California Coast Tour - 2 Days from San Francisco to Los Angeles via Monterey

California Coast Tour - 2 Days from San Francisco to Los Angeles via Monterey

This independent California pacific coast excursion is made possible by taking Coast Starlight train from San Francisco to Monterey, local three hour tour of Monterey Peninsula, spending a night there and then to Los Angeles in two days. Comfortable seating also can enjoy dinning on the train.

Itinerary

Day 1: San Francisco to Monterey Sightseeing

Stop At: Monterey Bay, Monterey, CA
Leaving from Hyatt Regency at 5 Embarcadero at 7:40 a.m. Thruway bus takes you across the Bay Bridge to Oakland Jack London Square. Board the Coast Starlight train going along the East Bay industrial town that give way to marshland and bird sanctuaries. Ride continues through Silicon Valley and agricultural area near Morgan Hill. You cross San Andreas Fault Line and cross over to Elkhorn Slough at Moss Beach. Soon you are in Castroville area riding through miles of artichoke and strawberry fields to Salinas and transfer by our driver to Monterey by lunch time. Monterey sightseeing tour guide will takes you to Cannery Row and drive along the seaside flower gardens of Pacific Grove to 17 Mile Drive. See the ocean crash on shore and mansions and golf courses. Stop at Pebble Beach. Continue to Carmel by the Sea, the idyllic village with its art galleries and cottages set in Pine trees. Arrive at your hotel by about 4:30.
Duration: 8 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Merritt House Inn (or similar) Check in for the night.

Day 2: Salisas to Los Angeles on Coast Starlight Train

Stop At: Pacific Coast Highway, 147161, CA
After a relaxing morning, at 10:15 our sedan car driver transfers you to Salinas Train Station. This takes about 30 minutes. Coast Starlight that started in Seattle the day before now takes us through the Salinas Valley, center of Monterey Country's agricultural region. The route takes us by Salinas River through small towns, fields of lettuce, broccoli and acres of green houses. Suddenly by King City we see miles and miles of newly planted vineyards where just a few years ago there was only cattle pasture. The oil fields appear and then the military installations at Camp Roberts. Soon we reach historic Paso Robles. Leaving the level areas we now climb Cuesta Grade through six tunnels and drop down to sea level at San Luis Obispo.

The ocean briefly appears at Pismo Beach. Heading south the rails go by Vandenberg Space station and near Goleta you see some of the most scenic ocean views all the way through Santa Barbara to Oxnard. Turning inland in early evening the train goes past miles of orange groves then through Fillmore and Simi Valley to Glendale and the great metropolis of Los Angeles. It is now about 9:00 p.m. as we arrive at the in the heart of Los Angeles at the Union Station that you may recognize from many Hollywood films. If you are staying in Los Angeles taxicabs to downtown locations cost about $20, twice as much to Hollywood, West Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills or to Los Angeles International Airport. If you are going further south the train connects to Surfliner arrives in Anaheim just before 11:00 p.m.
Duration: 9 hours

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.