shona

Is there a bike path along the Pacific Coast Highway starting in San Diego heading north?

calamarichris

Not really.
This is generally the route you'd want to take, (clicky).
It becomes a lot more pleasant after you get past La Jolla. Or better yet, take your bike on the train from downtown Union Station to the Sorrento Valley stop, and then proceed North to PCH from there.
After La Jolla, it becomes a very pleasant ride, (but Southbound is more pleasant IMO, because you're on the oceanside of PCH.)

shona

I see that it isn't specifically a bike path but a road that accommodates cyclists. We are not looking to go from one end to the other. We would like to pick a placed to stay and ride the road from that point for a few days. Where would be the ideal town in which to stay? Also, what time of year would be most likely to assure no rain? Thanks!

calamarichris

To ensure the least likelihood of rain, you'll want to schedule your ride sometime between January and December.
Everyone's partial to where they live, and being in Carlsbad, I'm no exception. I'd get a hotel somewhere in coastal North San Diego County, because there are great roads going in all directions except West.

Pamestique 

CA has lovely weather (yesterday it was sunny and 81) and San Diego's is probably the best. Never a guarantee no rain but it is less likely than other places... it depends what you want to do with the rest of your trip where you stay... have any idea what else you would like to do? If I stayed anywhere it would probably be La Jolla near the University but that's expensive. There are nice hotels downtown San Diego with lots to do nearby. You could ride over to Coronado Island - probably my favorite route is from Carlsbad (another nice place to stay) down to Del Mar and around. No bike trails and traffic can be heavy but there are generally good bike lanes to use... I also like riding out in the Temecula/Escondido area. This is inland from the Coast out near the Wild Animal Park and Julian. There's the Temecula Wineries you can tour and roads out there are wide and quiet... this area is great in the winter - summer time way too hot. San Diego proper is moderate year round but temperatures can get hot in the summer

MattCycle

Second "Union Station to the Sorrento Valley stop, and then proceed North to PCH from there" or take coaster to Oceanside and travel back down. It's all pretty bike friendly, minus a few hundred feet of construction on a bridge just north of Torrey Pines. You can detour around it if you like.