Bike, Beers, Shore Thing!

Bike then Beer at Redwood Shores on the Peninsula South Bay

Woman taking a photo on a bike path

The coastal community of Redwood Shores may be known for its tech campuses, but this 8.5-mile bike loop explores the natural side of this beautiful peninsula. With a brew pub bonus!

(Some sections of the Bay Trail are unpaved, so a mountain or gravel bike is recommended.)

From the Oracle Parkway parking lot, head north on the Bay Trail. After passing through native flower gardens, cyclists can stop at the trailside viewing station that overlooks the Belmont Slough. Take a look in the tower viewers and see if you can spot the herons and egrets that call this waterway home.

Continue along the Bay Trail as it dips south to the Redwood Shores Branch Library. This section of trail is lined with public exercise stations, perfect for those who want to add an upper body workout or a good stretch to their ride.

The trail continues north, following the curve of the slough. After passing through Preserve Park, turn right to head toward the western tip of the peninsula. Here, the Belmont Slough and Bay Slough combine to create a perfect wetland for our Bay Area water birds. Turn left onto the viewing platform to overlook Bird Island. Avocets, stilts, and California clapper rails can often be spotted on the shore.

Return to the trail and turn left on the bridge to reach Radio Road. Follow the road until it passes Shore Dogs Park, then continue straight onto the Bay Trail. Turn right to follow the Bay Trail south, alongside Steinberger Slough. This gravel path features photo-worthy views of the bright blue water and Bair Island to the east. Colorful flower gardens and home orchards line the opposite side of the trail.

When the trail dead-ends at the Marriott hotel, turn right to merge onto Twin Dolphin Drive. Follow this to Marine Parkway, then cross the street to get an up-close view of the Oracle Team USA boat moored on the Oracle campus. Head south on Marine Parkway, and after the intersection with Oracle Parkway, turn right to hop back onto the Bay Trail and return to the parking lot.

The mid-peninsula is a hotspot for craft breweries, so before heading home, be sure to grab a refreshing pint! After a summertime bike ride, Heather recommends the fruity sour beers at Fieldwork Brewing Company in San Mateo.

Person overlooking the beer tasting options at Fieldwork Brewing

The Oracle Parkway parking lot is located at 501 Island Place in Redwood City. Map.

Story and photos by Heather Werner, heath.er.wer.ner

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

    View
  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

    View
  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

    View
  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

    View
  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

    View