2 Days Coast & Castle
San Francisco to Monterey, Hearst Castle and Big Sur
San Luis Obispo. AMTRAK return to San Francisco.
2 Days / 1 night
Agriculture of Salinas Valley and resorts in
Monterey. Pacific crashing on the cliffs at Big Sur.
Mansions and a Castle of Dreams.
Trip includes:Narrated bus transportation, one night of hotel stay, one dinner, one breakfast, 17 mile drive fee, Hearst Castle Tour, and return transportation by Amtrak train.
Day 1: San Francisco to Monterey - 154 miles.
Pick up from hotels in downtown San Francisco area start at 8:15 AM. The tour departs by 9:00 AM. Driving along San Andreas Fault, the bus turns west to Half Moon Bay and then south on the Pacific Coast Highway to Santa Cruz with beautiful views of the ocean. You reach Monterey by mid day, after a short tour stop at the Cannery Row, allowing time for lunch or an optional visit to the Aquarium.
From the seaside gardens of Pacific Grove to 17 Mile Drive, you see the ocean crashing, mansions, and golf courses. A stop is included at Pebble Beach. The bus then continues to Carmel by the Sea, the idyllic village with its art galleries and cottages set in pine trees. During the trip, stops are made at Pacific Grove, 17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, and Carmel by the Sea for about an hour. You arrive at the Bay Park Hotel by 5:30 PM. Dinner is included at the hotel.
Day 2: Monterey to San Luis Obispo and back to San Francisco - 411 miles
Breakfast is included at the hotel. You take a tour along scenic Highway One and see the Big Sur Coast, Coastal Redwoods, and San Simeon. This is where you do a tour of the Hearst Castle, built by Julia Morgan during the 1920s and 1930s for the art collection of world famous newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst. This 2 hour tour is ideal for first time visitors
with an easy walk, a total of about 150 steps. After the tour, the bus drives east along Highway One to San Luis Obispo, arriving
by 3:30 PM. At 3:43 PM, you board the Amtrak Coast Starlight Train. At Camp Roberts, we enter Monterey County. Suddenly along the
river, there are oil fields giving way to miles and miles of newly planted vineyards, where just a few years ago there was only
cattle pasture. At King City, along Salinas River, we go by small towns, fields of lettuce and broccoli, and acres of green houses,
arriving in Salinas at 6:36 PM. Along the San Andreas Fault, we go northwest through garlic country to Silicon Valley at San Jose.
On the eastern shores, past marshlands of San Francisco Bay, the train reaches Jack London Square in Oakland by 9:35 PM. The thruway
coach takes us across the Bay Bridge and reaches the San Francisco Ferry Building terminal by 10:10 PM. You must make your way to
your hotel in San Francisco. Most hotels in the central San Francisco area are about ten minutes away by cab.Pictures of Amtrak (Coast Starlight Train)
Comfortable reclining seats on Coast Starlight
Beautiful Ocean View from the train
Vista Dome car and Dinning car
Burger and chips on the train Sun Luis Obispo train Station
THIS IS NOT A GROUP TOUR. It is an independent trip using local sightseeing companies and Amtrak trains. You will not be in a group and there is not a guide with you, except during the actual tour portions of the trip.All bookings must be made at least 3 working days in advance, but it is best to book as early as possible. These bookings are normally confirmed within 2 to 5 business days, but confirmation may take longer if the departure date is several weeks or months away.
Departs Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, & Sun from May to October
Double Single Triple Child
$353 $443 $333 $118
Price per person in U.S. Dollars. Child ages are 5 to 11 - sharing a room with one or more adults
Boarding & Hotel Locations / Rules and Regulations