Page 48 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

RAILWAY JOURNEYS
THE NAPA VALLEY WINE TRAIN south of
Yountville, right; Indian Springs Resort &
Spa, Calistoga, opposite.
Three other popular California train
routes are operated by Amtrak, all of which
offer free Wi-Fi service. The Capital Cor-
ridor, beloved by business commuters,
runs from San Jose to Auburn (via Sacra-
mento), crossing the state’s agricultural
Central Valley. The much more scenic
Pacific Surfliner, a six-hour run that skirts
the Pacific, joins San Luis Obispo and San
Diego (via Santa Barbara and Los Angeles).
Travelers can arrange trips to Yosemite via
the San Joaquins line to Fresno or Merced,
where a waiting bus will ferry them to the
national park. The San Joaquins trains run
between either the San Francisco Bay Area
or Sacramento and Fresno/Bakersfield.
Excursion Favorites
Until 1930, tourists visiting Mt. Tamal-
pais—the Bay Area’s signature 2,574-foot
peak—could board the Mt. Tamalpais &
Muir Woods Railway: “The Crookedest Rail-
road in the World.” Though, sadly, that line
was dismantled, there are still plenty of
unusual steam-and-theme excursions
available to the 21st-century traveler. These
include Mendocino’s irresistible Skunk
Train. Starting at the coastal town of Fort
Bragg, the Skunk navigates some 30
bridges, trestles and tunnels on its 40-mile
journey between Fort Bragg and Willits. Fol-
lowing an old redwood lumber delivery
route, it’s said to be one of the “Ten most
scenic train rides” in North America.
Book your tickets early for the popular
Napa Valley Wine Train, with three-hour
round trips in “meticulously restored rail
cars” between Napa and St. Helena in Cali-
fornia’s wine country. Enjoy a la carte or
gourmet dining, depending on your class of
ticket. Lunch trains run daily, with winery
tours available. For their frequent dinner
46 2017 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
train schedule and popular special events,
please visit the website (see sidebar).
Departing from Woodland, the family-
run, family-friendly Sacramento RiverTrain
rolls leisurely through Yolo County on two-
to three-hour themed trips. In addition to
offering wine, beer, food and live music on
some routes, there are several specialty rides,
including Great Train Robberies, Beer Trains
and Murder Mysteries. Another option is the
Sierra Dinner Train, which runs on one of
several rail lines built in the late 19th century
to link the Gold Country with the Central
Valley. Today, the excursion “provides visi-
tors an opportunity to travel on the historic
Sierra Railroad while enjoying a delicious
meal, beautiful countryside and a wide range
of entertainment.” Passengers board in Oak-
dale, 90 miles east of San Francisco (70 miles
south of Sacramento). Both the Sacramento
River and Sierra lines also offer Zombie Train
experiences: “One part passenger train, one
part zombie killing machine.” Just sayin’.
Historic Revivals
A variety of shorter train rides lace through the
California landscape, recreating (more or less)
a taste of what travel was like for settlers of the
1800s. Santa Cruz’s popular Roaring Camp
Railroad offers a Beach Train from Felton to the
Santa Cruz shore, or a steam train into the Bear
Mountain redwood forests. With several trips
daily plus a regular “Moonlight Special,” which
includes a BBQ and campfire sing-along, the
narrow-gauge Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine
Railroad recalls the days when logs harvested
in the Sierras were delivered to the fast-
growing settlements in the Central Valley.
Second Childhood
Speaking of super-short train rides, a peren-
nial favorite is the Redwood Valley Railway
in Tilden Park, Berkeley, which is open on
weekends year-round. The 12-minute ride—
with hand-built steam locomotives pulling
open-bed flatcars—chugs through rustic
tunnels and around wooded curves, with
(season permitting) panoramic views of San
Francisco Bay. Tickets are $3, a five-ride
ticket only $12, and children under two ride
free. It’s a real family experience—even dogs
are welcome!
» CATCH
A TRAIN!
Amtrak
amtrak.com
Skunk Train
skunktrain.com
Napa Valley Wine Train
winetrain.com
Sacramento RiverTrain
sacramentorivertrain.com
Sierra Railroad: Oakdale
sierrarailroad.com
Roaring Camp Railroad
roaringcamp.com
Yosemite Mountain Sugar
Pine Railroad
ymsprr.com
Redwood Valley Railway
redwoodvalleyrailway.com
DREW JACKSICH/CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR. OPPOSITE: CALISTOGA CVB