PCH Newport Beach to Laguna Beach Bike Ride

Overview

If you ride in Orange County, you have ridden this stretch of Pacific Coast Highway or you will. It links Corona del Mar to downtown Laguna Beach, it rolls past Crystal Cove State Park, and the ocean is on your right the whole way south. It is not a quiet road. It is a busy state highway with a striped bike lane over most of its length, and that is exactly why the details matter. Ridden early and ridden well, it is one of the best coastal miles in Southern California. Ridden at noon on a summer Saturday, it is a lesson in patience.

The route in plain words

Most riders start in Corona del Mar and head south on PCH. The road climbs gently out of Corona del Mar, then opens up along the Newport Coast with Crystal Cove State Park on the ocean side. Past Crystal Cove the highway drops toward Emerald Bay and Crescent Bay, then rolls into Laguna Beach, where Main Beach and Heisler Park mark the usual turnaround. Coming back north, the Orange County Bicycle Coalition publishes a signed alternate through Laguna Beach on side streets (Cress, Glenneyre, Mermaid, Forest, Cliff Drive) and another through Corona del Mar via Poppy, Ocean Blvd and Bayside Drive, which lets you skip the tightest sections of the highway.

Distance and elevation

Published sources put the Newport Beach to Laguna Beach coastal ride at about 10 miles each way. A mapped Newport Coast to Laguna Beach round trip on Bikemap measures 25 km (about 15.5 miles) with 286 m (about 940 ft) of climbing and a high point of only 96 m. Your total depends on where you start: from Newport Pier or the Back Bay it will be longer.

Best time to ride

Early mornings, roughly sunrise to 9 a.m., are the sweet spot all year. Traffic and beach parking chaos build through the late morning, especially from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Weekday mornings in fall and winter are often the nicest: clear air, light winds and far fewer cars. May and June can bring marine layer and damp roads; afternoons usually bring a northwest wind that becomes a headwind on the way back north.

Water and coffee stops

Crystal Cove State Park, about halfway, is the natural break; the Crystal Cove Shake Shack on the inland side of PCH is a well-known stop. In Laguna Beach, the cafés around Main Beach and Forest Avenue are an easy refill. Corona del Mar has plenty of coffee on PCH at both ends of the ride. There is no reliable public water between Corona del Mar and Crystal Cove, so leave with two full bottles in summer.

Safety notes

PCH is a high-speed highway with driveways, parked cars and beach traffic. Watch for opening car doors in Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach, cars turning across the bike lane into Crystal Cove and Pelican Hill, and sand or glass in the shoulder. Ride single file where the lane narrows, use lights front and rear even in daylight, and take the signed OCBC alternates through Laguna and Corona del Mar on the return. Be careful merging back onto PCH from 5th Avenue in Corona del Mar, where traffic comes fast from the left.

Which bike and setup

Any road bike is perfect here. An endurance geometry bike such as a Cervélo Caledonia, with 30 to 32 mm tires, handles the patched shoulders comfortably. An aero bike is fun on the open stretches past Crystal Cove. Gearing is not critical; a standard compact crankset is plenty. Bring a rear light with a daytime flash mode, a spare tube and CO2, and sunglasses for the low morning sun on the way north.

Before you go

This is the ride most of our Orange County customers do first. If your bike has been sitting, get a tune-up at Veloaded in Santa Ana before you go, or have us check your fit if your neck or hands hurt on longer coastal rides. Call (714) 760-4908 or book a service.

Quick facts

County: Orange County
Start: Corona del Mar / Newport Beach (Pacific Coast Highway at MacArthur Blvd area)
Distance: About 10 miles one way; about 25 km (15.5 mi) for a Newport Coast to Laguna round trip with about 286 m (940 ft) of climbing
Climbing: About 286 m (940 ft) on the published Newport Coast to Laguna round trip; rolling, no sustained climbs
Surface: Paved highway bike lane
Difficulty: Easy to moderate; traffic is the main challenge

Pair it with

Add the Back Bay Loop before you head south for a 25 to 30 mile morning, or link Corona del Mar to Turtle Rock through Irvine for some climbing. Riders based further south can continue past Laguna toward Dana Point and the San Clemente coast path.

Frequently asked questions

How far is it from Newport Beach to Laguna Beach by bike?

About 10 miles each way along Pacific Coast Highway, depending on where you start in Newport Beach.

Is PCH from Newport to Laguna safe for cycling?

There is a bike lane over most of the route, but it is a busy highway. Ride early, use daytime lights, and use the OC Bicycle Coalition's signed alternates through Laguna Beach and Corona del Mar.

Sources

Distances and climbing are from the published sources listed above and are approximate; roads, closures and conditions change. Check current conditions before you ride.

More Orange County ride guides

All guides: Southern California ride guides. Veloaded Cyclery has one location, at 3420 W MacArthur Blvd Suite B, Santa Ana, CA 92704: service menu, bike fitting.