RIDE LA BIKEThe coast. At your pace.
The rides/The classic beach ride

South from the pier / Santa Monica coast

Santa Monica to Venice

People, palms & the Pacific.

Download GPX

Real places, archival photography. Photographers, dates & licenses

Distance / return included
4.4 mi
Estimated riding
30-45 min
Suggested outing
90-150 min
Ride character
Leisure
Units

The ride

The classic beach ride.

A compact taste of the Los Angeles coast: begin below Santa Monica Pier, follow the beach bikeway south, and pause by Venice Skate Park before retracing your ride. The appeal is the changing waterfront, not a training pace. Make room for a stop and a walk instead of trying to cover the full beach trail.

The GPX begins on the beach-level path at the south side of the pier underpass. Downtown Santa Monica sits above the beach, so getting from a hotel or rental shop to this start is a separate part of your journey. Do not follow a navigation pin onto the pier deck and expect it to be the cycling route.

Original Muscle Beach is an early side stop. It is the gymnastics-oriented Santa Monica site, distinct from the weightlifting area farther south in Venice. Leave the through path before stopping; the GPX stays on the bikeway rather than taking your bicycle into the exercise area.

The mapped turnaround is beside Venice Skate Park. Dismount for a closer look at the waterfront, keep the skate bowls for skaters, and give yourself time for the return. The track does not extend to Washington Boulevard or the on-street connection around Marina del Rey.

Know where you are going

The route, mapped.

Download GPX

Loading the coastal map...

Planned beach route Places to pauseReport a map issue

Terrain at a glance

A near-level coastal corridor

Ground model / meters
010200.0 mi2.2 mi4.4 mi

The dashed line marks the turnaround. USGS NED ground-elevation samples via OpenTopoData, approximately 10 m resolution. This is not a surveyed path profile: underpasses and small ramps may be missed. No climbing-gain claim is made.

Make time for the stops

Along the way.

Distances on the outward leg
  1. 1
    0.0 mifrom the start

    Santa Monica Pier / beach path

    Start on the beach-level bikeway, not the pier deck.

    Place on Google Maps
  2. 2
    0.1 mifrom the start

    Original Muscle Beach

    A side stop near the pier. Park and walk off the bikeway.

    Place pin is about 90 m from the track in a straight line, not a measured walking route. Use signed access.

    Place on Google Maps
  3. 3
    2.2 mifrom the start

    Venice Skate Park

    Watch from outside the skate bowls. Leave the bikeway on foot.

    Place pin is about 40 m from the track in a straight line, not a measured walking route. Use signed access.

    Place on Google Maps
  4. 4.4 mifull out & back

    Back where you began

    Turn beside the skate park; the track does not enter the skate bowls. The downloaded track includes the return to the start.

The useful details

Plan a little. Enjoy a lot.

Start & finish

Beach path at the south mouth of the Santa Monica Pier underpass. Return to the same point.

Bike choice

A comfortable city bike, hybrid or cruiser is a practical choice. Check fit, brakes and tire pressure before leaving the shop.

Best rhythm

An earlier departure leaves more of the day for stops. Crowds and wind vary; neither a quiet path nor a tailwind is guaranteed.

Rental allowance

A two-hour booking can leave little margin if you stop often. Add collection, the ride from the shop, and the return deadline to your plan.

Water, facilities & a place to pause

Carry your own water. Treat shops and beach facilities as optional stops, not guaranteed open services. Ask the rental shop about its lock and helmet policy before setting out.

Compare nearby bike rentals

Take the route with you

Your coast. Your pace.

Santa Monica to Venice / 4.4 mi / out & back

GPX 1.1 with 619 track points and named places.
Planned geometry, without fabricated ride times or elevation readings.

Download GPX

A few things worth knowing

Before you set off.

Is the GPX a recorded ride?

No. It is a planned track assembled from connected OpenStreetMap cycleway segments. It contains the outward and return legs, plus named points of interest. We have not field-ridden it or checked same-day closures.

What is included in the distance?

The measured map geometry from the selected start to the turnaround and back. Rental-shop approaches, walks to buildings and optional detours are excluded. GPS devices may calculate a slightly different distance.

Can I use an e-bike?

Check the exact bicycle class, posted signs and the rules for each jurisdiction. These guides are written for ordinary pedal bicycles. Do not assume that every vehicle sold as an e-bike is permitted; the current Santa Monica police guidance is linked below.

Can I ride the whole Marvin Braude trail with this file?

No. These files cover only the described Santa Monica and Venice sections. They do not include the inland connection around Marina del Rey or the rest of the South Bay.

What should I bring?

Water, sun protection, a helmet, a lock, a charged phone and the downloaded track. Check brakes and tire pressure. Allow extra time for collecting and returning a rental.

Another way to spend the day

More of the coast.