Coast to Coast & Biketoberfest

Day 1: Arrival in Orlando We will meet at the hotel in Orlando in the evening and have a briefing about the tour, traffic rules, and driving patterns, etc. For those who are interested in food, we can organize a dinner in the evening. It will be an early evening after a long flight.

Day 2: Orlando to Daytona – Approximately 120 km We depart early to Eagle Riders, where our Harley motorcycles are polished and waiting for us to start the Coast to Coast adventure. After completing contracts and a bike review, we begin our journey towards Daytona and Biketober Fest. We take the back roads out of the city before hitting Route 44 through Seminole State Forest. We arrive in Daytona Beach around 3:00 PM and, of course, cruise down Main Street where Biketober Fest takes place. We find our hotel and get ready for two days of biker celebration. We explore Biketober Fest in the evening.

Day 3: “Free Day” This day is free for you to do as you please. For those who want to ride more, we can organize a trip to Bruce Ross Meyer Harley, claiming to be the world’s largest HD dealership. We check out the scene there. Then we head to Iron Horse Saloon, where we meet many other bikers. In the evening, we enjoy a nice dinner and further explore Biketober Fest.

Day 4: Daytona to Perry – Approximately 350 km After “partying” at Biketober Fest for two days, we begin the actual Coast to Coast tour. We ride through Ocala National Forest and continue towards Dunnellon and Highway 19. We also make a stop at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing, where we learn about the history of drag racing. We reach our hotel in Perry and reward ourselves with a refreshing dip in the pool and a cold beer.

Day 5: Perry to Destin – Approximately 377 km We start early and drive towards the Gulf of Mexico, exploring the beautiful beaches and small villages along the coast. We make a stop at Edward Ball Wakulla Springs, so don’t forget your swimsuit. We pass through Levy Bay, Little Bay, and East Bay before reaching Destin, known for its many seafood restaurants. We will also spend the night here.

Day 6: Destin to New Orleans – Approximately 440 km We continue along the coastal road to Pensacola, then cross into the state of Alabama and reach the city of Mobile. We will briefly take the highway before crossing into Mississippi, heading back towards the coast and Shepard State Park. We follow the coastal road until we cross into our third state of the day, Louisiana. From there, it’s a straight road into New Orleans and our hotel in the French Quarter. We will spend 2 nights here and explore Bourbon Street with its vibrant nightlife.

Day 7: Free day in New Orleans This is a do-it-yourself day. The guide can provide suggestions. New Orleans has a lot to offer, such as a cruise on the Mississippi River aboard a paddlewheel steamer, and more.

Day 8: New Orleans to Abbeville – Approximately 260 km After an early breakfast, we hop back on our bikes and ride towards the Louisiana swamp. We make a stop in Des Allemands, where we take an “Airboat” tour into the swamps to see alligators and abundant wildlife. Then we take the backroads through Gibson, Morgan City, and Ibena before reaching Avery Island, home to the Tabasco Factory. The McIlhenny family has been making hot sauce here since 1868. We take a guided tour of the factory. From there, it’s a straight road to our hotel in Abbeville, where we can enjoy a cold beer and relax by the pool.

Day 9: Abbeville to Galveston – Approximately 360 km Today, we’ll experience a mix of countryside, swamps, and coastal roads. We ride Highway 82, known as “The Creole Nature Trail,” passing through Pelican Bay, Grand Chenier, and Cameron. Watch out for alligators on the road! In Cameron, we take our first boat ride of the day across Calcasieu Lake, where we might spot dolphins. We cross the border from Louisiana into Texas near Sabine Lake, where we’ll have lunch. We then head inland to Winnie before returning to the coast along the Intracoastal Waterway, leading us to Port Bolivar, where we’ll take a ferry to Galveston (Please note that if it’s a weekend, there might be a long wait, and we may need to drive around). Our hotel in Galveston is right by the sea, and in the evening, we can explore the area, enjoy some food and drinks, and those who wish can even take a swim in the Gulf of Mexico.

Day 10: Galveston to San Antonio – Approximately 430 km We continue along the coastal road, following the Gulf of Mexico until we reach Freeport. Then we turn inland for the rest of the day, heading towards San Antonio. Now that we’re in Texas, there will be plenty of farmland, fields, and farms along the way. We pass through Cedar Land, Bay City, Edna, Cuero, and Smiley before arriving in San Antonio. San Antonio is well-known for its beautiful River Walk, lined with many restaurants and bars. We’ll also visit “The Alamo,” the historic site where the Battle of the Alamo was fought in 1836 against the Mexicans, with Davy Crockett leading the charge. We’ll explore both of these iconic locations, of course.

Day 11: San Antonio to Del Rio – Approximately 410 km Today, we’ll embark on scenic and winding motorcycle roads. We head to the Texas Hill Country Trail, where we’ll ride the three roads known as “The Three Sisters” or “Twisted Sisters.” We make several stops in places like Medina, Vanderpool, and Leakey, where we’ll have lunch at a biker bar called Bent Rim Grill. Here, we’ll surely meet other motorcyclists on a trip like ours. We continue twisting our way to Camp Wood and Rocksprings before reaching Del Rio for the night. This city is located near the Mexico border, so you can practically walk to Mexico. We’ll relax by the pool with a cold beer and have dinner in the evening, reflecting on a fantastic day on the bike. It’s a dream day filled with beautiful motorcycle roads.

Day 12: Del Rio to Alpine – Approximately 327 km Make sure to bring your passport today, as we’ll be riding along the Mexico border all day, and we may be stopped and checked by the Border Patrol once or twice. We ride Highway 90 through the Texas prairie. We make a stop at Lake Amistad, just outside Del Rio. In Comstock, we visit the Pecos River Bridge, Texas’ highest bridge, and enjoy a scenic viewpoint for some photos. We continue to Langtry, where the infamous Judge Roy Bean wreaked havoc in the late 1800s. We visit his saloon and museum. More prairie landscapes pass by as we head towards Sanderson for lunch. Our final stop is the historic Gage Hotel in Marathon. Finally, we reach Alpine, find our hotel, and relax before enjoying a delicious dinner in the evening.

Day 13: Alpine to El Paso – Approximately 371 km We start with beautiful motorcycle roads to Fort Davis and Fort Davis State Park. We make a stop at the Mc Donald Observatory (which has nothing to do with McDonald’s hamburgers) and ride up to the top for a fantastic view. We continue on more scenic roads towards Interstate 10. Once we reach Interstate 10, we’ll be getting on and off the side roads and the interstate, as there’s no other way to get to El Paso. We enjoy a lunch in Van Horn, where we also set our clocks back one hour, gaining an extra hour today. At Tomillo, we’re back on the country roads, passing through sleepy small towns where, if we didn’t know any better, we could believe we were in Mexico because there are many Spanish signs. We arrive relatively early at the hotel, so we relax until we go to Texas Roadhouse in the evening for a proper steak dinner.

Day 14: El Paso to Tombstone – Approximately 450 km Back on the country roads along the Mexico border, so have your passports ready. Don’t be surprised if we see one or three officers from the Border Patrol on ATVs, patrolling for anyone attempting to cross the border illegally. We make a stop in Columbus for a coffee. Today, we’ll be driving through some long stretches of plains, but it’s fascinating nonetheless. In Hachita, we realize that we’re really far off the beaten path. We pass through Animas and Rodeo before reaching Douglas, where we’ll have lunch. We then head towards Bisbee, and here, the fantastic motorcycle roads through the Bisbee Mountains begin again, which is a welcome change after the plains we encountered earlier in the day. Finally, we arrive at the famous cowboy town of Tombstone, known for Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and its many gunfights. Tombstone looks almost exactly as it did 130 years ago. We explore the town and, of course, have dinner at one of the saloons in the evening, as this is where we’ll be staying for the night.

Day 15: Tombstone to Tucson – Approximately 260 km Another beautiful day on the road awaits us because today we’re heading up to Mount Lemmon at an altitude of 2,700 meters. First, we ride to the small town of Sonita, where we have a coffee break. Then, we head to Vail, where we refuel our motorcycles/cars and put on some extra layers since the temperature can drop significantly as we start the scenic motorcycle roads, enjoying the views and beautiful nature on our way up to Mount Lemmon. The construction of Mount Lemmon Highway began in 1933 but wasn’t completed until 1950. It’s an enjoyable 85 km round trip that will leave a lasting impression. We stop at the top and have lunch at Sawmill Restaurant. On our way up and down, we make several stops at the various viewpoints along the road. We arrive in the afternoon at the hotel in Tucson, where we grab a beer and let all the impressions of the day sink in.

Day 16: Tucson to Yuma – Approximately 410 km We start the day by riding through Saguaro National Park and Gates Pass on beautiful motorcycle roads. There are plenty of saguaro cacti growing here, so have your camera ready. We make several stops along the way. We ride through the towns of Marana, Red Rock, Eloy, and Maricopa before reaching Gila Bend for lunch. We continue on Old US Highway 80 as much as possible towards Yuma, where we’ll be staying overnight.

Day 17: Yuma to San Diego – Approximately 285 km We cross the border into California and ride through the desert in Imperial County. Our first stop is Calexico, right on the Mexico border. We take Highway 98 towards Old Highway 80 to Desert View Tower, where we climb up the tower and enjoy the view. Continuing on Old Highway 80, which was the first highway in the USA to have a paved surface from coast to coast. In Jacumba, we have lunch, and then the wonderful motorcycle road starts again, almost all the way to San Diego. We enjoy the ride through small villages and stop for coffee at Barret Junction Cafe. Then it’s a straight road into San Diego, where we’ll stay for 2 days.

Day 18: San Diego – Rest day Today, we simply relax and enjoy ourselves. We’ll arrange a trip to downtown San Diego, where we can visit the Top Gun Bar at Kansas City Barbeque. We can also take a look at the Maritime Museum of San Diego and the USS Midway. For those who want to, you can spend the day at Sea World. And, of course, we must visit Old Town with its many shops and restaurants.

Day 19: San Diego to Los Angeles – Approximately 210 km The final day of motorcycle riding has arrived, and we conclude with a ride on the famous “Highway 1” Pacific Coast Highway. There are many coastal towns along the way, and we pass through most of them, such as Oceanside, Dana Point, and Laguna Beach, where we’ll have lunch. We continue to Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and Hermosa Beach. We make several stops along the way. Finally, we return the Harley and celebrate that we have crossed the entire USA. Not many people can boast about that accomplishment.

Day 20: Santa Monica and Venice Beach We head down to Santa Monica and Venice Beach and enjoy the whole day with food, drinks, and maybe a swim in the Pacific Ocean. In the evening, we have a farewell dinner and thank ourselves for a great trip.

Day 21: Return journey Welcome on board for the trip!