This had been on our bucket list for years, and for Father's Day I finally surprised my husband, son, and his girlfriend with a trip. It was absolutely worth the 1 hour and 45 minute drive from our town! Parking: Free, plentiful, and conveniently close to the train station. Check-In & Service: We arrived early, and the check-in process was quick and easy. The staff were friendly and welcoming. After choosing our carts and loading our belongings, we had time to use the restroom before the ride began. It's easy to drive and if you don't feel like pedaling, the motor will do it for you -- no steering is required! Pro Tips Bring a Small Pillow This was a game-changer! We brought small pillows and placed them behind our backs, which significantly reduced vibration and made the ride much more comfortable. Thank you to the reviewer who suggested this--we had zero complaints. Bug Spray & Sun Protection Bring bug spray or insect repellent. The bugs weren't too bad during our visit, but it's nice to have. An umbrella can also provide extra shade if desired. Bring Water There is a cup holder on each cart, so staying hydrated is easy. Secure Loose Items Be careful when placing items in the cup holder. There's a small opening on one side, and smaller items can slip through. My bug spray fell out during the ride. Fortunately, there's also a basket available for purses and other belongings. Hair & Helmets If you have long hair, wear it down or in a very low ponytail so it fits comfortably under the helmet. Shoes Closed-toe shoes are highly recommended. Since you may be pedaling at times, it's possible to lose a loose-fitting sandal or flip-flop. Sunglasses Definitely bring sunglasses to protect your eyes from dust, wind, and the occasional bug. Restrooms & Snacks There is an opportunity along the route to purchase snacks and use the restroom (outhouse). Overall We had a fun time. One of our favorite parts was taking in the scenery, spotting native plants, and simply enjoying being outside. This was a unique experience and a memorable Father's Day outing that we'd happily do again read more

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This was a unique fun diversion. A small group of us rented these rail bikes and went a few miles down a track with views of orchards and farmland. They're fairly easy to pedal since they're electric. A highlight was stopping at a farm stand and farm animal petting area, where we got to buy fresh produce. I'd do this on a mild weather day and make sure to book in advance. read more

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My wife and I wanted to do something different and fun for our wedding anniversary, and booking a ride with Sunburst Railbikes turned out to be one of the best decisions we've made. We chose the 1 PM time slot, which is a 2-hour scheduled ride that includes two stops--one in Fillmore and another at Prancer's Farm on the way back. The ride was full with 16 guests, and the guides did a great job leading from both the front and back, making sure everyone felt comfortable and safe. Check-in was quick and easy, and they even provided complimentary popcorn and water, which was a nice touch before getting started. The ride itself was an absolute blast and definitely a solid workout--very similar to cycling, covering just under 10 miles round trip. The carts are super easy to use, with clear instructions from the guides. Each cart comes equipped with a front storage rack, cup holders, a hand brake (which you'll appreciate on the downhill!), an odometer, and a switch to toggle between manual and automatic. The assist mode really comes in handy on the uphill stretch heading toward Fillmore, while the ride back is a smooth and enjoyable downhill cruise. The weather couldn't have been better, and the scenery was incredible. Along the way, we took in beautiful views of avocado and lemon groves, cactus fields, and plenty of wildlife--squirrels, lizards, and even bees hard at work pollinating. It made the whole experience feel peaceful and immersive. On the way back, we stopped for about 20-30 minutes at Prancer's Farm, where we got to see a variety of animals including goats, pigs, bulls, and sheep. There's also a petting zoo option if you purchase tickets. The farm had a fun seasonal setup for Easter, along with a shop where you can buy fresh fruit, beef jerky, and other local goods. Overall, this was one of the most fun and unique experiences we've had. If you enjoy the outdoors, want a bit of adventure, and don't mind getting in a great workout, I highly recommend giving Sunburst Railbikes a try. Hopefully my photos--and this review--help you decide to book your own ride! read more

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I had a nice experience riding the Sunburst. Staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful. They gave general instructions of use but I perfected the pedaling and driving (option via a little throttle lever) in the first few minutes. Riding over a moving rattlesnake in between the tracks was a startling surprise! I lived to tell the tale there! The first stop at the end of the route before turning the railbikes back was ok, but I feel there could be some kinda stalls or local art on display during the 15 minute break. Surely some vendors could set up something? The next stop going back was at Prancers Farm which was ok for some local produce. Having said that, a fruit smoothie or ice cream made locally would be a nice touch? I went to go look at the animals but didn't wanna pay $7 each person to do so. After this 30 min stop we went back to the depot. I experienced this adventure in early spring on a day which was maybe high 70s. I'm not so sure I would enjoy this in Summer. read more

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Amazing tour The staff was very friendly and helpful. Thank you for providing us with a enjoyable adventure. read more

This was a fun experience, however if we wouldn't have won a certificate I'm not sure we would have paid the steep price of $250 to try it out. Our ride was from 10-12, so we arrived a little early. By the time everyone arrived, they showed us the safety items and how to control the bike I think we left closer to 10:20/10:25. My husband and I realized about half way into the ride that since I was the "driver" I was actually the one who controlled the speed. He literally didn't have to pedal at all if he didn't want to. I thought it was going to be more of a leg workout, but it was easy and we cruised most of the time. There was a section where we passed the bee harvests and so there were A LOT of bees flying through the air that we passed. It freaked me out a little bit because my husband is allergic and we weren't made aware of this. Everything was fine, but would have been nice to have a heads up. On the way back we stopped at Prancers Farm. It's cute and they had a great variety of snacks and fresh fruit and vegetables. If you paid extra for the picnic lunch this is where you were able to sit down and eat it. We opted out. All in all, it was a cute experience, something I'm glad we got to try, but unfortunately not likely to return. read more

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Had an awesome time. Staff were helpful and friendly and the scenery was superb. Wife wants to make arrangements to go again soon. Well organized and really something different. read more

Such an amazing fun amazing experience with the family or on a date. Great views of the mountains and or the farm trees. They have quite a few rail cars so it is a group experience. You go for around 45 minutes and then they stop to turn the cars around. At the turn around you can have a snack and use the restroom. On the way back you stop at prancers ranch which has lots of animals and fruits and veggies you can buy. They give you a helmet and a seat belt. The seats are also adjustable to height. It is an assisted bike, so it is beyond easy for you to peddle or you can use your muscles and peddle without the assist. They have a small basket on the front so you can put a sweater or something in it. The only scary thing are the other people riding. Very similarly to a car you have to brake and pay attention. A few people in our group were struggling quite a bit and caused a few collisions due to not knowing how to use the brake handle and then just randomly stopping the railcar. But I will give them grace as that happens sometimes. Highly recommend for a fun weekend! I definitely plan on coming back :) Overall 5/5 experience! read more

The Sunburst - Bike tours Near Me - Santa Paula, California

My husband discovered this little gem near where we live and we could not wait to go. It not only met our expectations but exceeded them. What a fun way to spend the afternoon riding the rails near Santa Paula. We loved the ride, the scenery and despite some naysayers here, even the stop at the farm. We timed it perfectly too, choosing the last ride of the day which gave us a great sunset on the way back. Staff was helpful and informative. Definitely a repeat. read more

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Great ride! Good exercise! Explores the historic aspects of Santa Paula (starts and ends at the famouse Train Depot) and great views of the farming community and ranches along the track route. Nice stop at Prancer's Farm to pet farm animals, country store with local goodies, view the land, and scenic spot to snack and rest. read more

The Sunburst - Line up of railcars after the turnaround - Bike tours Near Me - Santa Paula, California

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It was soooooo much fun. My husband and I felt like little kids when the train guard rails went down I was making train sounds!!! So much fun!! Definitely a worthwhile experience. Staff was so cool and those sandwiches were fire delicious surprisingly tasty too. read more

DON'T BOTHER or WASTE YOUR TIME with this place! We just got into town after driving 2 1/2 hours to get here and we get a phone call stating our ride has been cancelled. The audacity to notify us 45 min before our start time is insane. Honestly his blasé idgaf attitude was the worst part. I would not feel as bad if he showed ANY remorse, regret or empathy towards a paying customer that wasted 2 1/2 hours sitting in traffic, plus gas, not to mention a days wage from taking the day off. You would think that due to the cancellation being a result of their incompetence that they'd have an ounce of humility. Instead when I let him know I'll be sure to write a review his exact response was: "yeah.... I don't care." EXTREMELY unprofessional & Not a good way to conduct business. Glad you made me aware you don't care about your customers. Won't ever waste my time and money here again. A word of advice....LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE AND DON'T BOTHER. Save your time and money!!!! read more

I surprised my husband for his birthday and we had a blast! Such a pleasant experience through the lovely Santa Paula area. The sites and sounds were neat to experience most of the area and stopping off at Pracer's Farm was a nice break along the way. I'd say my only recommendation for the staff would to ensure we start off on time. We ended up waiting at least 20+ minutes for people who arrived late. We were all there on time, I don't feel we should have waited around for people who are late. read more

The Sunburst - Bike tours Near Me - Santa Paula, California

Located in Santa Paula, quaint little suburban town. The railbike check-in is located next to the Chamber of Commerce. It suitable fun for all ages including kids (but there were no kids during our group). We went during the sunset which is a lot cooler than during the late morning or early noon. The railbike is motorized and easy to pedal, no steering needed since we are on a track. A nice way to enjoy the scenery and take some photos. We made a pit stop at the farm. We got enough time to do strawberry picking. It was my first time doing it so it was an experience. Afterwards, we got back on the railbike and the trekked a couple more miles. We had stopped in the track and was told that was the end and had to turn our railbikes around and head back. Along the road, we felt like we ruled to road because we would go through railroad crossing and see all the cars parked there waving at us. The staff friendly and they leading the front and had another guide at the back of the line. Overall, it was a fun experience. read more

My family decided to stop by and do the Railbikes before heading to our main destination, Solvang. We were really excited to get going when we arrived and saw the Railbikes. I spent almost $500 for four people. When we left the train station I thought it was pretty cool. After a while, my chain popped off (passenger side) Waved my hand out and stopped. No one came right away. So I fixed it myself and started pedaling back down the track. Then my chain popped off again. This time I just waited for a crew member to put the chain back on because my hands were already dirty with grease. So the guy put it back on and said he would have to tighten the chain at the turn around. As we headed back down the train, my daughter's chain (on the Railbike in front of us) popped off (drivers side) not once.. but twice... and guess who fixed it. I did, again. The guy crew member said that he would tighten both Railbike chains of the on the turn around. By now, my hands were filthy dirty. No crew member had any rags or hand sanitizer so I rubbed my hands off in the dirt. Then one of the crew members gave me couple wipes from the first aid kit that they had. The crew members were EXCELLENT and POLITE. It just wasn't a pleasant experience that I had hoped for especially after spending so much money (almost $500). This isn't chump change and it was a little embarrassing holding up the train, four different times, was embarrassing. One child said. at least they are behind us now.. on the turnaround. Do I believe Sunburst Railbikes was worth the money? For me... DEFINITELY NOT! I emailed their main office two weeks ago and haven't even received a response Just wanted to let everyone know about my experience on my Sunburst Railbikes experience. read more

The Sunburst - Bike tours Near Me - Santa Paula, California

Wanted to do something new and different. So I saw this place on instagram and thought hmm let's try it. I made a reservation, a little pricey but it was worth trying it. And I had fun. We stopped at a farm, paid $10 to pick our own strawberries man were they good and sweet!!! I will definitely go back and maybe bring family and friends to try too. read more

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The star is only for the workers who actually were trying their best to do their job. They were helpful in explaining things and very patient. Whoever owns this should really consider a few things. First thing is that there should be some sort of waterproof padding on the inside of the chairs. They are so uncomfortable, my whole family and I have a bruised back from the back of the chair. Second, they should really just tell guests to take the seats in the order they arrive. We were a family of 6 and needed 3 carts, this was a gift for Mother's Day and we couldn't even be back to back because of a really rude couple separating us and refusing to move up so that we could sit together. They then proceeded to tell us that we just needed to fill in the gaps or else we couldn't leave...MAKES NO SENSE, they skipped multiple rows like the selfish jerks they were. The carts need maintenance and the brakes don't work well unless you slow down prior to breaking. It's also like an e-brake so it's hard to stop. Plus they need some WD-40. Stops were made and alerted to all the carts by the first person waiving a flag. People in the back couldn't see the flag so you had to be hyper aware of the person in front of you if you were towards the back or else you were at risk for slamming into the person in front of you. The first and last carts have the workers in them so you can't sit there (understandable). The farm that you stop at to pick fruit is not free. It's overpriced and an extra charge once you get there. This should definitely be included for free for the amount you pay. The petting zoo is sad and a little cruel. The animals have tiny spaces with no food and no one to show you around or explain anything. It is almost impossible to pet them since it's double caged. We saw a few homeless people along the way just sleeping on the sides of the ride. All in all I wouldn't do this again and we all regret it. Very expensive for what it is. Needs a major upgrade for the charge. read more

Seems perfect for families, but for adults it's a little boring. The scenery is nice once you get into the farms and ranches, but the ride is only about 30 minutes each way using pedal-assist railbikes. And, as others have pointed out, your speed is limited by whoever is in front of you. There's a 15-20 minute stop to turn the bikes around, and another 30 minute stop at Prancer's farm. So basically, you spend as much time off the bikes as on them. read more

It's already not that great of an experience, but when factoring in the cost, it becomes almost disrespectful to the buyer. The 2 seater is on a singular track. It is electric, so one doesn't haven't to peddle at all if they don't want to. You go up 2.5 up and 2.5 down. More than half of the trip is junkyards, back lots and people backyards. Not scenic at all. So consider it 2.5 miles. But half of it is going back, so it's really 1 mile of scenic route. The picnic section is dirty tables w little shade full of spider webs. The popcorn given is so stale. The area can be roamed but no picking any fruit. There's a stop at a farm with fruit post attached. Realistically the animals aren't pettable. And the fruit stand is off the road used to get to the tracks and it cost $7. Just pull over yourself and save over $100. It's either a money scam bumped by influencers or a very poorly curated experience. Either way, a skip. DON'T SKIP the museum attached to the parking area. It's free and shares history about the town and it's people. read more

Totally a lot of fun. You pick up your tickets from the original ticket booth inside the renovated train station and you feel like you stepped back in time. Trip took about two hours, but the electric bike carts make the trip super easy. Really neat riding along the old rails which I think date back to the late 1800s (1897?). You cruise through lemon, orange and avocado groves and there are citrus trees as far as you can see. No need to ride Soaring over California at Disney when you can experience it in person. The citrus smell was amazing. Along the way, you visit a farm where you can purchase fresh fruit and vegetables for a fraction of the price of a grocery store and ten times more fresh and tasty. We are definitely going back. Highly recommended. read more

The Sunburst - Train Depot in Santa Paula - Bike tours Near Me - Santa Paula, California

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This tour is not what you are promised. They hype up going through orchards and in reality you spend the first third going through Santa Paula where there is homeless camps, trash and even some grafitti. Once you do get to the orchards and I use the term loosely you cannot get close or pick fruits. The route matches the 126 freeway and honestly I feel it's not very exclusive when I can see a car going the same way I am at a much faster and more convienent way. There are bees along the route too so be aware if you have a bee allergy. At the picnic stop it's just a couple benches and a porta potty that i wouldn't touch. Prancers Farm is the 2nd stop on the way back but it cost extra to do any of thier activities. They claim the tour is 10 miles but it seems a lot shorter. They claim it's a tour but don't really tell you anything about what you see which again is very little. The only cool thing you see but you can't stop to check out is a vintage style train but it sadly looks abandoned and again you can't stop not even to take a picture. Overall this experience isn't worth $250. The "tour guides" act bored and there's just no enthusiasm for what they are doing. It's sad because I feel this could have been something great but I feel like I got ripped off instead. read more

Very fun experience. I would say however that it is a little pricey - typically it's $250 a rail bike for two and a 17 mile ride. However there's a bridge on the route that went out and now the ride is currently only 10 miles yet the price is still the same. Nonetheless, it was fun to propel through the citrus fields of Santa Paula and Fillmore with a short stop at prancer farm market and petting zoo. Tons of cool animals at the petting zoo and farm most of which are rescues which is cool. read more

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Great cute experience for Labor Day. It was pregnancy and kid friendly. I would suggest the parent sitting on the ride side of the rail bike to control the brakes and throttle. Not exhausting as you don't have to pedal the whole time. Whole trip was 3 hours long - 8 miles out and back. You get two breaks during the trip. Also stop by Prancer's petting zoo and farm on the way back for snacks and a look at baby goats. I would definitely be back and bring my son. Helmets are provided and required. They have two time slots 9AM and 12PM. read more

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Staff was friendly , ride was nice it helps that bikes are motorized you don't have to pedal as much. We opted for the lunch sandwich and honestly we could've just shared 1 lunch or done without although sandwich was good not really needed for duration of trip. We made two stops 1 to eat and 1 to visit a little farm and shop for local fruit, veggies and snacks. read more

What a fun adventure! Arriving at the old fashioned train station in Santa Paula, CA is the first treat. It feels as though you've stepped back in time. The Railbikes were ready, our guides friendly and efficient, and the helmets were clean! Train bikes are electric, so you can work as hard as you like--or not at all! The trip is 3 hours. A stop was at Prancer's farm where there was fresh produce and a chance to see their working farm and animals. Then back aboard for about an hour through the avocado and orange groves. Stopping before Fillmore, there are picnic tables where you can enjoy your treats from Prancer's while the crew turns around all the cars--the old fashioned way. The ride back to Fillmore has no stops--just a quiet trip through the orchards. It's fun crossing the highway several times with the "engineer" electronically putting down the road barriers and sounding the horn. A great time for all. A little pricey, and it would have been perfect had there been a donut and a cup of coffee down there at the picnic tables. You MUST go--worth the money! Choo-Choo read more

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There is a lot of potential here but....can't say our experience was great. Saw the piece in the LA Times and decided to make the drive. We went in mid April, the whole thing might too new because it just didn't seem very well planned or built out. This is how it went: 1. We showed up, and there were two men there who worked for sunburst. I would not call them "guides" since they didn't tell us anything before, during or after. They were more like "monitors." 2. We got on the bikes and started to pedal. Some of our brakes weren't working correctly so we stopped and the men helped make adjustments. Our brakes kept on getting stuck we had to stop three times to fix. 3. Got to our first of two stops which was this farm. We did not get any information on how long we would be there, what the place was, what we should should do. We simply stop, independently got off the bikes and wondered around for who knows how long. The farm sold fruit...which we discovered on our own. 4. Got back on the bikes and rode to the end of the path. We got off and just sat on some benches for maybe 30 minutes. No information was shared with us. We just sat. There was nothing for us to do but... sit. Weren't sure how long we would be there and I wished we packed some snacks with us. 5. Got back on the bikes and road all the way back. Wish there were more information shared, more activities, and for it feel more safe. read more

The Sunburst - Before the ride. We experienced some brake issues during the ride. - Bike tours Near Me - Santa Paula, California

I saw an Instagram ad for the Sunburst railbikes, and thought that it was a very adorable and cool experience to do, especially if you want to have an intimate moment with a partner out in some Orange Groves. There were a handful of pros and cons that come with doing this experience, but overall it was quite pleasant. I've listed some generalized pros and cons below; hopefully they are helpful to you in deciding if you want to go or not! Pros: * The view of the Groves are BEAUTIFUL! This is the perfect opportunity to take your special lover or sister or friend or whoever on a nice calm bike ride through Orange and lemon and avocado groves and just have a really good time. The views in Santa Paula are MAGNIFICENT. Try going on a cloudy day, maybe sometime in the spring where it's not too cold but it's not too hot. My husband and I went on Valentine's Day and it was perfectly cloudy but it was a little brisk. * The process of purchasing this adventure is fairly easy to do, but the prices are a little steep-ish. Cons * There is no clear structure to the whole process and adventure. * They ask you to be at the station 15 minutes early for a timely departure at 1pm. However, we did not take off until 1:30pm. * There is no structure to how they tell you what to do. * There was no mass announcement to inform you on the how's and what's of this adventure. They came up to your bike and explained everything in plain detail, which took up quite a handful of time. * The itinerary isn't as detailed as I would have hoped. We knew that there would be biking, a petting zoo, and some type of a picnic. We just did not know what order those things would be done in, however. We simply stopped in the middle of nowhere after getting a biking groove on with a few picnic benches, not quite knowing what was going to happen, and then the instructor said "OK time for a break, use the bathroom if you need to." Then they proceeded to turn our bikes around without us realizing that's what was happening. By the time we figured it out, it was too late to try to have a decent picnic. It was more of a rushed eating session. * If you start at the front, you're going to end up at the back of the train when you come back. It's both a positive and negative. At least if you're at the front of the train, you have more leeway to pedal the way you want. When you're at the back of the train, you really have to be cautious of who you're behind (e.g., slower people that are older, slower people in general, people who don't know how bikes work, someone is in the middle of the train who's going as slow as molasses, etc.) * The description and expectation of the petting zoo described online was inaccurate and misleading. * The website describes that there would be "horses, llamas, goats, and more." You can't get to the horses because they're fenced off somewhere else. There's a double gate situation happening around the petting zoo, so you can't really get to the llamas and the goats. And not many of the cows want to interact with the humans. There were two turkeys, and a handful of ducks that you couldn't pet. There were 26 of us and we all had to share petting two cows. * Additionally, there's no scheduled time to do things. More specifically, there's no general announcement that we would be leaving or arriving at a place. You'll just start to see everyone hoard towards the rail bikes, and that'll be the time to go. The specific sentence I heard from the instructors was "once everyone kind of sits down, we'll be ready to go." * This isn't necessarily a pro or a con, but we arrived right after a week's worth of rain, so we couldn't pick any strawberries because they were all flooded :(. Overall, we had a good time and it was a beautiful bonding experience for Valentine's Day for my husband and me. It was a bit disappointing though, because for almost $200, it was a subpar experience. But it's completely worth it to do it with someone you love. The expectations are definitely lower for if we come back, but otherwise, having a bike ride through an orange and lemon Grove was pretty cool! read more

I do not recommend this "So Called Adventure" to anyone. Looks better on paper than it actually is. This was a total waste of money. And, I might add way too much money for the experience. Nothing fun about it. Let's start at the beginning. We were told to be there at 10:00AM. Don't know why, because they were not ready at 10:00AM. We didn't leave the station until 10:40AM. The helmets they give you to wear were filthy dirty. You may need a tetanus shot after wearing it. Dirty filthy seats also. Rail bikes squeak and rattle, to the point of a headache. The route is not appealing either. We got to see every junkyard and rundown RV storage lot in Santa Paula along the railway. You actually peddle this rail bike for about 30 minutes only, toward Fillmore. They then turn the bikes around and go back. There is a stop at an overpriced dirty Fruit stand, on a rundown farm. Better fruit at Ralph's. This is one of the worst ways to spend your hard earned money and day off. If I could give Sunburst a negative 10, it would still be too high of a rating. You also get a stale bag a popcorn for the ride. Never again and I completely do not recommend this to anyone. Do not waste your time and money on this. Additionally, if you read a good review for Sunburst Rail Tour, it's from an employee or relative. This cost as much as Disneyland or Universal Hollywood. Easy decision to make. read more

Please do not spend your hard earned money on this!!! Extremely expensive for what you get. Their brochure says 10 miles, but I think more like 7 maybe. You do ride through citrus groves, but that is all you see. Really not that picturesque at all. They claim in their brochure that you stop for a beautiful picnic. We stopped for 15 minutes at (not beautiful) site with a few picnic tables, while they turned the cars around. Barely enough time to unpack the food you brought. Stopping to pet animals, ($7 additional dollars) dusty, and not much to pet. Farm stand was just okay. When you get back to station, no bathrooms. They point you to a red building across the small park, where you will find the doors locked. The only place to go is the Agricultural Museum on the other side of the parking lot. Their website and brochure make it look very nice. But truly very disappointing. We would not recommend. read more

Very well run operation; their equipment is well designed and performed without incident for the whole trip. We went out on the 10AM trip just as the sun came out and warmed up everything for our ride. Fun group of people of all ages along on this ride .... endless things to see ... special fun were the several active railroad crossings.; many of the passengers in the trucks & auto's waved and hooted at our railbike crew as we crossed .. fun ! The surrounding hillsides were as green as could be a beautiful sight .. and the citrus blossoms smelled fantastic as we rode by. We've told many friends about this adventure .... next we plan to try their operation in the Ft Bragg area read more

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Thank you so much to Robert for accommodating me and making my grandson's birthday present so memorable. Having my birthday on New Year's Eve I know how it can be to have a birthday near a holiday. Spring break and all his friends are away, so I wanted something extra special. He loves trains so this was perfect. What an experience, he was so excited, he was cheering as we rode and waving to all the spectators. So much fun. Would highly recommend it for family fun. read more

The Sunburst - Photo Opportunity at the farm - Bike tours Near Me - Santa Paula, California

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Good concept, horrible execution. Dangerous; 2 injured. Our two families, 6 people in total, booked 3 rail bikes on 9/3/23. My daughter and niece were on the bike behind my husband and me. After we started our ride, they quickly fell behind. Their bike's electric component was nonfunctional, and the girls were using pure muscle to power the 250+lb bike. The employees eventually switched out the bike after the girls needed to stop more than once. After they manually turned the bikes around to come back, I started having trouble with my pedaling. On our next stop, I told an employee who discovered that the axle on my side of our bike had seized up and was unsafe for continued use. The employees swapped out our bike while we ate lunch. When it was time to return to the station, we noticed our new bike didn't have seatbelts, but at this point we were ready to be done. At the next railroad crossing, the bikes in front of us were stopped, waiting to cross the road. When I squeezed the brakes, they were non responsive. We crashed into the back of my daughter and niece's bike with no chance to warn them. As we arrived at the station, I jumped down from my seat to Flintstones skid my way to a stop so as not to collide with them again. When I informed the employee that my brakes were not working, he checked them and verified that they were completely nonfunctional. He said that it was strange because that bike had just come back from being repaired! The girls both suffered whiplash- thankfully my daughter's was mild. My niece had to go to urgent care the next day and she is still in pain 4 days later. The company refunded the price of their bike and offered a mild apology, but that was it. Some less serious issues than the mechanical failures: 1) The experience is depicted as leisurely on the website- this is a workout from start to finish even with the electric pedal assist. 2) The men working there are employees, not guides. After a basic safety briefing (which did not cover any of the issues we encountered), we basically had no further interaction. There was no provision to notify them when we were in distress besides "hold your right hand out so we know you dropped something". There was no "tour" explaining where we were or what we were seeing. This company is overpriced considering the deplorable state of the machines and the lack of professionalism in what would be considered a fun excursion. TL;DR: Bikes are unsafe- 3 bikes with 3 issues- no pedal assist, faulty axle, no seatbelts & no brakes. 2 younger adults injured. The employees are blasé. read more

This was a nice relaxing experience. Great Mountain Views. The farmers market was pretty chill, it had some pretty good stuff there. The petting zoo was meh. I wish we could have fed some of the animals. read more

So much fun! This tour was so beautiful, and we got to experience a one in a lifetime event at the petting zoo! Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a celebration gift for a significant other and/or friend! read more

I am not writing this to complain, I am writing this in hopes that things change for others and that your business can be the best that I know it can be.... I was so excited to go in this adventure with my husband for his birthday but it did not start out well.. once we got there the greeters stated that they didn't have my sandwhich or my husbands soda to go with his lunch (it would of been nice to get a call ahead of time to let us know so we could grab a lunch for me to have, the reason they didn't have my lunch was because they didn't have the bread I asked for). We then had to go to the bathroom but the only bathroom was a public bathroom which was the most disgusting bathroom with so much trash, clothes and who knows what else all over the floor. Once the ride started it was fun except there was trash, mattresses and what looked to be homeless camps on the way to the orange groves, the ad look so nice and it didn't mention any of this also on the ride a older couple in front of us who kept turning on and off their bike car which held us up the whole time (this wasn't the businesses fault, just someone who didn't understand how to use it), once we stopped at the 1st stop this is the orange groves for 15 min this is where we were to eat our lunch, the bathrooms are porta potty FYI, then they turned around the bike cars so we could head back, we stopped for 30 min next at the petting zoo and fruit stand, this place is alright but it is a extra cost (which for the $400 we spent for this ride this stop should of been included but it wasn't) after that we headed back and that older couple was now behind us and they did the same thing they did when we were behind them and they held up everyone else . we made the best out of the whole trip and basically laughed the whole time and joked with another two couples we met. super bummed and honestly wouldn't recommend this experience until things become cleaner, more organized and less money for the tickets. Super sad and disappointing. oh I need to mention they did refund me my $24 for my sandwhich that they didn't get me which was nice. read more

My husband and I rode the Sunburst Rail Bikes in Santa Paula this past Sunday as an anniversary adventure. It was a wonderfully exciting experience. We were lucky (and unlucky) to have a full tour. Lucky because the more the merrier. There were some very fun and interesting individuals on our tour. Unfortunately our tour left almost a half hour late because 6 people from the same group arrived late. Since that was almost half our tour, the company waited rather than cancel their reservation. One out and about, it was very fun with just enough athleticism necessary to keep these bikes moving. Although you ride very close to the highway, you are still set back in the farmlands passing lemon, orange, and avocado orchards. There is a half hour stop at a farm to view animals and make purchases from their locally grown stand. My suggestion would be to make this stop on the way back. They are too close to the beginning of the tour to want to stop for that long so early on the ride. Plus, it would make more sense to purchase bags of fruits and vegetables on the return trip so they are not laying in the sun for another 2 hours. All in all, it was great fun. We highly recommend this tour. read more

My wife and I went to the The Sunburst rail bikes. We ended up having a nice and fun experience. It wasn't too tiring and the bikes were easy to navigate. The staff there was friendly and very helpful. During our ride, I guess my wallet fell out of my pocket without me knowing. I thought it was gone forever, but couple days after our visit, they called telling me that they found my wallet. They even were nice enough to mail my wallet to me. Overall, it was a good experience. read more

Great experience, would definitely do it again. Some hiccups along the way but hey that's what makes it an exciting lol.

What a blast! Everyone we dealt with was great. Our guides, TK and Robert, were so knowledgeable and made the ride fun and perfect. Riding along on actual train tracks, with crossing arms lowered to let us through across the streets, was so different! Very relaxing; the E assist means you only pedal as hard as you want. The surrounding groves and farmland are really pretty. The stop at Prancer's farm was nice, too. I highly recommend it! read more

My husband and I booked tickets for The Sunburst Railbikes after seeing an article about them in Westways magazine. The article and also Sunburst's website portrays this adventure as a romantic journey through citrus orchards. It was not. You should understand before booking that you will be in a line of about 10 railbikes all traveling together. They suggest that you stay 2-3 car lengths behind the railbike in front of you, but most people don't seem to be able to do this. It's not a private adventure, which is what the advertising makes it seem like. To make matters worse, the people in the railbike behind us talked very loudly the entire ride. Also, a good chunk of the ride is through a part of Santa Paula that is dirty and gross. You are also traveling along a loud freeway part of the time. Only a short amount of the ride goes through orchards. And a section of that was along a long row of bee boxes, so there were bees flying everywhere. Bring your EpiPen if you are allergic to bees. There are relatively no instructions given to you before the ride begins. For instance, we did not know there was a 20 minute stop at the end where you could eat snacks or lunch. It would have been helpful to have known that so we could plan accordingly. We booked on a half-price day. If we had paid full price for this experience, we would have been even more disappointed. read more