Amtrak Vacations
Coast Starlight Experience from Seattle
Coast Starlight train trip from Seattle to Los Angeles
6 daysfrom $1,259
33% rail
Amtrak Vacations
The Essential Californian
Six-day San Francisco to San Diego rail trip via Los Angeles
Amtrak Vacations runs this 6-day, 5-night rail trip down the California coast, starting in San Francisco and ending in San Diego. The first two days are based in San Francisco, using a CityPASS to visit attractions such as the California Academy of Sciences, the Aquarium of the Bay and the Exploratorium, plus an evening at Fisherman's Wharf. Travelers then make their own way to the Amtrak station to board the Coast Starlight, which follows the coastline past forests, valleys and the Pacific Ocean into Los Angeles for a narrated hop-on, hop-off tour that takes in Hollywood and the Santa Monica Pier, before the Pacific Surfliner continues south to San Diego. The final two days include a harbor cruise around San Diego Bay, past Coronado Island and Point Loma. With no meals included and travelers navigating the train stations themselves, it suits independent minded travelers who want a shorter, self-guided introduction to California by rail.
What to know before you look closer
- The package lists 18 hotel options across different tiers and cities; which hotel you actually get in San Francisco and Los Angeles depends on what is booked, for example the Fairmont San Francisco or the Kimpton Alton Hotel.
- No meals are listed as included in this package; the CityPASS and sightseeing tours cover attractions and transport, not food.
- This is an independent package: travelers make their own way to the Amtrak station for the rail segments, and there is no escorted tour manager.
- The evidence does not list specific departure dates; confirm current availability and pricing with Amtrak Vacations.
Day by day
- Day 1overnight: San Francisco
Your Journey Begins in San Francisco
Welcome to San Francisco! After checking in at your hotel, begin using your CityPASS to discover some of the city's most exciting attractions. This evening, visit one of San Francisco's most beloved attraction, Fisherman's Wharf. This gorgeous waterfront community is rich in both culture and fun. Be sure to treat yourself to some delicious local cuisine, like sourdough bread, clam chowder and fresh seafood!
- Day 2overnight: San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
Enjoy your second day in San Francisco discovering all the city's famous landmarks with your CityPASS, which includes admission to many attractions, including the California Academy of Sciences, Aquarium of the Bay, Exploratorium and more!
- Day 3overnight: Los Angeles
San Francisco to Los Angeles
Travel on your own to the Amtrak® station and board the Coast Starlight® to Los Angeles. The Coast Starlight ventures along the gorgeous California coastline and offers scenic views you will never forget. The lush forests, fertile valleys, and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline provide a stunning backdrop for your journey. Upon your arrival in the "City of Angels," you'll check into your hotel, and once you're all settled in, feel free to start exploring this fascinating city that so many movie stars call home.
- Day 4railovernight: San Diego
Los Angeles to San Diego
Los Angeles is known as the entertainment capital of the world, so there is much to see and do here. Enjoy a narrated hop-on, hop-off tour of L.A., which allows you to get off as often as you like! Highlights of your tour will include the iconic Grauman's Chinese Theatre, the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, the fancy Rodeo Drive, Kodak Theatre, Paramount Studios, Hollywood & Vine, the Santa Monica Pier, the fabulous Fashion District, and many more! Feel free to explore any of the stops at your own pace. Later, travel to the Amtrak's Union Station and board the train to San Diego. Relax on the Pacific Surfliner® as you continue your journey south along the Pacific Ocean coastline. Upon arrival in San Diego, check-in to your hotel and begin to experience "America's Finest City."
- Day 5overnight: San Diego
San Diego, CA
Take the final day of your California journey to continue to explore San Diego on the included sightseeing harbor cruise. Enjoy the best sightseeing on beautiful San Diego Bay with a professionally narrated tour of all of San Diego's most popular landmarks including Seaport Village, Shelter Island, ship-building and dry-docking facilities, Coronado Island, Point Loma, and Cabrillo National Monument, among many others. Enjoy the perfect end to this memorable tour of California.
- Day 6
Your Journey Ends in San Diego
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 1The trip begins with a CityPASS-based evening visit to Fisherman's Wharf, a waterfront district known for sourdough bread, clam chowder and fresh seafood.
- Day 3The Coast Starlight travels the California coastline from San Francisco to Los Angeles, past lush forests, fertile valleys and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline.
- Day 4A narrated hop-on, hop-off tour of Los Angeles takes in Grauman's Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive and the Santa Monica Pier.
- Day 5An included harbor cruise on San Diego Bay passes Seaport Village, Coronado Island, Point Loma and Cabrillo National Monument.
Included
- One-way Amtrak® in Coach accommodations from San Francisco to Los Angeles; Los Angeles to San Diego on the Coast Starlight® and Pacific Surfliner®
- 5 nights' hotel accommodations
Questions travellers ask
- Is the train travel included?
- Yes. Amtrak Vacations includes one-way Coach travel from San Francisco to Los Angeles on the Coast Starlight and from Los Angeles to San Diego on the Pacific Surfliner.
- Is this trip escorted or independent?
- It's an independent package: you travel to the Amtrak station on your own, though a San Francisco CityPASS, a Los Angeles hop-on, hop-off tour and a San Diego harbor cruise are included.
- Which trains are used?
- The Coast Starlight from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and the Pacific Surfliner from Los Angeles to San Diego, both in Coach class.
- What hotels are used?
- The package offers a choice of hotels in each city from 18 listed options, including the Fairmont San Francisco, InterContinental San Francisco and Hilton San Francisco Union Square, and the Regent Santa Monica or InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown in Los Angeles.
- What is included besides the train and hotels?
- A San Francisco CityPASS covering the California Academy of Sciences and a Bay cruise, plus a choice of two more attractions; a narrated hop-on, hop-off tour of Los Angeles; and a sightseeing harbor cruise of San Diego Bay.
- How much walking is involved?
- Sightseeing is mostly self-guided with a CityPASS in San Francisco, a narrated hop-on, hop-off bus tour in Los Angeles, and a harbor cruise in San Diego; no hiking or high-altitude activity is described.
