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Surrey Rental
updated: Jan 01, 2011, 8:45 AM
by the dedicated staff
If you're down at Santa Barbara's waterfront during your trip here, you'll probably see people cruising around in bright red and blue surrey bikes. Locals aren't usually big users of these colorful contraptions, but tourists seem to find them to be tons of fun.
Surreys seat two to eight people, with a little shelf where you can stash tiny children in front, sort of like a grocery cart. There are several locations along the waterfront in summertime, but just one open year-round. Get hourly rates from the websites listed below.
If your kids are older or a cool recumbent bike is more your thing (see photo), those are also available.
Where to ride:
Santa Barbara's waterfront bike path is the perfect place to cruise in a surrey. The path stretches from the harbor to East Beach, and has a small extension that goes past the Zoo and along the Andre Clark Bird Refuge. You can do the whole path in about an hour, depending on how fast you pedal. Surreys are not allowed on the city streets or up big hills. In fact, there's an infamous Edhat police report about some college students who tried to take one all the way to Isla Vista and didn't do so well.
Another popular place to cruise in a surrey is the Danish village of Solvang, in the Santa Ynez Valley. Here, surreys are allowed in the streets and you can cover the whole town without walking a single step.
Tips and Tricks:
When you're on the bike path, stay in your lane. Pay attention to other cyclists, joggers and walkers around you. Exercise the same passing and notification courtesies you would if you were in your car or on a hiking trail.
Be careful. Surreys can tip over and if they take corners too fast they can be dangerous. Exercise caution and wear the rental-shop provided helmets.
Where to rent:
Wheel Fun Rentals. 23 E. Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, 93101; 633 E. Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, 93101. website, (805) 966-2282.
Activities Santa Barbara Booking Company. website , (805) 452-9595; (805) 969-5217.
Wheel Fun Rentals. 475 First Street #6, Solvang, CA, 93463. website (805) 688-0091.
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