One-day trip from LA: most scenic?

[mignyc]

I'm considering taking a daytime-only train ride originating in LA, with the goal being to take the prettiest ride I can manage without having to sleep on the train (I didn't enjoy my sleeper car experience on the CZ.)

I don't much care if it goes north or south; I will fly home to NYC out of whichever city I end up in at the end of the train trip.

Suggestions appreciated.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Two choices here:

1)Coast Starlight#14 to Oakland(OKJ)/Emeryville(EMY) (or San Jose(SJC) Leave LAX @ 1015@m/ Arrive SJC 811PM/OKJ 924PM/EMY 954pm

You can ride in Coach/ Biz Class ( access to PPC and Wine Tasting) or Sleeper( Lunch and Dinner included).

You can fly out of San Jose, Oakland or San Francisco the next day. ( Requires and Overnite)

2)Surfliner( several choices/Day Trip) LAX-San Diego( SAN). Coach or Business Class.

Fly out of San Diego, no overnight required if you leave LAX early enough.

Both are nice, the Starlight is a "One of a kind" trip on Amtrak.Recommended!

 

[oregon pioneer]

I vote for the Starlight! More time on the beaches/bluffs by the coast, and then that epic climb out of SLO as the sun sinks toward the ocean horizon to the west. I haven't heard much about the new Business Class, but this sounds like the perfect trip to try it out on! Please do write a trip report and let us know which option you chose, and how it turned out.

I agree that I'd spend the night in a hotel before flying out, though. Better to relax and enjoy the ride, without worryiong about a schedule at the other end.

 

[tp49]

I might do a same day turn on the Surfliner northbound from LA to Santa Barbara do lunch and explore in Santa Barbara a bit then take the Surfliner back to LA. You can do it with no overnight required going up on 763 and coming back on 784 taking a red eye back to the east coast that night from LAX.

 

[Anderson]

Personally I'd vote for the Starlight on balance. The Surfliner south is also workable, but you get less scenery simply because it's a shorter run. Still, the coastal run along that stretch is magnificent.

 

[niemi24s]

In addition the these suggestions, you can do as I when planning a train trip: see what's along the route using Google Earth. What's pretty to me may not be so pretty to you.

 

[TinCan782]

I might do a same day turn on the Surfliner northbound from LA to Santa Barbara do lunch and explore in Santa Barbara a bit then take the Surfliner back to LA. You can do it with no overnight required going up on 763 and coming back on 784 taking a red eye back to the east coast that night from LAX.

I've done that same turn...a few hours in Santa Barbara, its easy to get around (on foot, shuttles, etc.)

If you want to maximize the "train time", take 761 (1761 weekends) LA to SLO, the train remains in SLO only 30 minutes and back to LA as 790 (1790 weekends). Leave LA at 7:35 AM and return 7:30 PM. No time for sightseeing in SLO but, you will get to see the coast between Santa Barbara and Surf, both directions! Much of that not accessible by the public because of private ownership and Vandenburg AFB.

 

[Chey]

Another vote for the Starlight. No one ever mentions it, but to this non-Californian, the ride through the Simi Valley is also beautiful. Of course the coast is the highlight of the trip. My husband saw dolphins the time we went, could have missed them if he'd have blinked but the binoculars just happened to be aimed at the right spot.

 

[Bruce-C]

I'd vote for taking the Surfliner south to San Diego. You would get a nice ride along the coast an a fabulous city awaits you.

 

[neroden]

You can't go wrong with either choice, the Surfliner or the Starlight.