Skip flying or driving—the Coast Starlight is one of the best ways to see the rugged mountains, bustling beaches, and scenic forests of the West Coast. The Coast Starlight departs daily between Los Angeles and Seattle, a 35-hour journey that stops in some of the West Coast’s most iconic cities, including Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver.
The southern half features long stretches of the Pacific Ocean shoreline before veering inland to the golden valleys of the state’s agricultural heart, up to the majestic snow-covered peaks of the Cascade mountains. But don’t get off at the California border. Keep going north into Klamath Falls—dubbed “Oregon’s City of Sunshine”—and through Eugene and Tacoma.
For long days and fewer crowds, hop aboard during late spring or early summer. Pro Tip: Be sure to grab a seat in the first-come, first-serve observation lounge, an amenity offered on all long-haul Amtrak routes.
Tickets from $75