Amtrak Vacations
America Coast to Coast - LA to Boston
Independent coast-to-coast US rail trip on four Amtrak trains, LA to Boston
10 daysfrom $1,809
100% rail
Amtrak Vacations · Independent rail vacation
Coast to Coast - San Francisco to Washington, D.C.
10-day rail trip from San Francisco to Washington, D.C.
Amtrak Vacations runs this 10-day, 9-night independent rail vacation from San Francisco to Washington, DC, with a stop in Chicago. Two nights in San Francisco open the trip with a hop-on, hop-off pass, a guided tour of Muir Woods National Monument's redwood forest, and a bay cruise beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and past Alcatraz Island. The California Zephyr then runs overnight across the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains to Chicago for two nights, including an Architecture River Tour and Skydeck Chicago. A further overnight train continues to Washington, DC for two final nights, with an evening tour of the illuminated monuments and a hop-on, hop-off tour that stops at Arlington National Cemetery. This trip suits travellers who want a three-city cross-country rail crossing anchored by two included sightseeing tours in San Francisco alone.
What to know before you look closer
- The evidence names no specific hotels or accommodation tiers for this package; only a generic '6 nights hotel accommodations' inclusion is given, so the standard of the stay can't be judged from what's available.
- The overnight Amtrak legs are in Coach accommodations; a sleeping accommodation onboard the train is only available as an optional upgrade.
- The day 7 narrative names the overnight train from Chicago to Washington, DC as the 'Lake Shore Limited,' while the package's own route list calls this leg the Capitol Limited; the evidence doesn't reconcile the two names.
- The evidence lists no current departure dates for this package, though it is shown under a 'Flash Sale' category.
Day by day
- Day 1overnight: San Francisco
Your Journey Begins in San Francisco
Welcome to San Francisco! Upon arrival, make your way to your hotel and check in for a two-night stay. Get acquainted with the city with your included Hop-On, Hop-Off pass. Stops include the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, and Lombard Street.
- Day 2overnight: San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Start your day with a guided tour of Muir Woods National Monument, exploring the majestic coastal redwood forest. In the afternoon, embark on a San Francisco Bay cruise beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and past Alcatraz Island.
- Day 3railovernight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak®
Start your day by checking out of your San Francisco hotel and making your way to the train station to catch the California Zephyr® to Chicago, traversing the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Rocky Mountains, and the plains of the Midwest.
- Day 4overnight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak®
- Day 5overnight: Chicago
Chicago, IL
Arrive in the vibrant city of Chicago and check in to your hotel for a two-night stay. Today is a wonderful time to enjoy an Architecture River Tour.
- Day 6overnight: Chicago
Chicago, IL
Kick off your day with the included Hop-on, Hop-off sightseeing tour and explore Millennium Park, home to the Cloud Gate sculpture ('The Bean'). Head to Skydeck Chicago for the best views of the city.
- Day 7overnight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak®
Enjoy one last day in Chicago before heading to Union Station to board the Lake Shore Limited®, bound for the nation's capital.
- Day 8overnight: Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Arrive in DC and check in for a two-night stay. Explore the National Mall or the Smithsonian museums. This evening, enjoy a guided tour where you will witness the capital's iconic monuments illuminated against the night sky.
- Day 9overnight: Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Start your day with a Hop-on, Hop-off tour, which includes a visit to Arlington National Cemetery to pay respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and John F. Kennedy's grave.
- Day 10rail
Your Journey Ends in Washington, DC
Check out of your hotel after breakfast this morning and continue with your travels. If you would like to extend your journey to another city, just ask your Rail Expert and we can help you make all the arrangements.
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 2A guided tour of Muir Woods National Monument's coastal redwood forest is followed by a San Francisco Bay cruise beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and past Alcatraz Island.
- Day 3The California Zephyr departs San Francisco, crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Rocky Mountains, and the plains of the Midwest en route to Chicago.
- Day 6Millennium Park's Cloud Gate sculpture and Skydeck Chicago fill the second day in the city.
- Day 9A hop-on, hop-off tour of Washington, DC includes a visit to Arlington National Cemetery to pay respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and John F. Kennedy's grave.
Included
- One-way Amtrak® from San Francisco to Chicago on the California Zephyr®; Chicago to Washington, DC on the Capitol Limited® in Coach accommodations
- 6 nights hotel accommodations; 3 nights onboard Amtrak®
Questions travellers ask
- Is train travel included?
- Yes, one-way Amtrak travel from San Francisco to Chicago on the California Zephyr, then on to Washington, DC, in Coach accommodations.
- Is it escorted or independent?
- It is an independent rail vacation with a Muir Woods and bay cruise tour in San Francisco, plus sightseeing tours in Chicago and Washington, DC.
- Which trains are used?
- The California Zephyr, and a further overnight train from Chicago to Washington, DC that the route list names the Capitol Limited (the day-by-day itinerary text calls this leg the Lake Shore Limited).
- What is not included?
- The included list gives no meals; hotel names and tiers are also not listed for this package, only a generic count of 6 hotel nights.
