Trip info southwest chief - California Zephir

[Goral]

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to travel for one month accross USA. Willing to see as much of the country as possible, and having no car, I rely on amtrak trains to help me in my quest. Could you please help me to make my travel itineraries?

My trip will certainly start from washington to chicago. I'll spend 2 days there to visit the city (enough?).

Then I'll take the Southwest Chief. On this route, which stops should I make? Santa Fe, Flagstaff, Kansas City, Raton ( to see colorado springs), Albuquerque, Gallup (to discover native american culture), or others???? How many days should I stay at each place? The Grand Canyon is obviously one of the main attractions, how many days should I plan to stay there?

Once in Los Angeles, is it worth to go down to san diego, to head up to san fransisco after that?

From San Fransisco, I'll certainly make a crush to yosemite national park.

Then, I'll catch up the Caliphornia Zephir. Again, should I make any stops on this route? Salt Lake City, Glenwood Springs, Reno, others???

I should be leaving Chicago on the 19th of May, and I have to be back in New-York for the 18th of June... I don't know how to split my time!

Thank you so much for your help!!

 

[zephyr17]

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to travel for one month accross USA. Willing to see as much of the country as possible, and having no car, I rely on amtrak trains to help me in my quest. Could you please help me to make my travel itineraries?

My trip will certainly start from washington to chicago. I'll spend 2 days there to visit the city (enough?).

Then I'll take the Southwest Chief. On this route, which stops should I make? Santa Fe, Flagstaff, Kansas City, Raton ( to see colorado springs), Albuquerque, Gallup (to discover native american culture), or others???? How many days should I stay at each place? The Grand Canyon is obviously one of the main attractions, how many days should I plan to stay there?

Once in Los Angeles, is it worth to go down to san diego, to head up to san fransisco after that?

From San Fransisco, I'll certainly make a crush to yosemite national park.

Then, I'll catch up the Caliphornia Zephir. Again, should I make any stops on this route? Salt Lake City, Glenwood Springs, Reno, others???

I should be leaving Chicago on the 19th of May, and I have to be back in New-York for the 18th of June... I don't know how to split my time!

Thank you so much for your help!!

Just to be clear, if you are planning your trip for May/June this year, you should get your reservations as quickly as possible. Note that even if you have a rail pass, you cannot simply board trains at will. Each segment on Amtrak long distance trains must be reserved in advance and ticketed, and so must be planned in advance.

As to the Southwest Chief, I'd do Santa Fe (over Albuquerque) and of course the Grand Canyon. You could spend a LONG time at the Grand Canyon and not exhaust it, but at the very least plan to stay overnight so as to experience sunset and sunrise at the Canyon. I am not sure I'd really recommend Gallup unless you like curio shops and rough bars, unless your visit coincides with a Pow Wow. Been through there a few times on US66/I40. I think you'd probably get a reasonable introduction to Hopi and Navajo culture at Grand Canyon National Park.

If your choice is more time in San Francisco and skip San Diego, I would do that. I'd plan at least 3/4 days in San Francisco (not including a trip to Yosemite). There is a lot to see and do in and around San Franscisco. If you can allow at least that much, then you can consider adding San Diego (only 2 1/2 hours from LA). Salt Lake City can be interesting for the heavily Mormon influence there, if nothing else. I'd also recommend Glenwood Springs and do the hot springs there. Reno could be a fun overnight to experience a bit of Nevada-style gambling/entertainment. Not much more than a day in either Reno or SLC, though, I think.

Yosemite is a few hours away from San Francisco. It'll take a large part of a day to get there. You can reach Yosemite Valley by Amtrak San Joaquin service with a connecting Amtrak Thruway bus. Again, I would plan on staying there at least overnight.

Remember, including Yosemite (basically most of day each way from the Bay Area), you are talking at least 10-12 days on trains, and most trains only run once a day (except for the San Joaquins and Pacific Surfliners to San Diego).

 

[Sam31452]

Stay in Albuquerque, as the station is far more central than in Santa Fe, but do a daytrip to Santa Fe by the new commuter railway NMRailrunner.

For Grand Canyon: A day is enough (stay as late as possible) if you don't want to go hiking, if your plannings include hiking make it more.

The Grand Canyon Railway is only worth the trip one way. The only way a one way trip can be booked is by using Amtraks reservation system.

2 days in Chicago might not be enough, better make it three. ( I guess you want to see that Burlington Zephyr)

For the CZ: The classic stopover is probably Glenwood Springs, Denver makes a good base for a day trip to Rocky Mountain NP.

=> If the train is on time, you'll have about 1h in Denver, head for a Beer at the Wynkoop brewery right opposite the station.

You are missing something: Go to sacramento for a day or two, it also makes a good base for a day trip to Yosemite NP (better stay 2 days there, but be aware that hotel rates at YOS are a rip-off). Even if you are not a railroad addict, you should visit the California state railroad museum. If possible stay at the Youth Hostel (no kidding), it's one of the nicest places I've ever been to.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Things not to miss on your trip.

At least two days in Chicago and you still cant see it all :lol:

SW Chief- if you have time, take a quick look at the newly refurbished Kansas City Union Station -beautiful work of art.

Albuquerque and the train ride up to Santa Fe as mentioned.

Williams, AZ and the train ride up to Grand Canyon

Take the Surfliner to San Diego from LA -so many things to see in Balboa Park, museums, zoo, etc and a tour of the aircraft carrier Midway.

The Coast Starlight to Sacramento-a very scenic ride- hotels are cheaper than in San Francisco and you can take California Corridor trains to SF daily and do the tourist thing as long as you wish.

Then you can take San Joaquins down to Merced, where you can get a reasonably price hotel and have a tour bus ride to Yosemite each day. Beautiful drive along the Merced River. Try to stay overnight in Yosemite but lodges are pretty expensive in late spring and summer.

You can take San Jaoquins back to Sacramento and catch the California Zephyr from there in the late morning.

Definitely plan a stop in Salt Lake City. Tours of the Mormon Tabernacle Square, nice places to eat. Good public transport. And if time, take the train to Ogden for a nice museum and scenic ride along the Wasatch Mts.

Glenwood Springs is also a nice jumping off place but you would need a car to reach the Utah and Colorado parks.

Just a few places we have visited and enjoyed. Have a wonderful trip.

 

[lthanlon]

Some good recommendations here about must-sees, but I'd like to add a couple of my favorites.

CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR

Consider a stay in Elko or Winnemucca, Nevada. Both places are a lot less glitzed up than Las Vegas or Reno and still retain somewhat of an old flair.

SOUTHWEST CHIEF

Gallup, New Mexico, is a fascinating place with an abundance of history from several Native American cultures, as well as American car culture. Some years ago, I enjoyed hiring a Native American guide who took us on a four-wheel drive tour of a number of sites generally off the beaten tourist path.

 

[RailFanLNK]

I would stay in Glenwood Springs for a couple of days. If you are low on dough, they have a hostel there and its like $20 per night. The place isn't the Ritz, but it should suffice. Also GSC has free bus transportation through the city allthough the town is small.

Chicago you need at least 3 days. Cheap sleep is Hostelling International at 24 E Congress Pkwy, its a $5 cab ride from CUS or you can just walk out of CUS on to Jackson Street and catch the CTA 126 bus and get off at Congress and Michigan.

Sacramento, you need to hang in Old Sacramento, also they have a Hostelling International there as well. I haven't personally stayed at the hostel, but it gets good reviews. The California RR Musuem is excellent. I love passenger rail but other kinds of railroading doesn't really interest me much but I still really enjoyed the musuem.

San Francisco has loads of hostels and they all get good reviews allthough one of them is in a rougher neighborhood. If you spend time in SF, do the audio tour of Alcatraz and Fisherman's Wharf.