Riding the Rails With Kids

Sunburst Railbikes in Ventura is a totally unique and exciting outdoor activity for the whole family. And I do mean the entire family—my teens were shocked by how much fun they had, and the electric nature of the bikes means even little ones can feel like they’re in charge. Nestled in the picturesque coastal city of Ventura, just a short day trip from Los Angeles, Sunburst Railbikes offers a thrilling and memorable experience.

Read on for details on the only railbikes in SoCal, including practical tips and recommendations for an unforgettable family adventure.

I mentioned that my teens were, and I quote, “surprised by how exciting it was.” Which, for teens, is like a rave. For more things to do in Los Angeles that teens will enjoy, check out our Guide to Teen Activities in LA. And when you’ve finished railbiking, get fish tacos, savor ice cream, and check out more things to do in Ventura in our guide by a local mom.

 

Sit back and pedal through scenic Ventura County. Photo courtesy of Sunburst Railbikes

First, What are Railbikes?

Railbikes are a fantastic way to explore the beautiful countryside while pedaling along old railroad tracks. They consist of comfortable two-person bikes that run on the tracks, offering a leisurely, but exciting, adventure. Sunburst Railbikes in Ventura has taken this concept and transformed it into a must-try activity that combines physical exercise (if you choose), stunning scenery, and family fun.

Set on the rails that used to host the Fillmore-Western Railway (RIP, our beloved Christmas and zombie trains!), these bikes are electric or person powered. It’s up to you. You can turn them up so they’re fully electric while you sit back and enjoy the ride, or you can make them human-powered and work up a sweat. Everyone travels together though, so you can’t go too fast or too slow.

RELATED: Best LA Bike Rides, Trails, and Paths for Biking with Kids

 

Choose your ride-your-rails adventure: go electric or human-powered.  

What Age Kids Can Railbike?

The bikes can accommodate babies you can wear on your front, or kids 8 and up. Younger kids will get bored and tired. Kids 16 and up can drive a railbike, younger kids must be accompanied by an adult.

As I said, my blase teens were pretty entranced by the ride, which made it heaven for us. My daughter said that the bike experience itself gives you an adrenaline rush, and it feels like going down a hill fast, yet you are flat.

Getting Ready for Your Trip

Start by booking your railbike adventure online; weekend spots fill up fast. In the summer, railbike rides occur three times a day, with tours leaving at 9am, 1pm, and 5pm. The 5pm tour is a little shorter and called the sunset tour because it needs to be back when the sun sets as there are no lights along the trail.

Everyone in my family agreed that the 9am tour is the only one we’d want to do unless it was a very cool day. We did the 9am tour on an overcast day, and it was perfect.

Helmets are provided for both adults and children, but if you have your own, you can bring them. My daughter, who has memories of horrible lice-combing episodes, was very happy to have her own helmet!

Also, don’t forget that you’ll be biking, so comfortable clothes are key, along with making sure you’ve got close-toed shoes (not sandals). Hats and sunscreen are also a must.

RELATED: Ventura with Kids: Great Things To Do in Ventura County

 

Take in 17 miles of orange groves and wildflowers. Photo courtesy of Sunburst Railbikes

Riding the Rails

Your Sunburst Railbikes adventure begins in the charming little town of Santa Paula at the Train Station. The very helpful staff signs you in, provides you with helmets (if needed), shows you how to operate the rail bikes, and goes over how the trip will run. The whole intro takes less than ten minutes.

The bikes are very easy to operate. They have an electric motor, which can be adjusted depending on the level of assistance you need, and a hand brake. That’s it. Even the oldest member of our group (my husband!) could ride them with minimal discomfort and complaining. The ride covers a round trip of 17 miles, providing ample time to soak in the beauty of Ventura County.

The caravan of bikes (about ten in all) set out at 9:10 am. You pedal on train tracks through some very scenic farmland, orange groves, and fields of wildflowers. The mix of old and new California is enticing.

RELATED: Best Farms near Los Angeles for Family Fun: Discover the Cream of the Crop

Enjoy a petting zoo pit stop from the pedaling. 

Prancers Farm Pitstop

The first destination is Prancers Farm, a ten-minute ride from the station. It’s a lovely farm complete with a petting zoo, real and metal animals, a port-a-potty (there’s none at the station), and a little market/gift shop. The twenty-five-minute stop here gives you plenty of time for a bathroom break, meeting and taking pictures of the animals, and getting a snack (fruit, trail mix, or beef jerky).

The animals were the biggest hit with our family: you can meet and take pictures with a ram, alpaca, giant pigs, loads of goats, a giant tortoise, and donkeys.

From there, the longest leg of the journey begins— a forty-minute ride through more farmland to the nearby town of Fillmore. It was foggy on the day of our trip, which actually made it wonderful. We all zoned out, looking at nature and pedaling along.

End of the Line at Fillmore

The stop at Fillmore doesn’t offer much. While it’s in a beautiful orange grove, you’re not allowed to walk around the grove as it’s private land. It’s simply a place to stop and stretch your legs, use the restroom (this port-a-potty was much nicer and cleaner than the one at Prancers), sit at the one or two metal picnic tables, and eat the snack you were wise enough to bring and/or buy at Prancers. It’s also a twenty-ish minute stop and gives the crew time to turn the bikes around, which is a pretty cool process that fascinated my engineer-minded son.

You then return on the same tracks you came on, but you don’t stop at the farm on the way back. The whole trip from start to finish, including stops, takes about three hours. 

RELATED: Best Things To Do in Santa Barbara with Kids

Immerse yourself in agriculture history after riding through cultivated crops.  

History of Agriculture Museum

Upon returning to the train station, you may notice the History of Agriculture Museum next to it. It’s housed in a cute little red building and has some interesting exhibits depicting the history of farming in the region going back to the Chumash. The museum is free, but donations are accepted. They have real bathrooms (which were closed when we arrived at 8:45, so make sure you don’t need to go as soon as you get here!). The museum also has a small gift shop where we got some honey collected right along the rails. The museum is open 11am-5pm, Thursday through Sunday. 

Price for Sunburst Railbikes

Ok, the big question is the price. It’s not cheap; renting a bike is $249 for two people. Which, in family day trip speak, is a little more than a day at Universal, a little less than a day at Disneyland. Is it worth it? Well, we had a fabulous time as a family, never waited in lines, didn’t deal with crowds, spent no time on screens, didn’t spend a fortune on food or souvenirs, and got exercise and fresh air. For me, it’s better than Disneyland! While my kids had a fabulous time, I’m not sure they’d go that far…

Getting There and Parking

It’s about an hour and 20-minute drive from the heart of Los Angeles, without traffic. Perfect for a day trip. We did the 9am ride on a Sunday, whizzing along with no traffic. We headed for Ventura for lunch, wandered around the harbor, and made it home before end-of-day traffic got too bad.

Parking is plentiful and free at the station.

More Things To Do in Ventura with Kids

Ventura County has so much more to offer beyond railbiking. After your exhilarating railbike adventure, take some time to explore Ventura. Here are a few of my favorite things to do with kids in Ventura:

• Duck boats at Ventura Harbor — Choose your vessel: duck, swan, or dragon.
• Coastal Cone — Order ice cream shaped like a unicorn, monster, or in the mouth of a fish (Taiyaki).
• Ventura Botanical Gardens — There are 107 acres of gardens with rare and stunning flora and fauna to soak in at this botanical garden with an ocean view.
• Mission San Buenaventura — This mission, built in 1782, is open daily for tours.
• Top This — Customize your own bar of chocolate.
• Golf n’ Stuff — This family-fun center has all the classic mini-golf castles, bumper boats, and arcade games.

All photos are by the author unless otherwise indicated.