The scenery of U.S. Highway 101 and California State Route 1 are great ways to travel up the coast to Santa Barbara and relax, except for all the traffic. California natives are no strangers to the hassle and headache that are the roadways. The cost in gas alone to get up the coast is staggering. So what is one to do? Take the train of course!
Starting out at the Irvine Station in south Orange County, the $62 round-trip ticket is well worth the money. It may seem like a high-priced ticket, but getting to sit back and relax for three-and-a-half hours while it poured cats and dogs outside was completely worth every penny I spent.
Although the trip is long, it’s enjoyable. Every seat comes with its own plug adapter making it easy to work on your computer, watch movies, charge your phone, or whatever else your heart desires.
The quickest part of the trip is to Los Angeles. It seems there is a stop every five minutes. But once you pull into Union Station and switch lead cars, the trip becomes a scenic tour of the California coast.
No matter which side of the train you choose to sit on, there is something to look at. Beautiful ocean, sandy beaches and rocky hills and mountainsides go buzzing by.
Even some of the train stations are amazing to look at. Pulling into Santa Barbara, the station looks like one you might expect to find in a movie about the early 20th century. The small building, covered with brick, is located only a short while away from State Street, the main thoroughfare of the city.
Santa Barbara is a classic college town. Although it is a well-known city, it has a small town atmosphere. Everything you need is in walking distance and every once in a while they will close down sections of State Street for a farmers market.
There is an enormous number of shops and restaurants located near each other, making it difficult to choose where to go, but wherever you choose, you are guaranteed a good meal and an amazing opportunity to people watch.
My favorite part of Santa Barbara would have to be the Mission. Located on the outskirt of the main city, the Santa Barbara Mission is not only a beautiful piece of architecture but an amazing piece of history. Walking up to the mission, you have an overwhelming sense of history and appreciation. Many tourists come to Santa Barbara specifically to walk inside and learn about its rich history.
Another amazing historical site located close to the mission is the Santa Barbara Courthouse. Completed in 1929, the courthouse is one of the oldest in the city.
Getting on the train to come back home, I felt like I was leaving too soon. There is so much to do in Santa Barbara, one day there hardly seems enough. As we pulled away from the station I watched the lights of the city fade away into the distance and I was on my way back home.
I will say this, if a four-hour train ride seems like a long time to you, then don’t ever take the train during a storm like I did. Lightning will most likely hit the tracks and mess with the electrical switches like it did in my case, causing my four hour train ride to turn into a six and a half hour train ride. But if that doesn’t bother you, then all aboard!