When you arrive at either the Fisherman’s Wharf or Union Square location to pick up your bike, a staff member will provide you with a safety orientation so that you feel comfortable with your new ride. Here, you can also familiarize yourself with some of the city’s numerous cycling routes. You’ll have a range of bicycles to choose from, including a comfort hybrid or mountain bike, tandem or electric, and kids’ bicycles are also available. A helmet, bike lock, bike bell and rear rack (along with a bungee cord for securing backpacks) are all provided, as well as a city map complete with layouts of San Francisco cycling routes. Once you’re all geared up, it’s time to start exploring!
If you’re leaving from Fisherman’s Wharf, you can follow a mostly flat route that meanders along San Francisco Bay into Fort Mason, continuing through the Marina and into the Presidio, where you’ll reach historic Fort Point. From here, it’s an upward (though well worth it) climb to the Golden Gate Bridge, which offers fantastic views of the San Francisco skyline, as well as Alcatraz and Angel Island. Once across the bridge, enjoy a downhill roll into Sausalito, a lovely seaside town. You can also continue on into Tiburon or Mill Valley, home to some of California’s iconic redwood trees. For your return trip, choose between the Golden Gate Bridge or a scenic ferry ride from either Sausalito or Tiburon.
For a similar route from Union Square, ride east along the Embarcadero, past the triangle Transamerica Pyramid and Coit Tower, a 210-foot-tall monument rising from atop Telegraph Hill. From here, you can hook up with the Fisherman’s Wharf path that leads to the Golden Gate Bridge. Another Union Square option is venturing west along Market Street to ‘The Wiggle,’ one of the city’s most popular bike routes since it bypasses numerous hills for a flat ride into Golden Gate Park. At the corner of Scott and Fell streets, consider taking a one-block detour north to Alamo Square. The eastern side of this well-known park is home to the Victorian ‘Painted Ladies,’ beyond which is one of the city’s prettiest views of the SF skyline. Snap a pic, then continue onto into Golden Gate Park, past the Conservatory of Flowers and the park’s resident buffalo, eventually making your way to the Pacific Ocean.
The bike is yours for a full 24 hours, so feel free to continue exploring on your own. There’s plenty to see, from San Francisco’s vibrant North Beach neighborhood to the Mission District, where a burrito stop is definitely in order. Return your bike to the same location where you picked it up.
