Santa Ynez Valley Bike & Wine Tour: E-bike or Sport Bike

Pedal through vineyards and taste what grows there

This Santa Ynez Valley biking and wine tasting activity takes you through wine country on your choice of an electric-assist Rad Power e-bike or a Poseidon sport bike, with a professional guide who brings over 20 years of sommelier experience. You'll ride past lavender fields and through Ballard Canyon, stop in Solvang for a rest, and finish with two wine tastings, an olive oil tasting, and a locally sourced gourmet picnic lunch. The ride lasts about five hours and requires at least moderate fitness. Different distance options let you choose your pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Biking and wine tasting in Santa Ynez Valley

• Begin ride smelling lavender
• Learn about lavender oil and olive trees
• Rest and snack in Solvang
• Bike through Ballard Canyon AVA
• Enjoy wine tasting
• Olive oil tasting and picnic lunch

The experience

The day starts at a lavender property where you learn about oil production and the property's Old Spanish Days olive trees before you clip in. You choose between the Rad Power e-bike (which handles the hills for you), or the Poseidon sport bike if you want to push harder on the climbs. Both get you through the same route: past quaint farms, through Ballard Canyon AVA, and into the quieter corners of the Valley that a car misses.

Solvang breaks the ride in half with a rest stop and a snack. From there you head into the wine country proper, riding to the featured wineries where your guide (someone with sommelier-level knowledge of the region) walks you through two tastings that represent what local producers do best. The olive oil tasting and gourmet picnic lunch follow, both sourced locally and paired with the wines you've just tasted. The whole experience is built around the idea that you taste better when you've earned it on a bike.

What’s included

• Your guide brings over 20 years of sommelier experience.
• two wine tastings at featured local wineries.
• an olive oil tasting.
• a gourmet picnic lunch sourced locally.
• your choice of a Rad Power e-bike with electric assist or a Poseidon sport bike.
• and a souvenir water bottle to take home.

Options for this experience

2 options

Electric Assist Bike and TasteGuide in English · 09:00Fun Rad Power e-bikes, the top pick for riders who want an easier ride than our route's challenging exercise.

Pickup from Santa Barbara to door is included.Guide in English · 09:00

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to14h before

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Under 14: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by I Bike Santa Barbara

Is this one for you?Choose the e-bike if you want to focus on the wine and the scenery without burning out on the climbs. Pick the sport bike if you're looking for a harder physical challenge mixed with the tasting experience. The five-hour pace gives you time to ride, rest, and linger over the wines without rushing through either one.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the difference between the e-bike and the sport bike on this ride?

The Rad Power e-bike has electric assist to help you up the hills, while the Poseidon is a gravel and road sport bike that gives you a harder workout. Both cover the same route through Ballard Canyon and the Valley. You pick based on how much you want to pedal.

How fit do I need to be for this Santa Ynez Valley bike tour?

You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The tour offers different distance options, so you can choose a route that matches your ability. The e-bike option also makes the hills more manageable if you're not training for a race.

What exactly do I taste on this tour?

You get two wine tastings at featured local wineries, plus an olive oil tasting. Your guide selects them to represent what the region's venerable producers are known for, and they're paired with the gourmet picnic lunch you eat during the ride.

Is the gourmet picnic lunch included, or do I bring my own food?

The locally sourced gourmet picnic lunch is included and served after the olive oil tasting. It's designed to pair with the wines you've tasted earlier in the day.

Does this tour include hotel pickup from Santa Barbara?

One of the purchase options includes door-to-door pickup from Santa Barbara. If you choose that option, the driver will collect you and bring you back after the ride ends.