You can ride to Oceanside safely through Pendleton but you'll have to get a DBIDs pass at Pendleton's visitor center which is on the Oceanside side of the base. The center is only open M-F from 7:30/7:45 to 3:30. You have to go in person.


You should also know they sometimes close the base to cyclists for events or military operations. It doesn't happen very frequently, but I haven't yet been able to find the schedule online. Typically I just find out when I ride up to the gate and find out it's closed.

Here's the information:
https://www.pendleton.marines.mil/Base-Access/Recreational-Bicycling/

Riding is fairly good. Look at the bike access on Google Maps and you can see the main route to Oceanside.

If you go through Pendleton you need to comply w/ their new access rules. Otherwise you can ride on the 5 for a bit in that area...

https://www.pendleton.marines.mil/Base-Access/Recreational-Bicycling/

We are Canadians. The website says: "Recreational bicyclists who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are prohibited from entering Camp Pendleton unless escorted in person by a Dept. of Defense affiliate."
I guess we will have to use Hwy #5.
Any other must do rides?

Thanks,
Dan

I'd probably skip the ride to Oceanside then. 1/3rd to half the ride is going to be on the 5 shoulder which is plenty wide, but cars are flying by going well over 80 mph.

Instead, you can look into looping up through East Santiago Canyon Road. If that ride is too long, you can always end it at one of the metrolink stations and catch a train back to San Clemente.

I've also driven Laguna Canyon Road quite a few times and it looks like a nice bike route. I'm not sure what the best way from Dana Point to Laguna is though.

Hopefully someone more familiar with the area will chime in.

Just so you know, depending on which end of SC you are on, just riding to the gate at Las Pulgas(north camp Pendelton) and back is a pretty good ride, 20 to 30 miles through a campground without much traffic at all. Stay off of Ortega Hwy, you can drive out it to Cleveland national forest for some great rides, just look at the map to see what I'm taking about.

And if you do want to do a day south, the fwy is not that bad, just 7 miles getting pulled along by big rigs doing 70mph. Its a big shoulder, so you can ride way right, but carry lots of spare stuff, kind of chunky over there.

Other than that camp ground/bike path route, most the good riding is a drive away, unless you like traffic and lights getting out to the good stuff..

You could just head north up the Pacific Coast Highway and go as far as you need. Lots of stops... lights... but if you're not looking for a hard ride and just thinking get some miles in....

You can ride to Las Pulgas road and then turn around and ride back to Dana Point and then back to wherever you are staying. I personally think the ride is boring. It's totally flat. The view is good but not much variation in terrain.

As part of the ride I would suggest you climb Avenida Acapulco and Avenida Salvador to mix it up a bit. They are not big climbs but at least offer some variation. Plus, the views from the top are pretty good.

Ideally, you bring/rent a gravel bike. This opens up all the coastal mountains from San Clemente to Irvine and beyond. Most of my riding is now in these hills and they offer much more excitement, safety and suffering.

Enjoy the "Spanish Village by the sea."

Do not ride on the 5. It is a seriously dangerous proposition.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

Do no ride on hwy 5!
Not sure what type of riding you are interested in or types of bikes.

You can also ride the commuter train (Surfliner) from San Clemente station to Oceanside. From Oceanside you can ride down Hwy 1 into Torrey Pines and La Jolla.

There is this place next to the train station with some places to ride.
https://urbanbicycleoutfitters.com/where-to-ride/

While one can take the Surfliner (Amtrak) the commuter train is actually the Metrolink Orange County line. http://www.metrolinktrains.com
Metrolink is a bit cheaper and goes as far as Oceanside. In Oceanside one can get on the Coaster (San Diego County's coastal train service - it goes to SD but makes more stops than Surfliner) Surfliner goes all the way to downtown San Diego. Amtrak requires reservations for bringing a bike. The others do not and have more bike capacity.
Many from OC often do their own version of an Amtrak Century (or less) and ride down to SD somewhere and take the train back. I've done a few, stopping for lunch at one of the fine breweries and then taking the train home.

Ditto do not ride on the 5! There are so many great rides that don't include going south. If South is a must, take the train to Lucadia and do the 80 mile Swamis ride, that is a great ride, honestly the coast ride to San Diego has way to many light to deal with.. enjoy your trip!!