The Bob Jones Trail: 2.5 miles of easy, car-free riding — starting across the street from our shop
The Bob Jones Trail (you'll also hear it called the City to the Sea Trail) is about two and a half miles of smooth, paved path that follows San Luis Obispo Creek from Ontario Road down to the edge of Avila Beach — closer to three miles by the time you roll through town to the pier. It's mostly flat, with only gentle grade changes. Sycamores overhead, the creek alongside you for much of the ride, zero cars on the path, and at the end of it: the beach, the pier, and someone selling you an ice cream cone.
And here's the part we never get tired of saying: the beach end of the trail is directly across the street from our shop.
If you've been looking for a ride that a 7-year-old and a grandparent can both finish with a smile, this is the one.
The trail is literally across the street from us
No bike racks, no straps, no hauling. Our shop is at 472 Front Street in downtown Avila Beach, and the trail's beach end at Avila Beach Drive and 1st Street is right across the street — walk out our door and you're on it in under a minute. Grab an e-bike from us, pedal up the creek to the Ontario Road end, turn around, and coast back to the beach. Every rental comes with a helmet, lock, phone holder, basket, and a marked ride map.
Trail facts, for the planners among us
- Length: about 2.5 miles of paved path each way — roughly 3 if you continue to the pier, so a 5-6 mile round trip
- Surface: paved the whole way, stroller-friendly
- Hills: mostly flat with gentle grades — this is the easy ride around here
- Cars: zero on the trail itself
- Parking: the Park & Ride lot on Ontario Road (off Highway 101) at the inland end — or park once in Avila Beach and start at our shop, with the trail right across the street
What you'll ride past
San Luis Obispo Creek keeps you company for much of the ride, with shady sycamore groves, little bridges, interpretive signs about the local wildlife, and a stretch along the Avila Beach Golf Resort. Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort is accessible from the trail — if a post-ride mineral soak sounds good, reserve one of their hillside tubs ahead of time. The trail also passes behind the fields of the Avila Valley Barn (farm stand, ice cream, pie, farm animals) — ask us at the shop for current bike-access directions and we'll mark your map.
Rent your Bob Jones Trail bikes here — across the street from the trail
Our electric bikes go 20-40 miles on a charge and the trail round trip is 5-6 miles, so you'll have plenty of battery left to cruise the promenade afterward. We've got classic, step-thru, and cruiser e-bikes ($30/hr), kids' e-bikes, electric scooters ($25/hr), and Yuba cargo e-bikes rated for a 440-lb total load — rider included — for hauling kids or beach gear ($40/hr). We'll match everyone in your group with a bike that fits them and the trail, and go over the posted riding rules before you roll. Open daily 10-5.
Quick answers (the stuff people ask us daily)
How long is the Bob Jones Trail? About 2.5 miles each way — closer to 3 if you ride on to the pier. Most folks do the round trip in an hour or two with stops.
Is it kid-friendly? Yes — it's paved and car-free, which makes it a favorite with families. It is a busy shared path (walkers, joggers, dogs, strollers), so keep the kids close and pass people slowly.
Where do I park? The Park & Ride lot on Ontario Road at the inland end — or park in Avila Beach and start at our shop on Front Street, where the trail is right across the street.
Can I ride an e-bike on it? Yes — e-bikes are a common sight on the trail. We'll set you up on one that suits the trail and walk you through the rules before you head out.
Where does it start and end? Ontario Road (near the Avila Hot Springs / KOA area) on one end, Avila Beach Drive at 1st Street on the other — directly across the street from our shop. The good end. The end with the beach and the tacos.