Originally Posted by calamarichris

The way up to Lake Casitas doesn't have anything crazy steep, but a ladyfriend with a hybrid might find it pretty taxing. You can either ride up the coast to Isla Vista on the excellent bike path that leads between Santa Barbara and Isla Vista, which is the little college community adjacent to UCSB. There used to be a great bar there called The Study Hall--wonder if it's still there. Or you can take the frontage road through Montecito & Carpenteria, running East along the coast. It's a pretty pleasant ride to Ventura, which has some excellent restaurants.

Shorline Drive through Hope Ranch is a beautiful route, plenty of idyllic places for picnics or making out. Here's the spot where I got my first kiss:




If you want to grab some excellent (but not cheap) wine, cheese & snacks for a roadside picnic, the Lazy Acres Market has some terrific stuff and is worth a look. And just down the hill (East) from there is an excellent, excellent park overlooking the ocean and Santa Barbara Harbor.

And you can always take the 101 West out to Gaviota Point. There are a few campgrounds along the way, including Refugio. The 101 is a major highway, but the shoulder is wide and the last time I was on it, quite smooth.