With an elevation of a mighty 33 feet, a city-wide speed limit of 25 miles per hour, and “Slow Down In Town” as the city’s motto, you know Alameda is the place to enjoy a safe and flat bike ride with your kids.
We ride our bikes everywhere, and can often be seen cruising with our kids down the painted bike lanes on Central Avenue and Grand Avenue in Alameda, riding our beloved cargo bike. Once our preschooler learned how to ride a bike (read about how she learned how to ride a pedal bike in one day here), we started to explore bike rides around town that would be safe for a new bike rider.
If you’re coming to Alameda and looking for a lovely way to spend the day, look no further than a scenic bike ride along the Alameda shoreline—every bike route here starts or ends with amazing Bay views.
Our Top 3 Kid-Friendly Bike Routes in Alameda
Bike along Shoreline Avenue
4-mile loop
Shoreline Avenue lines the south edge of Alameda island and has recently been updated with a protected bike lane.
Start your bike ride off at the Southshore Shopping Center and ride west along the protected bike lane towards Crown Memorial State Beach. Enjoy the beach-lined ride the entire way as you go west with views of the San Francisco skyline in front of you.Â
When you reach the end of the protected bike lane, stop to play at Washington Park, grab lunch on Webster Street, or find a picnic table and play at the beach at Crown Memorial and head back!Â
This bike route is best done in the morning or early afternoon. Although the late afternoon and evening offer amazing sunset views, the wind can sometime pick up and make biking challenging for some tiny tots.
Pro tip: The west-bound bike lane is lined by parked cars. Beach goers have to cross the bike lane to access their cars. Keep an eye out for pedestrians who may not be looking out for you or your kids.Â
Bike on Bay Farm Island
5-mile loop
Go for a bike ride with your family on Bay Farm Island along the car-free Bay Trail to Shoreline Park.Â
To be clear, Alameda and Bay Farm both have trails along the water. One is on a road called Shoreline Drive and one takes you to Shoreline Park. Let’s check out the route to Shoreline Park here.
To get to Shoreline Park on Bay Farm, start at Towata Park on the main Alameda island and cross the blue pedestrian bridge from there to Bay Farm. The bridge is just east of the car bridge.Â
Follow the trail along the island’s edge with stunning San Francisco skyline views all the way to Shoreline Park on Adelphian Way. The trail is bumpy, with overgrown roots lifting up parts of the concrete, making it difficult for scooters to ride on some sections of the path. It can also be busy with other bikers and runners depending on the time of day. Â
Once you reach Adelphian Way, cross the street to follow a winding, tree-lined trail along the estuary until you return to the bridge and make your way back home.Â
If you have time, stop by the mini-parks along the way or grab a drink or mochi donut at Coffee and Tea Traders.Â
Bike to Alameda Point
5-mile loop
The Cross-Alameda trail is a new bike-friendly route to connect Main Street to Constitution Street in Alameda. With the recent completion of the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park, you can now ride from the kid-playground to the grown-up playground (aka Spirit Alley in Alameda) on bike!
Start at the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park and bike west along the protected bike lane through the park towards Webster Street.Â
You will cross some big intersections at Constitution and Webster Streets, but don’t worry; the bike lanes are clearly marked and protected. Just keep an eye on your kiddos when you approach the lights. Continue west until you reach the old Navy base and Spirit Alley.Â
The bike route ends at Alameda Point Waterfront Park, a fun open space for bike riding and picnicking. Let your kids ride around in the wide-open spaces of the park or take a break and have a picnic and enjoy the views of the San Francisco skyline.Â
If you have time or energy, continue the bike ride to enjoy a brew along Spirit Alley, just a short 5-minute bike ride from the park, at the kid-friendly Almanac Beer Co. or Admiral Maltings.
I’ve found that biking is one of the best ways to experience the city of Alameda with your kids; the views are epic, the ride is flat, the bike lanes are easy to navigate and safe, and there are a ton of parks and food spots to explore along the way. It is a great way to spend a day with your family in the outdoors.
I often see other families of color walking with their kiddos while they are scooting or balance bikes. I see parents running with strollers, or biking with their kids too. You may see me cruising with a smile on my cargo bike too! If you do, be sure to stop me and say hi.
The city has spent a lot of money and time developing bike lanes along Grand Avenue, Central Avenue, Santa Clara Ave, and Shoreline Avenue, making biking safer and more accessible to families across the island. At the time of this writing, they were working to continue the Cross Alameda Trail from Sherman Avenue all the way across the island. I can’t wait to rewrite this post to include that route!
Do you have a favorite bike route in Alameda? Share it in the comments below!
Puerto Rican & Indigenous mama of two. Bay Area native. Salsa dancer. Backpacker. Doula. Angel (she/her/hers) is a co-founding member of the Beautiful Brown Adventures team. She has traveled to over 30 countries and loves to explore the world with her two daughters & partner - one ice cream shop at a time.
