Trade The California Highway For Train Tracks And A Surfboard On The 'Surfliner'

If you need to get from San Diego to Los Angeles, or vice versa, the hour-and-a-half car ride could easily double given the horrific L.A. traffic. Avoid the road rage and smog by hopping on Amtrak and taking a two-hour-and-40-minute scenic train trip north. The Pacific Surfliner leaves from San Diego station and travels the Southern California coast to L.A.'s Union Station, and for those looking to go farther, the line goes all the way north to San Luis Obispo.

The stops in between vary according to train, but some include Solana Beach, Oceanside, Anaheim and Irvine. And it's not like this is a rare occurrence; Amtrak makes 12 daily round-trip treks between San Diego and Los Angeles, and between Santa Barbara and San Diego.

The train chugs along the shoreline, letting the panoramic windows do the entertaining with an amazing view of the ocean for most of the trip. Not to mention the seats have ample leg room and are comfy, all of which makes for a relaxing ride. If you think being only 20 feet from the waves will have you craving the surf, bring your board; most of the trains are equipped with surfboard racks. There are also bike racks, if you're more of a landlubber. And if you get the munchies, there's a cafe car that offers light eats, such as soups, salads, pizza and sandwiches.

Undoubtably the best thing about the trip, aside from practically being on the beach, is the cost: $29 one way. A small price to pay to avoid the inevitable bumper-to-bumper gridlock.

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[Photo: Karen D'Souza]

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