Amtrak Vacations
Coast to Coast Across the USA
16-day USA rail crossing from New York City to San Francisco
16 daysfrom $3,039
56% rail
Amtrak Vacations · Independent rail vacation
Grand Rail Experience Roundtrip from Los Angeles
Independent Amtrak roundtrip from Los Angeles around the US
Amtrak Vacations runs this independent, 16-day rail vacation that starts and ends in Los Angeles, connecting New Orleans, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Seattle by train. There is no tour manager: the itinerary has travellers check out of each hotel and travel on their own to the Amtrak station between legs. Seven of the fifteen nights are spent onboard Amtrak in Coach seating across five long-distance trains. On day 2, the Sunset Limited crosses sprawling deserts past mountains and cacti on the way to New Orleans, where a guided tour visits the French Quarter, Jackson Square and the bayous. On day 12, the Empire Builder crosses the northern plains and the Rocky Mountains, passing Glacier National Park on the way to Seattle. In Washington, D.C., the included Monuments by Moonlight tour shows the major monuments lit up at night. It suits independent, experienced rail travellers who want the full cross-country Amtrak experience starting from the West Coast.
What to know before you look closer
- This is an independent rail vacation, not an escorted tour: on day 15 travellers "travel on their own to the Amtrak station," and there is no tour manager.
- No meals are included on this itinerary; the included list covers only the rail travel and the hotel nights.
- The evidence lists 30 accommodation options across the cities and tiers on this trip, from the Holiday Inn Express to the InterContinental in Los Angeles, so the exact hotel depends on what is booked.
- All the Amtrak travel, including the seven overnight legs across five different trains, is in Coach class rather than a sleeper cabin.
Day by day
- Day 1overnight: Onboard Amtrak
Your Journey Begins in Los Angeles
Hop onboard Amtrak this evening in Los Angeles for a journey east to New Orleans.
- Day 2railovernight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
Your rail journey continues as the Sunset Limited makes its way through the southern parts of the country. Glide through sprawling deserts, past mountains and cacti as the train heads towards New Orleans.
- Day 3railovernight: New Orleans
New Orleans, LA
After passing through Louisiana, the train will arrive into New Orleans today. Check-in to your hotel and head to sleep, tomorrow you will get to explore "the Big Easy."
- Day 4overnight: New Orleans
New Orleans, LA
Today you will get to experience New Orleans on a guided sightseeing tour. Your tour will take you all around the "City that Care Forgot" to see the French Quarter, historic Jackson Square, past the cemeteries known as the "Cities of the Dead", and along the bayous that make New Orleans famous.
- Day 5railovernight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
This morning check out of your hotel and head over to the Amtrak station to board the Crescent for your trip up to Washington, DC. As the train makes its way up from the South, prepare for a fun time in our Nation's Capital.
- Day 6overnight: Washington, D.C.
Washington, DC
Welcome to Washington, DC! Upon arrival check-in to your hotel and begin exploring Washington. Tonight, enjoy the Monuments by Moonlight tour that will take you to see all of the major U.S. monuments lit up at night.
- Day 7overnight: Washington, D.C.
Washington, DC
Spend the day strolling through one or more of the many Smithsonian museums, stroll over to the Capital Building, and make sure to stop for picture-taking at the White House.
- Day 8overnight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
Today you will check out of your hotel and board the Capitol Limited to Chicago.
- Day 9overnight: Chicago
Chicago, IL
Arrive into Chicago this morning and check-in at your hotel for an overnight stay. Enjoy exploring the Windy City with your hop-on, hop-off tour that covers all of Chicago's major landmarks, attractions and neighborhoods, including Millennium Park, Navy Pier and Michigan Avenue.
- Day 10overnight: Chicago
Chicago, IL
Continue exploring Chicago at your leisure today. Perhaps you want to visit the Willis Tower for a birds eye view of the city, or stroll Magnificent Mile for some world class shopping.
- Day 11railovernight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
Spend the morning enjoying more of the sights of Chicago before boarding the train for your journey to Seattle.
- Day 12overnight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
Wake up and enjoy the amazing views that slip by your window as you continue to make your way west. Today you will be traveling through the great northern plains, the Rocky Mountains, and passing by Glacier National Park.
- Day 13overnight: Seattle
Seattle, WA
Today you will arrive in the shining city, Seattle. Check-in to your hotel and prepare for a fun couple of days in "the Emerald City". Perhaps you want to stroll down to the popular Pike's Place Market, or enjoy the Seattle Waterfront.
- Day 14overnight: Seattle
Seattle, WA
Today you will get to explore Seattle with your hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour! Travel around to Seattle's top attractions such as the iconic Space Needle, the Chihuly Garden and Glass exhibit, Pioneer Square, and Pike's Place Market.
- Day 15overnight: Onboard Amtrak
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
Check-out of your hotel and travel on your own to the Amtrak station to board the famous Coast Starlight. As you head south to Los Angeles you will travel past some of the beautiful peaks of the Cascade Range, lush forests, and fertile valleys.
- Day 16rail
Your Journey Ends in Los Angeles
As the train makes its way south, enjoy the panoramic views of the Pacific Coast. The Coast Starlight is one of Amtrak's most popular routes as it allows you to see areas of the California coastline not accessible any other way. Tonight, arrive in Los Angeles with fond memories of a memorable journey by rail.
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 2The Sunset Limited crosses sprawling deserts, past mountains and cacti, on the way to New Orleans.
- Day 4A guided New Orleans tour visits the French Quarter, historic Jackson Square and the city's bayous.
- Day 6The included Monuments by Moonlight tour in Washington, D.C. shows the major U.S. monuments lit up at night.
- Day 12The Empire Builder crosses the northern plains and the Rocky Mountains, passing Glacier National Park on the way to Seattle.
- Day 16The Coast Starlight gives panoramic views of the Pacific Coast along the California coastline on the way into Los Angeles.
Included
- One way Amtrak® in Coach accommodations from Los Angeles to New Orleans on the Sunset Limited®; from New Orleans to Washington, DC on the Crescent®; from Washington, DC to Chicago on the Capitol Limited®; from Chicago to Seattle on the Empire Builder®; and from Seattle to Los Angeles on the Coast Starlight®
- 8 nights' hotel accommodations; 7 nights' onboard Amtrak
Questions travellers ask
- Is the train travel included?
- Yes. Amtrak Vacations includes one-way Coach-class travel on the Sunset Limited, Crescent, Capitol Limited, Empire Builder and Coast Starlight, roundtrip from Los Angeles around the country and back.
- Is this trip escorted or independent?
- It's an independent rail vacation. Travellers travel on their own to the Amtrak station between legs, and there is no tour manager.
- Which trains are used?
- The Sunset Limited (Los Angeles to New Orleans), Crescent (New Orleans to Washington, D.C.), Capitol Limited (Washington, D.C. to Chicago), Empire Builder (Chicago to Seattle) and Coast Starlight (Seattle to Los Angeles).
- What hotels are used?
- 30 accommodation options across the cities and tiers, for example the Holiday Inn Express or InterContinental in Los Angeles, and the Hotel Monteleone or Hyatt Centric in New Orleans; the exact hotel depends on what is booked.
- How many nights are spent onboard the train?
- 7 nights onboard Amtrak, against 8 nights in hotels, across the round trip.
- What is included besides rail and hotels?
- A guided sightseeing tour of New Orleans, the Monuments by Moonlight tour in Washington, D.C., and hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tours in Chicago and Seattle.
