Amtrak Vacations
America Coast to Coast - DC to San Francisco
Amtrak coast-to-coast rail journey from Washington DC to San Francisco
9 daysfrom $1,049
33% rail
Amtrak Vacations · Independent rail vacation
California Zephyr and Rocky Mountains Discovery Westbound
Nine-day California Zephyr trip westbound, Chicago to San Francisco
Amtrak Vacations runs this nine-day, eight-night rail trip westbound on the California Zephyr, starting in Chicago and finishing in San Francisco, with a two-night stop in Denver along the way. Two nights in Chicago open the trip with Skydeck admission and a 14-stop hop-on, hop-off bus tour, before an overnight aboard the Zephyr carries the trip to Denver. Denver adds a small-group day tour of Rocky Mountain National Park with a picnic lunch and photo stops, and a second overnight segment continues on to San Francisco, where the trip closes with a hop-on, hop-off tour taking in the Golden Gate Bridge and Haight Ashbury. Because two of the eight nights are spent in coach seating on the train rather than a hotel, and much of the daytime schedule in each city is left free, this suits travelers who want a lower-cost, self-paced way to ride the California Zephyr route without a private sleeper cabin.
What to know before you look closer
- Two of the eight included nights (days 3 and 6) are spent overnight in Amtrak coach seating aboard the California Zephyr, not a sleeper cabin; the evidence does not mention a roomette or sleeping car upgrade.
- The Rocky Mountain National Park tour is described as seasonal, with a combined city and mountain-parks tour offered in the off season, but the evidence does not say which months fall into each.
- The 18 accommodation options span a range of tiers and cities, from the Holiday Inn CHICAGO DWTN - THE MART to the Waldorf Astoria Chicago; your actual hotel depends on the tier you choose.
Day by day
- Day 1overnight: Chicago, IL
Your Journey Begins in Chicago
Welcome to Chicago! After you check into your hotel, the entire rest of the day and evening is yours to explore on your own. Make sure to visit the Skydeck with your included admission.
- Day 2overnight: Chicago, IL
Chicago
Spend today discovering the most popular attractions throughout the city with your included hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour. Enjoy 14 different stops, including the iconic Centennial Wheel on the Navy Pier, Millennium Park, John Hancock Tower, Magnificent Mile, and so much more!
- Day 3overnight: Onboard Amtrak (California Zephyr®)
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
Continue your journey westbound onboard Amtrak toward Denver.
- Day 4overnight: Denver, CO
Denver
When you arrive in the "Mile High City" of Denver, Colorado, check into your hotel. The remainder of the day and evening is yours to explore on your own. Visit Red Rocks Park, the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Zoo, and so much more!
- Day 5overnight: Denver, CO
Denver
Experience the majestic splendor of the Rocky Mountains on a small group day tour of Rocky Mountain National Park. Enjoy an included picnic lunch and several photo opportunities before heading back to your hotel for the evening.
- Day 6overnight: Onboard Amtrak (California Zephyr®)
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
Continue your journey westbound onboard Amtrak toward San Francisco.
- Day 7overnight: San Francisco, CA
San Francisco
Welcome to beautiful San Francisco! Today the day and evening will be spent traveling on your own. Check in to your hotel and begin exploring the City by the Bay.
- Day 8overnight: San Francisco, CA
San Francisco
Today will be a day packed with sightseeing with a hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour that will take you to all of San Francisco's most popular attractions, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, the Japanese Tea Garden, Fisherman's Wharf, Union Square, Haight Ashbury, the Palace of Fine Arts, and so much more!
- Day 9
Your Journey Ends in San Francisco
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 1Arrival in Chicago with included admission to the Skydeck.
- Day 2A hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour of Chicago with 14 stops, including the Centennial Wheel on Navy Pier.
- Day 5A small-group day tour of Rocky Mountain National Park with an included picnic lunch and photo opportunities.
- Day 8A hop-on, hop-off tour of San Francisco taking in the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, and Haight Ashbury.
Included
- One-way Amtrak® in Coach accommodations from Chicago to Denver; Denver to San Francisco on the California Zephyr®
- 6 nights' hotel accommodations
Questions travellers ask
- Is train travel included?
- Yes, one-way Amtrak Zephyr travel in coach class from Chicago to Denver to San Francisco, including two overnight segments.
- Is it escorted or independent?
- Independent, with hop-on, hop-off tours in Chicago and San Francisco plus a small-group Rocky Mountain National Park tour as the guided pieces; other time is free.
- Which train is used?
- The California Zephyr, in coach class, for the whole Chicago to Denver to San Francisco route.
- Is there an overnight on the train?
- Yes, two nights: day 3 (Chicago to Denver) and day 6 (Denver to San Francisco), in coach seating rather than a sleeper cabin.
- What hotels are used?
- 18 options across Chicago, Denver, and San Francisco, including the Waldorf Astoria Chicago and the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Denver.
- What will I see along the way?
- Chicago's Skydeck and Navy Pier, Rocky Mountain National Park with photo opportunities, and the Golden Gate Bridge and Haight Ashbury on the San Francisco tour.
