR

Day 9
Ashland to Ferndale, CA

Day 10
Day off in Ferndale, CA

Day 11
Ferndale to Mendocino, CA

Day 12
Mendocino to Sonoma, CA

Day 13
Day off in Sonoma, CA

Day 14
Sonoma to San Francisco, CA

Day 15
Travel Day

Included in Your Holiday

Our tours feature; all up-scale accommodation, gourmet meals, motorcycle rental & insurance, chase vehicle for luggage / passengers / spare motorcycles, guide service, maps, fees for parks / ferries / activities, and return transfers from your hotel or the airport.

INCLUDED in the price of the holiday:

• All upscale accommodation, including first & last nights stay.
• All hi-end meals (except off-days), NEVER a set menu, order what you want!
• Motorcycle rental and insurance, bikes are washed & maintained routinely, guests are welcome to trade bikes around.
• Chase vehicle for luggage, spare bikes and weary passengers.
• Top notch and experienced guided service.
• Transfers from hotel or airport and return.
• Holiday handbooks complete with maps and activity information.
• Entrance fees to National Parks.
• Fares for ferries and scheduled activities.
• Snacks & refreshments at scheduled stops.
• Rain-suits (just to keep the sun shining)

NOT included in the price of the holiday:

• Fuel not included for your motorcycle (approx. $15-$20/day CAD).
• Alcoholic beverages not included with meals.
• Meals not included on optional riding days.
• Airfare is not included in the tour price.
• Non-scheduled activities on off-days
• Personal Travel/Medical Insurance

More information

• Have safety or other questions?
• Want to know about extra activities and fun stuff?
• Check out the Hotels where we stay
• Ready to see the bikes?
• Ready to read what our guests have to say?

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  The California Sea to Sky holiday not only travels the best of the shoreline, but adds little known routes like Highway #49 and combines the “must dos” of Yosemite and Sonoma to offer a truly comprehensive California motorcycle vacation.

  In 2007 we added an extra day on to the California Sea to Sky holiday. The trip now offers nine days of riding, allowing us to ride more of the spectacular California coastline, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, overnight in Carmel and a tour of Hearst Castle.

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Testimonials

"Just wanted to write and thank you all for such a wonderful holiday, so well organized and you were all such wonderful company. We couldn’t believe how much we enjoyed it - you didn’t warn us about the withdrawal symptoms we suffered! Once again a great big thank you and keep us posted on your upcoming holidays.”

Noel & Sue Rees, Kent, UK

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