Pacific Surfliner day trip

[Grill Master]

Wondering which of these routes has better scenery along the coast LAX-SAN or LAX-SBA? Also what is the area like around the SAN and SBA stations?

Thanks

 

[navydevildoc]

I can't speak to Santa Barbara, but I live in San Diego and can tell you the Santa Fe station is right downtown. In walking distance is the bay, cruise ship terminal, the maritime museum (with the Star Of India, USS Midway, etc.), and slightly longer walk gets you to the "Gaslamp", the section of downtown full of shops, restaurants, and pubs.

If you want to go somewhere else in San Diego, the trolley stops just across from the Amtrak terminal, and goes to the major parts of the city.

Your other option is to stop at the Old Town station, where there are more restaurants and the "Bazaar del Mundo", basically a bunch of shops selling all sorts of trinkets.

If there is something in particular you are looking for, just ask!

 

[MrFSS]

Wondering which of these routes has better scenery along the coast LAX-SAN or LAX-SBA? Also what is the area like around the SAN and SBA stations?
Thanks

There are some nice views going both ways from on the train. Probably more to do in SAN right near the station. Getting anywhere from the SBA station to do tourist things might require a cab ride.

Both north and south of LA have some nice ocean views.

Another place to consider stopping on the southbound trip is San Juan Capistrano. Station is right in down town, the old mission is a nice walk and plenty of stores and places to eat. They is a very nice restaurant right in the station there.

Lots of pictures I took our last trip there can be seen HERE.

 

[Neil_M]

Getting anywhere from the SBA station to do tourist things might require a cab ride.

I stayed in Santa Barbara earlier in the year and the station is about 5 minutes walk from the beach and the main street (State Street?) is about a 5 minute walk the other way. There is an open sided trolley thing that passes up and down that road between the beach and the town. Costs something like a $ or so. Loads of bars and restaurants and there is a pier you can stroll along as well.

Pleasant place to pass some time.

 

[gswager]

Is the AFB is pass by Santa Barbara towards San Luis Obispo? It has several rocket launch pads.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

Maybe it's because I live between L.A. and Santa Barbara, and take this ride often, that I think the LAX-SAN ride is more interesting and has better scenery. Each route takes its time wending through inner L.A., then suburbia, before hitting the beach.

Pacific Surfliners, and the Coast Starlight, take a straight shot through the San Fernando Valley and cross the Santa Susanna pass before dropping into Simi Valley, proceeding through a rich agricultural area (fun to try to identify crops) before running along the coast between Ventura and Santa Barbara.

On the LAX-SAN route, Surfliners run through L.A.'s industrial underbelly: intermodal terminals, factories, cement plants, recycling facilities, warehouses, oil wells (!), etc. Then through suburban Orange County before meeting the coast south of San Juan Capistrano (no swallows returning anymore, but a pretty town, as MrFSS noted). The coastal run is a bit longer, and more varied and picturesque (in my view), than between Ventura and Santa Barbara. On the approach to SAN the train labors as it winds through the hills before dropping into San Diego proper.

Either way is a great ride. Do both, Grill Master!

BTW, gswager, you're thinking of Vandenberg AFB. It's well north of SBA, and yeah, a number of rocket launch gantries, including a built - but never used - shuttle launch facility.

 

[Grill Master]

Either way is a great ride. Do both, Grill Master!

I wish I could do both, but I have only enough time for one.

Thanks everyone for the advice. It sounds like LAX-SAN is the way to go.

 

[sechs]

Is the AFB is pass by Santa Barbara towards San Luis Obispo? It has several rocket launch pads.

Vandenberg AFB is north of Santa Barbara and south of SLO. The nearest stop, I think, is Surf.

From the train you can just make out a number of the launch complexes, including SLC-6.

 

[SharonLPK]

We'll be in San Diego for a couple of days in November, arriving on a Friday early afternoon. Having never been to California, plus with very limited sight-seeing time, one thing I'm considering is an Amtrak ride from SAN-LAX and return.

I would appreciate opinions on whether this is a good use of time? Also would appreciate opinions whether to schedule a round trip during all daytime hours, or also some nighttime.

Thanks in advance

 

[MrFSS]

We'll be in San Diego for a couple of days in November, arriving on a Friday early afternoon. Having never been to California, plus with very limited sight-seeing time, one thing I'm considering is an Amtrak ride from SAN-LAX and return.
I would appreciate opinions on whether this is a good use of time? Also would appreciate opinions whether to schedule a round trip during all daytime hours, or also some nighttime.

Thanks in advance

I would recommend San Diego to San Juan Capistrano and back. Station in San Juan is right in downtown, lots to see, many places to eat )nice restaurant in the station), the old mission is very nice to spend an hour or two in. We were there a while back - pictures are HERE.

 

[navydevildoc]

It all depends on what you would like to do while you are there... any particular interests? Balboa Park is full of museums and cultural centers. Downtown has all the fine dining and nightlife. There are 2 California missions there to look at, and Old Town is mostly a state park nowadays to see how the city was started so many years ago.

Don't forget the Zoo (in balboa park) and the Wild Animal Park (a 30 minute drive northeast) if you like that kind of thing.

If you want the train experience and see some coastline, then go for it!

 

[SharonLPK]

It all depends on what you would like to do while you are there... any particular interests? Balboa Park is full of museums and cultural centers. Downtown has all the fine dining and nightlife. There are 2 California missions there to look at, and Old Town is mostly a state park nowadays to see how the city was started so many years ago.
Don't forget the Zoo (in balboa park) and the Wild Animal Park (a 30 minute drive northeast) if you like that kind of thing.

If you want the train experience and see some coastline, then go for it!

Thanks for the suggestions! Although I would like to see the Zoo at some point, Saturday is the only full day we have in the area without a prior commitment, and I think that would be better saved for a longer trip! Same with Balboa Park

Would like to not have to rent a car, which I heard is doable in the downtown area, and public transportation would be pretty easy for Old Town and such <?> I was thinking (hoping) that the train ride would give alot of sight-seeing 'bang for the buck' ...

If we go for the train ride, either to LAX or to San Juan Capistrano, what is the difference between the Reserved and the Unreserved, I was looking at the prices/schedule yesterday and both have the same price, but different type of seat availability, thanks!

Edited to ask: Do these trains run pretty much on time, for scheduling arrival/departures, esp. if we do SAN-SNC-LAX-SAN, most concerned about 20 minutes between arrival/departure trains in LAX...! (I don't suppose the TMZ crew hangs out by Amtrak at LAX lol)

 

[gswager]

Reserved- you'll get a seat, guarantee.

Unreserved- you may have to stand up if the train is full, esp. with commuting hours.

 

[sportbiker]

If we go for the train ride, either to LAX or to San Juan Capistrano, what is the difference between the Reserved and the Unreserved, I was looking at the prices/schedule yesterday and both have the same price, but different type of seat availability, thanks!
Edited to ask: Do these trains run pretty much on time, for scheduling arrival/departures, esp. if we do SAN-SNC-LAX-SAN, most concerned about 20 minutes between arrival/departure trains in LAX...!

I don't know where you saw that reserved and unreserved were the same price. For the Surfliners, the only way to get a reserved seat is to go business class, and that's about $10 more expensive than coach.

As for timeliness, they're about 80% on-time. The other 20% is split between a few minutes late and a few hours late, with little in-between. My worst experience was a one hour Irvine-LAX trip that took about 3 hours, but that is REALLY the exception.