BARTable bike ride: SoMa to Mission

Last Updated On Nov. 06, 2018

Are you interested in touring some of San Francisco’s landmarks by bicycle but weary about the idea because of the City’s steep hills? We have the solution – a flat ride from South of Market (SoMa) to the Mission District. This is a great ride for all skill types and has some must-see stops along the way.

Want to take a ride in the East Bay? Check out our ride around Lake Merritt.

Don’t have a bike? No problem! Ford GoBike has thousands of bikes stationed across San Francisco and the East Bay available for rental.

Grab your helmet, smartphone and Clipper card and come with us!

The route

Ride time: 1 hour (not including stops)

Distance: Approximately 4 miles
Terrain: Mostly flat pavement and paved trails

*Depending on your membership type, this ride could incur overage fees. Bike Share for All members get unlimited 60-minute rides. Annual Members get unlimited 45-minute rides. Short-term riders get unlimited 30-minute rides.

Begin your adventure by taking BART to the Montgomery St Station. Once you get off the train, follow the signs for the Market & 2nd St. exit. Go up the stairs and the GoBike station will be behind you at 581 Market St. Tip: Make sure that the station has enough bikes for you and your crew before you go by checking the GoBike app. And don’t forget to bring a helmet; your GoBike doesn’t come with one.

GoBike has a helpful tool that tells you how many bikes are located at each station in real-time.

Select a bike, adjust the seat to the right height and you’re ready to ride.

In addition to our map guide, the dock stations include kiosks with large maps, so you can talk over your route with your group.

Before you ride, get your sugar or coffee buzz at an outdoor café in the area. Try Juice Shop at Trinity Pl. and Sutter St. for juice and Café X at Bush and Sansome Sts. for a chiefly San Francisco experience of coffee made by a robot.

When you’re sated, head southeast on 2nd St. Two blocks down, turn right on Howard St. A block ahead, there is much to see that's worth spending some time on, so dock your bikes at the station on the southwest corner of Howard and 3rd Sts. Between Mission and Howard Sts. on 3rd St. sits SFMOMA (151 3rd St.), an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art.

SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th-century art.

Across the street is a beautiful large park called Yerba Buena Gardens. Dubbed the cultural heart of San Francisco, the area includes much greenery, serene waterfalls and colorful gardens.

On the northwest side of the park, across Mission St. lies Jessie Square and the Contemporary Jewish Museum (736 Mission St.), which presents dynamic exhibitions and educational programs, exploring contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history and ideas.

After you’ve gotten your culture on, return to the docks at Howard and 3rd Sts. to retrieve your bikes. From here, it’s less than two miles to our lunch destination, Taqueria Los Coyotes (3036 16th St.) in the Mission.

Continue southwest on Howard St. for about a mile until you reach 11th St. Turn left on 11th St. and one block down you’ll turn right on Folsom St. Take Folsom to 16th St. and turn right. In about a quarter mile, you’ll pass Mission St. Once past Mission St., look for the yellow building with the red lettering, “TAQUERIA” at 3036 16th St.

Photo courtesy of Hedo Foodia.

Taquería Los Coyotes is known by locals as having some of the best burritos, tacos and nachos in the City. We recommend the California burrito, which includes steak, fries, cheese, avocado and sour cream.

Put your burritos in your bike baskets and continue west on 16th St. until you reach Dolores St. Make a left on Dolores and on your right you’ll see the oldest standing structure in the City, Misión San Francisco de Asís (3321 16th St.). From here, it’s a short two-block ride to Mission Dolores Park.

Sprawl out on the expansive green lawn of the park and enjoy your lunch.

Once you’re feeling revitalized and ready to roll again, head east on 18th St. and turn left on Valencia St.

Valencia is a busy commercial corridor with lots of shops, bars and restaurants. At 16th St., turn right and head back to Mission St. to find the 16th St Mission BART Station. Here, at the southwestern entrance to the station are two bike docks for your convenience. Return the bikes and continue to explore the neighborhood on foot or ride BART home.

Route map

What to bring

Comfortable riding shoes, helmet, water, sun protection (hat, sunscreen), extra layers or rain gear (just in case). Each GoBike comes with a small front basket for storing essentials. A smartphone is handy for maps and looking up information, or taking photos. And, of course, your BART ticket or Clipper card.

by Eric Londgren Photography

I am a photographer. Have been for a long time. And right now, I am a photographer of kids, primarily doing school pictures. It's something that started organically a few years ago when I had the opportunity to get involved with the elementary school my daughters attended. Now working with schools is my business, and I love it. I can't think of a more lively age group to work with. I'm a big kid at heart and I enjoy their energy.

by Ed McGreevy

Ed McGreevy is a marketing representative for BART. He is a passionate promoter of public transportation and believes that the world looks better through the window of a train car. When not BARTing, you can find Ed on his bicycle climbing the steep streets of San Francisco.