Our Sunburst Railbike Adventure: A Journey Through the Backtracks of Beautiful Ventura County

There is something special about going to a place that the public doesn’t usually go. It’s a moment to see the world from another perspective…a paradigm shift. A chance to visually digest things you normally don’t. 

When traveling by car, the experience you get of the world is from the comfort of a cabin and the view of a window. You’re limited on what you can see and what you experience. Thanks to the Sunburst Railbikes located just down the road in Santa Paula, you can have a chance to experience the fruit groves of Ventura County from a whole different perspective, an absolutely delightful paradigm shift that you will never forget. 

Opened just this year, the Sunburst Railbikes, offers a guided tour through the citrus and avocado groves of Ventura County on a 3 hour, 17-mile biking adventure that the whole family can enjoy. You will take your tour onboard specialized two-seat railbikes that you do not need to be athletically inclined to use, as they are pedal-powered and electric-assisted. Even our non-athletic 9-year old had no problems keeping up with the group on the ride. 

We kicked off our ride at the Santa Paula Train Depot, located just off Highway 126, in downtown Santa Paula. We put on our bike helmets, (you can also use the ones they provide), applied sunscreen and got fitted for our railbikes adjusting the seats so we could comfortably pedal. After that we snapped on our seatbelts, got a brief instruction on how the bikes work, and we were off. 

At first we were so impressed with how the bikes function, and how fun it was to pedal and how they move along so smoothly on the tracks. Then it was enjoyable watching how our guide blew a train horn and triggered all the bars and lights at railroad crossings so that we could safely cross the streets in downtown Santa Paula. Once we got the hang of riding (that took all of two minutes) we started waving at people in cars and on the sidewalks. We got lots of smiling faces, waving arms and honking cars on our way. That made it all the more fun for the kids, maybe for me too. 

Nothing could prepare us for how beautiful it would be along the back side of Highway 126 once we started biking amid the fruit trees. So many things for the senses to take in, the sounds of the bees buzzing around the beehives, rusted and well used farm tools, large rows of huge avocado trees and oranges hanging from the citrus trees, the cool breeze all around you, the mountains in the distance. It truly was so enjoyable. Once we reached a grove of trees a distance down the track, we had an opportunity to jump out of the bikes to stretch our legs and enjoy a caramel popcorn snack they provided us, while they turned around the railbikes for the return back to the station. 

Each season they offer different experiences along the journey. A visit to the pumpkin patch, a picnic lunch, A stop at Prancers Farm to pet animals and shop local produce. When our family visited last weekend, we got to stop at the pumpkin patch to enjoy tractor rides, a corn maze, the animal zoo, and so much more. We stopped by the produce stand to grab some freshly picked green beans and strawberries, and even packed them on the railbike to take back to the car. 

If you are seeking an experience that is a little different, something that can show you what you have seen a hundred times from a different perspective, we absolutely recommend giving the Sunburst Railbikes a try. It’s an experience our family won’t forget. 

They are open Thursday- Sunday this Fall Season. Cheaper rates are given on Thursday. You can try and find a discount coupon like we did by doing a quick search on google before you book. 

The Sunburst Railbikes

200 North 10th Street

Santa Paula, CA 93060

https://www.sunbursttrain.com/