Event Description

“You guys should put on a mountain bike race.”

That simple statement from a Monterey bike shop owner in 1990 was the genesis for the Life Time Sea Otter Classic.

Co-founders Frank Yohannan and Lou Rudolph hosted the inaugural Laguna Seca Challenge on April 6 & 7, 1991. There was a total of 350 athletes and 150 spectators. Today the event hosts over 9,600 athletes and 72,500 fans. In 1993 the event was renamed the Sea Otter Classic. In 2021, the event became a part of Life Time Events and is now universally regarded as the world’s premier cycling festival.

Known as a sprawling and energetic “celebration of cycling”, Sea Otter is cycling’s North American destination. Professional and amateur athletes alike make the annual pilgrimage to Sea Otter to participate the sport’s most competitive and enduring events. Hundreds of pro cyclists, including national, world, and Olympic champions, attend Sea Otter to race and meet with fans.

Most of cycling’s racing, and recreational disciplines are represented including gravel races/tours, mountain bike cross country, downhill, dual slalom, and short track racing. Road cyclists compete in circuit, criterium, and road racing. Also offered are a number of non-competitive recreational events for riders of all ages.

The Life Time Sea Otter Classic also hosts the world’s largest consumer bike exposition in North America. The Expo holds hundreds of vendors who display new products, distribute free samples, and offer great bargains. The four-day, action-packed festival includes an international food court, entertainment, bike demos, stunt shows, and activities for children.

The Life Time Sea Otter Classic is located in Monterey County, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Event details and schedule

Festival Pass Options

Festival Pass prices are as follows:

• Children age 12 and under, free all week.
• Registered athletes (both competitive racers and recreational riders), free all week.
  
• All others, age 13 and up: On-line pricing is $$20 for a One-Day Festival Pass and $70 for a Four-Day Festival Pass (On-line purchase only).
  

Festival Passes will not be mailed prior to the event.
Festival Passes can be picked up at Will Call or at festival entrances.

On-site Festival Pass sales will start April 7th, 2022 at 8am and are located at the Expo entrance gates and inside the Athlete Registration building.

Veterans recovering from service-related injuries, retired veterans, active duty personnel, and their families are eligible for complimentary or discounted festival passes. Click here for more information.

Directions By Car

All traffic entering Laguna Seca between Wednesday, April 6 at 11:30am and Sunday April 10, at 6pm will be directed to enter Laguna Seca via the South Boundary entrance (the CA-218/Canyon del Rey route). Signs will be posted on the highway. All directions provided below are for this route.

Motor vehicle drivers: California’s Three Feet for Safety law, CA VC 21760, went into effect in September 2014. When driving on South Boundary Road or other California public roads, give three feet to people who bike.

From San Francisco/San Jose

1. Take US-101 South to Prunedale.
2. Merge off US-101 onto CA-156 West toward Monterey Peninsula.
3. CA-156 West becomes CA-1 South at Castroville. Continue on CA-1 South to Seaside.
4. Exit off CA-1 at CA-218 East/Canyon del Rey Blvd toward Seaside/Del Rey Oaks (turn left at bottom of ramp).
5. Continue on CA-218 East/Canyon del Rey Blvd past Del Monte Ave and Fremont Ave to General Jim Moore Blvd.
6. Turn left at General Jim Moore Blvd.
7. Turn right at South Boundary Rd.
8. Turn right, to Sea Otter Classic (Laguna Seca Recreation Area).

From Sacramento

1. Take I-5 South.
2. Merge onto CA-152 West toward Hollister.
3. Turn left at CA-156 West.
4. Merge onto US-101 South and continue to Prunedale.
5. Merge off US-101 onto CA-156 West toward Monterey Peninsula.
6. CA-156 West becomes CA-1 South at Castroville. Continue on CA-1 South to Seaside.
7. Exit off CA-1 at CA-218 East/Canyon del Rey Blvd toward Seaside/Del Rey Oaks (turn left at bottom of ramp).
8. Continue on CA-218 East/Canyon del Rey Blvd past Del Monte Ave and Fremont Ave to General Jim Moore Blvd.
9. Turn left at General Jim Moore Blvd.
10. Turn right at South Boundary Rd.
11. Turn right, to Sea Otter Classic (Laguna Seca Recreation Area).

From Fresno

1. Take CA-99 North.
2. Merge onto CA-152/33 West.
3. Turn left at CA-156 West.
4. Merge onto US-101 South and continue to Prunedale.
5. Merge off US-101 onto CA-156 West toward Monterey Peninsula.
6. CA-156 West becomes CA-1 South at Castroville. Continue on CA-1 South to Seaside.
7. Exit off CA-1 at CA-218 East/Canyon del Rey Blvd toward Seaside/Del Rey Oaks (turn left at bottom of ramp).
8. Continue on CA-218 East/Canyon del Rey Blvd past Del Monte Ave and Fremont Ave to General Jim Moore Blvd.
9. Turn left at General Jim Moore Blvd.
10. Turn right at South Boundary Rd.
11. Turn right, to Sea Otter Classic (Laguna Seca Recreation Area).

From Bakersfield

1. Take CA-99 North.
2. Merge onto CA-46 West/Paso Robles Hwy.
3. Turn right to merge onto US-101 North.
4. Take the Monterey Peninsula exit and turn right at South Sanborn Rd, which becomes East Blanco Rd.
5. Turn left at CA-68 West/Monterey-Salinas Hwy.
6. Turn right at CA-218 West/Canyon del Rey Blvd.
7. Turn right at General Jim Moore Blvd.
8. Turn right at South Boundary Rd.
9. Turn right, to Sea Otter Classic (Laguna Seca Recreation Area).

From Los Angeles/San Diego

1. Take I-5 North.
2. Take the CA-46 West/Lost Hills/Paso Robles exit and turn left.
3. Turn right to merge onto US-101 North.
4. Take the Monterey Peninsula exit and turn right at South Sanborn Rd, which becomes East Blanco Rd.
5. Turn left at CA-68 West/Monterey-Salinas Hwy.
6. Turn right at CA-218 West/Canyon del Rey Blvd.
7. Turn right at General Jim Moore Blvd.
8. Turn right at South Boundary Rd.
9. Turn right, to Sea Otter Classic (Laguna Seca Recreation Area).

NEED A RENTAL BIKE? New this year, Unlimited Biking is the official bike rental partner of the Life Time Sea Otter Classic presented by Continental. Select from a range of bikes offered for rental (helmets included). Rental packages include event/race specific rentals, day rentals, and weekend rentals. Check out the Unlimited Biking website for more information. 

https://www.unlimitedbiking.com/events/sea-otter-classic/