Biking the Bayshore Bikeway: San Diego Bay's 24-mile loop, with a ferry ride
The Bayshore Bikeway circles San Diego Bay in about 24 miles, much of it car-free. Take the ferry from downtown to Coronado with your bike (bikes ride free), roll down the Silver Strand, and loop back.
- Full loop
- ~24 miles
- Car-free
- ~13 miles
- Bikes on ferry
- Free
- Coronado Bridge
- No bikes
Around San Diego Bay
Mostly the Silver Strand stretch
Space permitting
Use the ferry instead
The short version
- The Bayshore Bikeway loops roughly 24 miles around San Diego Bay, with about 13 miles on dedicated paths away from cars.
- Start downtown and take the ferry to Coronado; bikes ride free when there's space, and e-bikes are allowed.
- Bikes aren't allowed on the Coronado Bridge, so the ferry is the way across.
- The Silver Strand stretch runs between the ocean and the bay to Imperial Beach.
- Families can ride one way to Imperial Beach and turn back instead of doing the full loop.
Few cities let you ride a full loop around their harbor, take a boat for one leg, and spend miles on a flat path with the ocean on one side and the bay on the other. The Bayshore Bikeway does all of that, and it's flat enough for most casual riders.
Start
Route
Pins are approximate and show key points, not the full route. Sources: San Diego Tourism Authority, Flagship Cruises and OpenStreetMap, checked October 6, 2026.
See these on the full San Diego mapThe classic route
- 01
Ferry from downtown
Roll onto the ferry at Broadway Pier. Bikes ride free when there's room; arrive about 10 minutes early.
- 02
Coronado to the Strand
From the Ferry Landing, ride south through Coronado past Naval Amphibious Base Coronado to the start of the Silver Strand path.
- 03
Silver Strand to Imperial Beach
The longest car-free stretch, with the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge (about 3,900 acres of marsh and salt ponds) on your left.
- 04
Back up the east side
Loop through Chula Vista and National City on a mix of paths and bike lanes back to downtown.
- Shorter option: ride the Strand to Imperial Beach and back to the ferry, or take the ferry home.
- Rentals: shops near the ferry landings rent bikes and e-bikes.
- Wind: afternoon sea breezes can make the northbound leg harder; start in the morning.
- Driving instead? See whether there's a toll on the Coronado Bridge.
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- PrimaryThe Bayshore Bikeway
San Diego Tourism Authority · Checked October 6, 2026
Loop length, car-free miles, route
Flagship Cruises & Events · Checked October 6, 2026
Bikes on the ferry, bridge rule