[photo by BG]

San Clemente CA Pier from Amtrak Surfliner

The Amtrak Surfliner —running from San Luis Obispo to San Diego via Santa Barbara and LA— is simply one of the great train rides in North America, among other things enabling a same-day LA-San Diego downtown-to-downtown round-trip without the hassles of driving.  Three hours each way.  Thirteen times a day.

True to its name, the train follows the Pacific coast much of the way, with views of sand, surf, surfers, palms and —when the coastal fog clears— sun.  Plus the occasional glimpse into community life, as seen above.

Northbound from LA, Santa Barbara is also a three-hour ride —but only five times daily, and to-and-from "San Luis," as locals call it, only twice.

Check it out here and enjoy the ride: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner