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    John G.

    You want something fun and unique to do.... Look no further. Been wanting to do this for a while. The day was absolutely perfect. Visibility was great and definitely not hot. All that was needed was a sweatshirt and a beanie and we were good to go. The rail bikes are electrically assisted so with little effort it will get you down the track at 7 miles an hour. The team that led this was amazing and the fact that the son engineered and built the rail cars and the mom and dad run the operation is a truly amazing story. Come out enjoy the ride and the views and support this family run operation.

    Ride
    Travis P.

    What a unique and fun experience! Sad to see that they might not be operating anymore. They were supposed to have closed back at the end of November but they were operating for the Holidays/New year so I took my chance to experience this. The owners were there to take us on a 6 mile out and back trip and also take pictures for us on the bikes. The bikes carts are electric powered so it's pretty easy to move it through the inclined tracks. Anyone could easily go on this regardless of athletic level. The views are beautiful and such a great date activity. Definitely if you are in the Marina and see that they have available tours, try this out and support this family owned business! Parking - They have parking in the dirt. Didn't have any issues finding. Bathrooms - Porta Potty only at the entrance so make sure to use before activity.

    My daughter & I pedaling!!!
    Karen M.

    Who would've thought I would have fun pedaling for an hour?!!! Not me!!! But I had a blast!!! It does have an electric motor, but 2 activate it, u have to pedal. U don't have 2 be crazy pedaling 2 make it go, u just have to do it enough 2 keep the motor going. So I did the "driver seat" for the 1st 1/2 (the one that constantly has to pedal), then I switched w/ my daughter so she had 2 do the pedaling on the way back. My daughter & I went w/ my best buds. It's a tad pricey, but it was worth it!!! They were great w/ explaining how it works. I laughed sooooo much!!! And enjoyed trying something new!!!! It was a great activity 2 do!!!

    Karla M.

    So fun! Definitely an exercise. We made reservations and did the electric car w/ pedals. Was a great time and the service was sweet. I love how passionate and welcoming everyone was. Make sure to arrive 30 minutes early as they do go through safety and how to use the cars! There's also some informational videos that do play while you're waiting and there is some seating area! I would say for parking there is a mini parking lot, however it's more preferable to park on the street instead. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes as well as comfortable clothing as well. It was fairly windy when we went despite the sun being out so planned for the weather as well. Make sure to bring water as it does get a bit tiring! Other than that, I really hope everyone gets a chance to try this out! Halfway point you get a beautiful view! I'd definitely come back again for the experience.

    Jean L.

    I like to dedicate my first review of 2024 to Handcar Tours. My visit took place mid-November and it was just perfect. I made reservations online for the (easy) Electric Assist Railbikes. Showed up early to sign waivers on the day of, and then one of the staff rallied everyone to go over safety rules, as well as its history, before breaking people into pairs. The excellent sunny/not too windy weather made this experience even more memorable. Dress in layers as it may get cold. There was a lot of spacing in between each railbike. Believe it or not, my legs were slightly sore after the exursion. One of my favorite aspects is the ability to take a group break and take many photos. The owner joined us at the group break and answered questions. I got to ask him how his business started and he shared the challenges and joys. So great that his son was more the engineering side of designing the handcar railbikes and he was more on logistics/operations. Easy parking and portable potties available. No restrooms available during the break. Time flew by quickly. I'd love to visit again and try their harder experience. #1/2024

    Noel B.

    My group of 4 went on a random Saturday. We drove from the Bay Area, which during the weekdays estimated 1 hour even to Handcar Tours' location. It took us 1.5 hours- almost late to our reserved time of 1pm. They do have some leeway, so we didn't feel rushed. There is a small parking lot. Since reservations are timed, there was ample parking. There's also a porta potty for those who need to unleash whatever's boiling deep inside. You have to sign a short waiver upon arrival. The staff will brief everyone on safety features, what to expect, how to get the handcars moving, etc. There are several groups loading up and going at the same time. Each group will have to slow down / speed up to keep all cars moving without hitting each other. At 1:30pm, we were loaded up on the "cars" and cleared for launch! I thought Handcar Tours was like a guided walking tour on rails.. but it is not! I was just invited for a good time, so I didn't take the responsible route of reading the brochures before agreeing to go. Each car is a group of 4 people, all pulling with their upper body and pushing the "pedals" with their legs to keep the car moving. The track is a loop that runs along the freeway on one side and with the Pacific Ocean on the other. The first half of the track has some uphill. But I bear good news! Before the "halftime break", all riders are rewarded with an amazing view of the ocean. The entire group gets to take a break in the halfway point. The break area has the best views of the ocean. Everyone gets to stand around, take photos, and ask the staff to help with photos! The second half of the track loops back into the check in point. It's mostly downhill from there! We clocked out at 2:30pm and went our merry way. It was a fun, unique experience. The logistics were smooth. It didn't feel like we had hiccups or uncertainty. The workers were trained and friendly. Thank you Handcar Tours! PS - It's physical activity but hardly a workout. Caveats: The bathroom is just one lone porta potty. It would be nice if the check in area was a tiny little building with bathroom and vending machines, maybe some fun facts about the tracks or the city. They do have this available on their website, but where's the fun in that? Riders are seated facing each other, with 2 people (front seat) facing backwards, and the other 2 (back seat) facing forwards. The staff recommend the stronger people take the front seats. However! Front seaters are not rewarded with good views for their disproportionate efforts in propelling the cars. People in the back seat can enjoy the views without having turning their heads. I don't think this is Handcar's fault, I am just stating my experience. Each group rents an entire car, so you need to fill up your car or each person pays more! Pricey at almost $50 a person for a full car. And it's going up in July 2023! Even with the Early Bird discount, it's rough on the wallet. Not a "guided tour" unlike what the website implies. "These are guided tours with the handcars and rail bikes traveling together as one unit with trained guides leading on a handcar to the front and to the rear of the group". Apparently this just meant the guides herd the group so they know if a car gets derailed, group too fast/slow, and not a "guide" to tell us fun facts about the place. Maybe "tours" in the name "Handcar Tours" was misleading..

    Cece Y.

    Fun... so much fun!!! My family had the time of our lives riding the new rail bikes & pedaling through the 6 mile, historic 1800's railroad tracks. It was overcast when we got there. But the experience was still amazing. Views along the tracks were beautiful, lots of succulent plants, wildflowers, sand dunes, birds and the ocean. The wind breeze was so refreshing. It was a relaxing & stress free ride. Our rail bikes were electric assisted, so it was not difficult to operate at all. They were clean & well maintained. We've met one of the business owner, Todd Clark. He was very kind and informative on how their family business started. He told us the story of how his son, Mason built handcars since the age of 12.. All of their handcars & rail bikes were hand-built in their own machine shop. Very impressive. The other staff employees were also very friendly & helpful. 2 port-a-potties are available to use on the site. Small parking area for customers. The price is reasonable for the memories your family will make. Will I take my family again to go on the electric-assisted rail bike tour... ABSOLUTELY will do it again!!! Highly recommended!

    Handcars lined up before the tour.
    Christine B.

    What a fantastic time! Came here with some friends so we had a full car. 4 people max per car. But we saw some 2 and 3 person groups. All groups seemed to be able to enjoy the experience. This is very much a small family business and they are working hard to make sure everyone has a good time. Good explanation of what the experience will be and how to operate the cars. It's pretty straightforward. It's a bit of a workout on the way up with some slight uphill spots. But the way back is downhill and if you get some speed, you can go pretty fast. It was an overcast, slightly cool day. We did the 1-3pm window. I felt it was perfect weather as the sun was peaking out a bit but still shady to keep it from being too warm. They tell you to dress in layers and it's great advice. We brought some water and snacks. Snacks were probably overkill. But definitely bring something to drink. They also had water bottles for $1 so that was convenient. We brought gloves and 3 of us used them. It was nice to keep your hands from getting a little blister but probably not totally necessary. The views are awesome! You see the ocean, dunes, flowers, etc. We were even lucky enough to see whales at the halfway point. Definitely a fun experience for locals or tourists.

    Nicole P.

    Amazing opportunity to get physically active and enjoy the beautiful ocean views. The staff was welcoming and provided detailed information about how to use the handcars and what to expect on your ride/tour. The weather was perfect for this fun activity!

    Terra S.

    This was such a splendid surprise and a fun thing to do while in Monterey! It's a family business and it all started with a 12-year-old who built hand cars, now they are all handbuilt. It's a really fun experience and don't worry if you don't think you can do it for 6 miles they have electrically powered ones as well, where you can still pedal if you want to go faster, but if not, it will take you along! The top of the Mountain View was the best. I highly recommend going first because I feel like we had more time up there. But I'm sure everyone's timing is the same. I feel like we had about 10 to 15 minutes to take pictures and videos. If you're thinking about doing this, definitely do it sooner than later. Dress appropriately, they do have two porta potties so use the bathroom before and after you get there somewhere if you don't like porta potties, and plenty of parking! They are also very nice and welcoming as well. And you get a fun little intro beforehand too so definitely be on time!

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    Ask the Community - Handcar Tours

    Are you open on Friday's?

    We just went on a Friday! Right now there is a 10% Friday discount. It all depends on the season. Check out their live reservation schedule for which Fridays they run or not.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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