The U.S. west coast is acknowledged as one of the most relaxed and picturesque motorcycle rides in the world. From the sunny beaches of southern California, to the lush Oregon Redwood Forests, it is a diverse coastal landscape framed in daily romantic sunsets. We put a little twist on the classic coastal tour route so riders can sample some of the beauty that lies inland, including, visiting the acclaimed Napa Valley wine region and the explosive mountain scenery of Crater and Mt Rainier National Parks.

Days: 12
Ride days: 9
Approx. distance: 1,800mi/ 2,800km
Daily average: 200mi/ 311km
Riding difficulty: Easy
Start – Finish: Los Angeles - Seattle

(click on any of the days below for more detail)

NOTE: indicated ride times and distances do NOT account for time spent sightseeing, poor weather or traffic conditions.

We love LA! Greeted at airport and transferred to the hotel. In the afternoon we will finalize paperwork and familiarize ourselves with the motorcycles. Welcome dinner.

The fun begins as we head up the glistening coastline along Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway). Follow the famed highway passed Malibu and Point Dume to Santa Barbara- the 'American Riviera'. With its rich history, Spanish architecture, array of restaurants, Main Street shopping area, cultural activities and natural beauty, this coastal town is a welcome weekend retreat for Los Angeleans. Enjoy your time here with a walk along the beach or in to the hills, visiting art galleries or the historic Mission, an afternoon kayak or sit back with a pinot gris and soak up some sun.

Note: the Santa Barbara Channel is home to over 30 species of whales and dolphins, and the summer months are the best times to see Blue Whales and Humpback Whales.

Delightful drive up the CA coastline. About 150mi from Santa Barbara (just passed Cambria) is the imposing Hearst Castle (a CA State Historical Monument). Built by William Randolph Hearst, an American newspaper magnate, whose life was fictionally immortalized in Orsen Welles' 'Citizen Kane'. There are 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways to explore. The afternoon ride will take us through the towering redwoods of Big Sur and alongside the CA Sea Otter Refuge… those are not large rocks on the beach! We stay overnight at the romantic coastal town of Carmel.

Wake to the morning sunrise beauty of this small coastal town. It is a short ride day, so you can take your time to enjoy breakfast, swim in the ocean, or give yourself time to explore Carmel's famed artist colony. For the golfing enthusiast, how about a morning round at Pebble Beach? After lunch we head to 'only in San Francisco'!

No Californian motorcycle trip would be complete without a ride across the Golden Gate Bridge! There is so much to see and do in SF (and while you may not experience all that the city has to offer in one day), some top attractions for you to visit include- the tiled steps of 16th Street, The Castro, Pier 39 Fisherman's Warf, Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge and park, Chinatown, Baker Beach, Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, SF Museum of Modern Art, California Academy of Sciences and a ride on a cable car!

World-class wineries, amongst the rolling hills of the Napa Valley, are only a short ride away- allowing us plenty of time to explore, sip and eat! We will spend the night in Napa, so for those of us who want to indulge, we can swap our bikes for a seat in the support vehicle and enjoy some grape 'nectar.' There is also an opportunity to relax in hot tubs at one of Calistoga's spas. There is no shortage of world-class restaurants either- essentially Napa is a wine and foodies paradise. Options- cycling winery tour, ballooning, hot tubs and spa (Calistoga), shopping in Sonoma, visit to the Culinary Institute of America.

Having enjoyed the grapes of Napa, we head back to the wind swept coast. Today's treat will be the afternoon 33mi/53km serpentine ride through the 'Avenue of the Giants' or sequoia sempervirens - the 350ft/ 106m tall redwoods. The Humlboldt Redwoods State Park is also known as 'the Lost Coast' as the Kings Range ensures that the 101 Hwy must head inland. With redwoods taller than the Statue of Liberty, the old growth forests are a step back in time.

Enjoy a morning walk through the 'giants' at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The following the Redwood Highway, we leave the coast and cross in to the lush State of Oregon. We ride up to the 'explosive beauty' of Crater Lake National Park- one of the Oregon Cascade's most dramatic features. Enjoy the evening sunset and reflections over the crater's deep blue lake.

We ride around the massive crater's rim, departing via the north entrance. Now on the drier east side of the Cascades, we ride back over them through the beautiful Willamette National Forest, along the McKenzie River Valley- famed for its fruit and nut orchards, and some great trout fishing. The area is also Oregon's wine country, and a blissful ride following the meandering river. We pass through Oregon's second largest city (Eugene), on route to the coastal dunes near Florence, before ending our day at the laid-back coastal town of Newport.

The desolate Oregon coast is dotted with small declining fishing villages, but the exquisite and diverse coastal scenery provides opportunities to see elephant seals, harbor seals, puffins and herons while continuing to ride under cedar, spruce and Douglas fir make for a lovely coastal ride. Once we reach the mouth of the Columbia River, we follow it inland towards our destination- Portland.

Although Seattle is only 175mi/282km from Portland up the 5 Fwy, we ride around the imposing, and ominously explosive Mount St Helens, and the remote Mount Rainier National Park. These volcanic peaks form part of the Cascade Mountains- separating the wet forested sea-facing regions from the scorched prairies of the east (which we will experience in our ride through Zion and Bryce National Parks). Mt. St Helens is more recently know for its 1980 devastating explosion, while the glacier clad Mt. Rainier is revered for its hiking and ski/snowboarding in the winter. * Option- ride the 99 (also known as 'Windy Ridge) up to the mouth of St Helens then the 7 Hwy to the 5 Fwy into Seattle.

Seattle is scenically positioned on Puget Sound and it is definitely worth catching a local ferry to see Seattle and its surrounds from the water. The city's good fortune also provides it with a thriving cultural and gastronomic scene. Of course no visit to Seattle is complete without a stroll down to Pike Place Market- for a Starbuck's (although Peets is a favorite!).

Assistance with transfers to the airport.

This concludes the 12 day 'Ultimate West Coast Tour'. Please consult us for additional nights or activities in Seattle and beyond.

Harley Davidson motorcycle (BMW and Ducati bikes additional rental fees). HD bike model subject to availability at time of booking.

Daily fuel fill and maintenance check.

Support/passenger vehicle with bike trailer to carry luggage and transport non-riders.

Mechanic and basic motorcycle spare parts.

Unlimited mileage

Bike and personal accident insurance (if using own bike, must provide evidence of insurance).

Mostly 5-4 star accommodation.

All breakfasts. Every day we select a location for lunch & dinner but people have the freedom to ride/stop & explore too.

Welcome & farewell dinners.

Professional tour guide.

U.S.A. National Park Annual Pass.

Airport transfer

Deposit of US$2,000 on a major credit card.

Fuel on route (however, every night we fill your tank, check oil).

Lunch, dinner and all beverages.

Medical travel insurance (compulsory requirement for tour participation. We offer insurance for US residents).

Fees in to tourist attractions (however, includes National Park entry fees)

GPS navigation device and mounts rental $17.50/day

US cell phone and sim card rental $70 per tour

All the tours have rest days, not only to rest, but to give you the opportunity to explore an area and enjoy some other activities. Examples include-

Lunch at the American Culinary Institute- Napa
Ballooning- Napa
River rafting