Best Buddies Queen Stage: Palo Alto
Get ready for an unforgettable cycling adventure and VIP experience at our inaugural Best Buddies Queen Stage: Palo Alto on Friday, April 10, and Saturday, April 11, 2026!
Kick off the weekend with an exclusive VIP dinner on Friday evening, where you’ll mingle with fellow cycling enthusiasts and legendary pro-cyclists like Alberto Contador, Andrew Talansky, and Cam Wurf. Enjoy a luxurious one-night stay at the stunning Rosewood Hotel in Menlo Park, complete with access to all hotel amenities.
On Saturday, embark on an exhilarating ride tailored to cyclists of all abilities. Choose between the challenging 70-mile route, leading you through picturesque roads to the breathtaking Skyline Ridge and culminating in the iconic Tunitas Climb, or the scenic 43-mile route, showcasing the beauty of La Honda Creek Preserve and finishing on Tunitas. Both routes are fully supported, featuring rest stops every 25 miles and dependable support vehicles to ensure a fantastic experience for every rider.
Celebrate your achievement at a delightful post-event luncheon, rounding out a weekend filled with camaraderie, comfort, and cycling passion. Don’t miss this extraordinary event—challenge yourself, connect with fellow riders, and create lasting memories!
The Routes
Choose to ride 70 or 43 miles fully supported with rest stops every 25-miles.
A Route: This challenging 70-mile route features a staggering 7,410 feet of climbing, making it the most decisive and demanding stage of the five-day event. Riders will begin their adventure with the ascent of Page Mill Road just 6 miles in, followed by a thrilling descent through the Redwoods to the coastal town of San Gregorio. Following a short stint along the coast riders tackle the formidable Tunitas climb before traversing through multiple stunning Open Space Preserves along Skyline Boulevard. Riders will then descend Page Mill Road back to Palo Alto, rounding out a route that will truly test your endurance and climbing prowess.
B Route: This 43.2-mile route includes 4,580 feet of climbing, ensuring a fulfilling day on the bike. Group B will tackle a moderate 3.3-mile climb up Old La Honda just 3 miles into the ride, setting a solid pace for the day. Later, you’ll encounter the same challenging Tunitas climb, making this a rewarding experience for all participants!
Event Schedule
Friday, April 10, 2026
- 4:00 PM Guest check-in opens at Rosewood Hotel in Menlo Park
- 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM Dinner at Rosewood Hotel
Saturday April 11, 2026
- 5:00 AM – 6:00 AM Meditation / stretching session
- 5:30 AM – 7:30 AM Breakfast
- 7:30 AM Rider meeting
- 8:00 AM Riders depart Rosewood Hotel
- 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Lunch at Rosewood Hotel
- 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Massage and compression therapy with protein smoothies in The Spa
- Queen Stage Entry
$500 Registration Fee
The fundraising commitment is $5,000.
- One (1) event entry to the Best Buddies Queen Stage: Palo Alto
- One (1)-night stay at the Rosewood Hotel in Menlo Park
- Limited-edition cycling jersey
- Finish line amenities: premium gift bag, showers, and professional massage
- Post-event luncheon at Rosewood featuring gourmet food
- One (1) pass to Friday night’s VIP Dinner
Why We Ride
All funds raised benefit Best Buddies International, the largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people worldwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower people with IDD to form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure jobs, improve communication and advocacy skills, and live independently, while also offering support for their families.
The IDD community that Best Buddies serves individuals with IDD and their families. The IDD community includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, and other undiagnosed disabilities.
Why we require a fundraising commitment
The primary goal of Best Buddies Challenge events is to raise operating and expansion funds for Best Buddies International. Best Buddies is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, inclusive living, and family support for people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). For more information on Best Buddies International, visit bestbuddies.org.
In order to raise these funds, and because we have a permit limit on the amount of riders/walkers/runners allowed on course, it is imperative that Best Buddies sets a reasonably high fundraising minimum for each event participant. Best Buddies does our best to aid participants in their fundraising efforts. We provide each participant with their very own coach and fundraising page, along with a variety of fundraising ideas and documents. Please feel free to call 786-960-0639 and speak to a Coach about registration options.
Your Fundraising Commitment
When you register as a participant in the Best Buddies Challenge, you are committing to raise the fundraising amount you selected. This is a commitment we are very grateful for, but also one we take very seriously. That being said, here is some important information about your financial obligation and important deadlines to adhere to.
After registration, you have a 7-day period from the day you registered to withdraw from the event and you will not be held responsible for your fundraising commitment. If, within those 7 days you decide that you cannot make this commitment for any reason, just alert a Challenge Coach, and you will be released from the event. If we do not hear from you within that week, you will be responsible for your fundraising commitment made at the time of registration. Please note: Registration fees are non-refundable.
Fundraising Commitment Deadline (FCD)
If you have not met your fundraising commitment two weeks before the event, Best Buddies International will charge your credit card (required upon registration) the difference of monies raised from your fundraising commitment. If you reach and submit your fundraising commitment level before the fundraising deadline (FCD), your card will not be charged.
Participants are given one full month after the event date to submit to Best Buddies any additional monies they may have raised post event to reach the original fundraising commitment. After this month, participants will be credited back up to the amount you were charged on the Fundraising Deadline.
