Coast Starlight - the Train from Los Angeles (LAX) to Seattle (SEA) through San Francisco | Amtrak Coast Starlight Seattle - Portland - Los Angeles A Grand West Coast Train Adventure En route daily between Los Angeles and Seattle, the Coast Starlight train passes through Santa Barbara, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento and Portland. Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular of all train routes, the Coast Starlight links the greatest cities on the West Coast. The scenery along the Coast Starlight route is unsurpassed. The dramatic snow-covered peaks of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta, lush forests, fertile valleys and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline provide a stunning backdrop for your journey. Travel in Comfort This legendary train features Superliner Sleeping and Dining Car accommodations and spectacular views from our renowned Sightseer Lounge Car. Coach passengers enjoy big, comfortable seats, plenty of legroom, along with Just-for-You Express Meal Service, where coach passengers can select from a limited daily menu featuring specially priced, freshly prepared lunch and dinner selections with the convenience of at-seat delivery.

In Business Class, you'll enjoy a fully refundable ticket if canceled prior to departure, 25% point bonus for Amtrak Guest Rewards members, seating in a dedicated car, an invitation to the wine & cheese tasting in the Pacific Parlour Car*, free Wi-Fi, two bottles of water, a $6 onboard food coupon and access to the Metropolitan Lounge in Los Angeles and Portland. * From January 6, 2017 to mid-March 2017, the Pacific Parlour Car will be available only on Friday departures from Los Angeles (Train 14) and on Sunday departures only from Seattle (Train 11). Trails & Rails - Heritage Appreciation On Board An innovative partnership program between the National Park Service and Amtrak, the Trails & Rails program provides Amtrak passengers with educational opportunities to foster an appreciation of a selected region's natural and cultural heritage and renews the long tradition of associating railroads with National Parks. The Coast Starlight has two Trails & Rails programs on board. Juan Bautista De Anza National Historical Trail hosts a program between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, California, continuing on to Oakland, California during the summer.

Klondike Goldrush National Historical Park hosts a program between Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. What it's like to take a 36-hour sleeper train from LA to Seattle / Boing Boing What it's like to take a 36-hour sleeper train from LA to Seattle report this ad What it's like to take a 36-hour sleeper train from LA to Seattle By Nicole Dieker Amtrak’s Coast Starlight, which it bills as “A Grand West Coast Train Adventure,” is its last remaining full-service sleeper train. The Coast Starlight is home to what would have previously been standard: a dining car, an observation car with floor-to ceiling windows, a movie theater, and a full slate of entertainment options, including the two complimentary wine tastings. Nicole Dieker takes the trip. Hour –130 (Midnight, August 22) “I feel totally bummed that we aren’t traveling together,” I wrote him. He responded almost instantly. “I was just thinking that.” report this ad report this ad We had been batting around ideas of how, exactly, to get me and my minimal possessions up the coast from Los Angeles to Seattle.

I was making the move, but, as Mike noted, it was a team thing – we were both closing the distance on our long-distance relationship, even though only one of us had our stuff in boxes. The trouble was we were both practical enough to want neither the fox, the hen, nor the bag of corn to do too many jumps back and forth. We had finally agreed that the most logical solution was for me to make the move solo – to pack everything up myself, drop it into a moving storage container, and fly up to the Pacific Northwest. That idea did not sit well with either of us. And, that night, we kept coming back to the train. The Coast Starlight would take us from Los Angeles to Seattle in 35 hours, at $763 for a Superliner Roomette. Food and entertainment were included. Free wine and cheese, I kept noting, as if the promise of a few glasses of wine would be enough to offset the cost of the trip. Not that the cost was really the deciding factor. After all, $763 total is really $381.50 per head, about the same as it would cost to either fly or to take a long weekend and drive the Pacific Coast Highway.

It was more the thing of the thing, a vague phrase that in this case meant: This trip isn’t about moving. It’s about something else. We both figured out what it was really about at the same time, and Mike was already dumping our names and birthdates into Amtrak’s interface by the time I sent over the words “FUCK IT BOOK TRAIN.” “We are going to have an adventure,” I wrote. Then I sent Mike a Facebook sticker of a sailor and a mermaid sharing a bottle of Champagne. Hour –1 (9 a.m., August 27) The start of our adventure. Photo by Michael Bain . There was free Champagne on the trip, but we didn’t know it yet; instead, we were starting our arrival at Los Angeles Union Station with free coffee, in the special lounge set aside for Coast Starlight sleeper car passengers. Neither of us had slept, since he and I had both arrived in Los Angeles barely 24 hours prior (Mike had come down from Vancouver; I had flown back from a series of performances at Intervention 2013 ), and after packing up the single room-with-kitchen-privileges that had been my home in LA, spent the night on two inches of eggshell padding.

It was good coffee. Hour 0 To understand how the Coast Starlight is set up, you have to know a bit about the history of sleeper travel. Although sleeper cars bring up images of Yuri and Lara escaping Kamorovsky, or all those people joining up to Murder on the Orient Express, the actual sleeper car is an American invention. Think Pullman Porters. People have of course been sleeping on trains since there were trains, but after the first differentiated “sleeper car” was built in 1857, the formal concept of sleeper travel developed and then spread to Europe and Asia. Over 150 years later, there are plenty of long-haul train trips that include sleeping accommodations — Amtrak’ll give you a basic roomette on nearly all of its cross-country rides, and I took a particularly memorable 24-hour sleeper train from Delhi to Amritsar — but very few trains that still offer what was once the classic sleeper car experience. Yes, the Orient Express still runs , as do a number of luxury sleepers in Europe. If you’re in America, the Coast Starlight is your only option.

Sleeper cars as luxury vehicles, even at $381.50 per person, are no longer a popular option for either train companies or their passengers, as travelers prefer to spend their vacation dollars on hotels, not to mention trips that don’t take 35 hours to travel between cities. Amtrak’s Coast Starlight, which it bills as “A Grand West Coast Train Adventure,” is its last remaining full-service sleeper train. The Coast Starlight is home to what would have previously been standard: a dining car, an observation car with floor-to ceiling windows, a movie theater, and a full slate of entertainment options, including the two complimentary wine tastings. The majority of these entertainment options took place in the Pacific Parlour Car, “one of Amtrak’s most prized assets.” This car, originally developed in the 1950s for Amtrak’s El Capitan route between Los Angeles and Chicago, is now used only in Coast Starlight runs, and is a warm, wood-paneled lounge that includes armchair, sofa, and table seating. It is also home to a full bar and a library.

It’s the type of car that people think of when they call to mind some vague romanticized notion of train travel, but one that few people get to experience. Without knowing it, Mike and I found ourselves in the middle of a literal piece of history – our Pacific Parlour Car and its five siblings have been transporting people out of Los Angeles for nearly 60 years. We hadn’t understood, when we booked the train, that it was so significant. I didn’t know until these very words that it was one-of-a-kind. For some reason I thought that sleeper travel still, for the most part, existed somewhere; that the type of service provided on our trip was the norm and not an economical anomaly. The Pacific Parlour Car. Photo by Califrayray . CC BY-ND 2.0. Upon arrival, Mike and I were personally welcomed by name and guided to our Superliner Roomette. We had just enough space for two narrow bunkbeds, the bottom of which was conveniently folded into two seats. There was no room to stand and close the door simultaneously. There were, however, fresh bottles of water, several welcome guides, and a schedule of the trip’s meals and activities.

We spent very little time in our roomette, as was no doubt intended, and instead made our way to the upper deck to get to know the train and its layout. Amtrak’s website had prepared us for the Parlour Car, but it was the observation car that made me gasp – floor-to ceiling windows set against chrome fixtures and Amtrak-blue upholstery. Wide seats, alone and in pairs, inviting travelers to sit and watch as the train took us up the coast, scenery slowly changing from deserts to hills to forests. The observation car, which also runs on the Texas Eagle, the California Zepyhr, and the Southwest Chief, was my favorite part of the sleeper train by far – except, of course, my traveling companion. The observation car. Photo by Nicole Dieker. Hour 1 It was Mike’s birthday, and I had adopted him a sea otter. (Technically, it was a “symbolic adoption” from the World Wildlife Foundation , as no organization is going to give an actual otter to a random person with a credit card.) The gift came with a sea otter plushie, who quickly became our trip’s mascot. After all, we were taking him home too.

Mike and the otter in the Pacific Parlour Car. Photo by Michael Bain . Hour 3 One of the more compelling reasons for taking the Coast Starlight was that it was supposed to allow me to continue working while on the train. As a freelance writer and ghostwriter, I provide content for a variety of clients. (Chances are you’ve read some of my byline-free work, but I’ll never tell.) However, Amtrak’s WiFi performed much more poorly than advertised. Turns out the entire sleeper car wireless came from a single MiFi hotspot behind the Parlour Car bar. I wrote five articles between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and then the MiFi signal went down, never to fully return. Hour 5 There is a functional movie theater underneath the Parlour Car, with rows of tiny wooden seats stacked in front of an arm-width sized screen. On our trip, Amtrak screened two films: Toy Story 3 and 42. Mike and I elected to pass on the movies, the better to spend the time enjoying the scenery and the company. Nearly all of the other passengers were ready to talk, especially after it became clear that the internet wasn’t coming back.

The majority of the other travelers were using the Coast Starlight as a starting point for further travel, such as hiking in Glacier National Park or transferring to an Alaskan cruise. (The Coast Starlight officially ends in Seattle; if you book your Coast Starlight ticket through to British Columbia, you’ll make the last leg via bus.) As we had imagined, though not fully realized, it was a car full of adventurers. Hour 6 (4:00 p.m., August 27) The first of our daily wine and cheese tastings came out. Amtrak specifically works with local wine and cheese vendors , and on the way up we enjoyed a Rogue Creamery Lavender Cheddar and a Rabbit Ridge Zinfandel, among others. Mike and I squeezed into a booth with another couple traveling to Portland to do some hiking. We swapped stories about national parks and rock climbing, and, as we did with nearly everyone we met on the trip, commented wryly on the various “luxuries” of life changes and non-traditional career paths that had brought us to the Amtrak Pacific Parlour Car. To take a 35-hour train, after all, you have to have the freedom to disappear from the business world during the work week.

There were many people on that train who were retired, either by choice or by circumstance, and others who were doing contract and sporadic jobs that wouldn’t have existed when the Parlour Car first started its daily run. Though it was clear that several of us were still trying to get work done alongside the essentially non-functional MiFi, it was also clear that none of us were quite so important that we couldn’t be missed, turned out like lights against the blinking world of connectivity as the train exited cell phone range and turned off from the coastline into the mountains. Hour 7 When the train started curving around the Northern California hills, the first passengers started to notice the two additional cars we had picked up along the route. We all stopped to stare out the windows, watching for glimpses of these two private cars that clearly belonged to some very special individuals. Were they movie stars? Tech moguls? Eccentrics? What type of person had enough cash to own or rent two private train cars, and what would that person be doing traveling up the coastline? These two cars were from Patrick Henry Creative Promotions , and when we took a brief station stop, we jumped on our phones to learn that the cars cost $9,000 per day.

Clearly someone wanted very much to have a private trip, even though the Coast Starlight’s largest roomettes, with personal bathrooms and sitting space, only cost $961 — and a few, on this trip, were sitting empty. The going bet was that it was Bill Gates, though none of us really believed it was. Hour 8 Mike and I dressed for dinner, to the delight of our fellow passengers. I’d like to think that this custom was once a fixture of the Coast Starlight and sleeper travel, and that at some point a century ago there were porters going up and down the hallways with freshly-pressed shirts. However, that may be as romanticized a notion as anything else. After all, Amtrak’s Coast Starlight only goes back to 1971, which places us in the world of The Wonder Years, not Downton Abbey. Amtrak offers shared dining, meaning that servers fill each table to capacity before starting the next. We got real cutlery and cloth napkins, multiple courses, and both fresh flowers and fresh dining partners at every table.

The presentation, in this case, outweighed the dining by a few degrees — but I don’t think anyone was riding the Coast Starlight for the food. The one thing we all agreed upon was that the triple chocolate mousse parfait was by far the best dessert. (According to Amtrak’s online menu guide , it also contains 105% of your daily recommended saturated fat. Mike and I shared.) Hour 10 As it turns out, there are functionally-effective blackout curtains as part of each Superliner Roomette. These curtains cover the roomette’s glass doors by fastening to high-quality Velcro strips around the edges of the doorframe. (These Velcro strips would, later, catch and snag my dress, pulling at an already loose seam; when I discovered the rip at PAX, I did a quick DIY fix and held it together with transgender-support stickers .) Hour 11 Here’s how you would have taken a bath on a sleeper train in 1860: carefully, with a basin of water and a sponge. That is, if you bathed at all.

Trains were still using toilets that evacuated directly over the tracks until the 1980s , and Amtrak ran these “direct-dump toilets” on its sleeper cars until at least 1989 . Now, of course, the Coast Starlight has fully-equipped toilet and shower facilities, with stacks of fresh towels and wrapped bars of soap waiting for you. The shower is on a timer, meaning that every time you push the button, you get just enough water to rinse off between suds. It’s better if you realize this before you start the process; I pushed the button six or seven times trying to figure out why the water wouldn’t stay on. Hour 12 (10 p.m., August 27) The promise that the MiFi was back on drew several of us up to the Parlour Car; after all, we were just outside San Jose, home of all the internet in the world. If there’s any place we should have gotten a signal, it was here; and yet only a few of us could actually connect. Phones were working once again, though, and we eagerly checked in with friends and family.

For all the debate about shushers and anti-shushers and whether smartphones take us “out of the moment,” this much is clear: we were in a beautiful car, after an elegant meal, next to a bartender ready to hand out bourbon and ginger at request – and nearly all the passengers chose to log on and send notes to people we cared about, and learn about their days. Nobody had to say “how come the people on your phone are more important than the person at the table next to you,” just like nobody had to ask, 100 years ago, why someone was penning a letter after dinner instead of talking to a newly-met stranger. We all, already, knew why. Hour 13 Regardless of any personal sleeping preferences, everyone went to bed around 11 or midnight. Amtrak blasts station stops and other announcements at least every 30 minutes, and had promised only a brief window of loudspeaker-free travel. We had until 7 a.m. Mike and I kept thinking we would sleep in the same bunk until the very minute when we had to do it. So I shimmied into the upper berth, which gave me enough room to lie down but not enough to sit up.

There were straps to prevent me from falling out, which actually became an issue as the train pushed its way out of California, swaying so hard that I got tossed from one side of the bed to the other. We slept, some. Hour 21 (7 a.m., August 28) The otter says goodbye to California. Photo by Michael Bain . The announcements started again at 7 a.m., as promised. Overnight, we had gone from the last vestiges of California desert to full-on Oregon forests. Breakfast was French toast and sausage in the Dining Car, and then I went immediately to the Observation Car to watch the scenery. Hour 23 At this point even the people who had hoped to get work done on the train had given up, and we were all cheerfully accepting that this day would be a holiday. Mike and I sat in the Parlour Car and talked to a couple of Australians who had boarded in Northern California, as well as a family heading towards Seattle’s Penny Arcade Expo. We browsed the newspapers that had been delivered overnight, poked around on Kindles, and enjoyed the complimentary coffee service.

(As you’ve probably already noted, Mike and I were also aiming towards PAX, in addition to moving me into a new apartment; and no, I don’t know what the appropriate course of action is now that PAX is conflicting its own safe-space rules . We have a year to see if things change.) Hour 25 We could have had complimentary Champagne delivered to our roomette. In all the excitement of the trip, we forgot to order it. Hour 26 Lunch was with two native Portlanders: siblings traveling home before graduate school started. One worked in art installations; the other in gender theory. Mike and I are in our 30s, but suddenly we were the older, wiser pair, offering advice on careers and life choices. (I have very little advice on careers and even less on life choices. You have to figure out the money thing , and you have to figure out what it means to be the person you hope to become.

Mike’s better at being that person than me, most of the time.) Hour 29 (3:30 p.m., August 28) There had been occasional “fresh air breaks” at various stations, in part to keep the trains running on schedule and in part to give smokers a chance to catch up, but we got an actual tourist break in Portland, with nearly an hour to wander the neighborhood around the city. We got coffee. Of course we got coffee. And yes, it was Stumptown. We also walked by Portland’s famous Ground Kontrol arcade , right as two of our friends were tweeting about whether it was still open. (It was.) Then it was back to the station, past the large eye sculpture with its own ADA-accessible ramp, and all the little plaques telling the story of the Green Man. Just a few hours left to go. Hour 30 By now the only people left were the people traveling to Seattle, and we were all in excited good spirits. Fittingly, they brought out the second round of wine and cheese, and poured liberally.

This time we enjoyed a Flagship Marco Polo Black Cheddar and a Firesteed Pinot Gris, but the real star of the show was the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling from Columbia Valley, Washington. Mike and I wanted to buy a bottle, but they sold out before we got a chance. Hour 33 We took the latest dinner seating we could, and still it seemed too early. With a thoroughly hearty breakfast, lunch, and wine tasting under our belts, not to mention the lack of general physical activity, nobody was particularly hungry for the second formal dinner in the Dining Car. This was fine, since the choices were the same as the previous night and slightly worse for wear. We skipped salad, skipped rolls, and skipped dessert, and talked to our dining companions again about the economy and careers and life and all of the other things you talk about when someone asks how you came to be on a 35-hour train. Our dining partners, this time the older and wiser couple, said Mike and I looked so good together. They had seen Mike unwrap his otter, at the very beginning of the trip, when we didn’t realize anyone was watching.

Hour 34 The train made up time as it careened towards Seattle, reminding me of the first trip Mike and I spent together, the last night of JoCo Cruise Crazy , where the ship was equally making up time and we were functionally banned from the upper decks, where I said as I wrapped my arms around him, “this speed isn’t necessarily unsafe, but it is unnerving.” The Coast Starlight was a lot like that cruise – instant friendships with adventurers and people chasing unusual dreams, near-lack of connection to the outside world, continuous food and wine and entertainment, the illusion of luxury, the connection to a type of travel that was over decades ago and is as romanticized as it is real. That cruise was also a liminal space for us, as was this train; a far faster way for us to get from one place to the next than we could have otherwise. We sat together on the lower bunk, otter between us, bags packed up and ready to go, knowing this had been by far the right choice. “That’s the crux of it,” I had written him, that night we decided to take the Coast Starlight.

“We could have the story of how I packed up and flew north, but that’s not the story we want. We both want the other story.” Hour 35 (8 p.m., August 28) “Take a picture,” I said, as we pulled into Seattle’s King Street Station. Arrival in Seattle. Photo by Michael Bain . “Seattle, we are in you!” Mike tweeted . “Guess what, @hellothefuture is here to stay!” “We totally have these Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow looks on our faces,” I replied . As a threshold separating one part of life from another, the Amtrak Coast Starlight works considerably well. As a piece of history, it is an unexpected delight. Whether or not you think it’s an adventure depends on the type of person you are when you board the train. I think you know what we decided. Coast Starlight: Seattle to Los Angeles by train - Telegraph Journeys by Rail Coast Starlight: Seattle to Los Angeles by train On the Coast Starlight, Amtrak’s flagship route between Seattle and Los Angeles, Pamela Petro revels in the feeling of 'motion without responsibility’. Though haunted by a railway disaster of 20 years ago, she still loves trains .

The Coast Starlight offers views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay Image 1 of 2 'The scenery shifts like mad, from the grey north-west shoreline up into the deep, unlit Cascades, from the seabound hills of San Francisco Bay into California's great agricultural valleys, from the Diablo Mountains to the magnificent coast running from San Luis Obispo to LA' By Pamela Petro 12:51PM GMT 13 Jan 2011 Rain gave way to heavy, honeyed sun. Dusk came soon after and drained the gold tones, leaving a silver sky and shining, silver puddles in ploughed fields. Silver tarnished to grey, and then there was nothing. All afternoon we had been passing lumber and railway yards, small towns where cars sat at flashing level crossings, waiting for us to go by. We passed bungalows with front porches facing the tracks and hardscrabble farms along the coastal plain. Rural Oregon had electricity, for heaven's sake, so where were the lights? For two hours we travelled in unrelenting blackness.

Not a single electric flicker, only my reflection in the train window and, in my mind's eye, the flat, bright farmscapes of the Netherlands. (I was reading Gerbrand Bakker's The Twin, set on a Dutch farm, which made a fugue of the afternoon by playing visual harmony to America's coastal north-west.) Just as the dining car attendant announced my dinner reservation, the locomotive pulled into a deep curve. For a few seconds, as the train snaked on itself, I could see in its headlights a forest of giant conifers, heavily weighted with snow. Flakes gusted, swirled and sparkled with frantic blizzard force in the beams. Darkness explained: we were in a massive forest. The trees seemed nearly prehistoric, they were so big, so feral, so far from all humans but us. Every now and then transport transports, in that other, better meaning of the word, the way a great novel does – as Amtrak's Coast Starlight transported me on a November night, high in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. Related Articles On the slow train El Expreso 21 Aug 2010 Here's the great thing about being a train passenger: motion without responsibility.

When the sun rises, or the conversation ends, or when you wake up and look out the window, the world is new. Sometimes unrecognisably, dizzyingly so. To me this is the crux of earthbound magic, and in the US no train conjures it better than the Coast Starlight. The fact that part of the route runs alongside the San Andreas Fault, that tectonic boundary so closely associated with California's earthquakes, only adds to the glamour. The Starlight is one of Amtrak's flagship routes, following the Pacific coast from Seattle to Los Angeles, or vice versa. The scenery shifts like mad, from the grey north-west shoreline up into the deep, unlit Cascades, from the seabound hills of San Francisco Bay into California's great agricultural valleys, from the Diablo Mountains to the magnificent coast running from San Luis Obispo to LA. I caught the train in Seattle, arriving at King Street Station an hour early because web reports claimed it was a zoo. Instead, it appeared to be an archaeological excavation: a $50 million renovation of the 1906 station was half-finished. High moulded ceilings were stripped of Sixties acoustic tiles, but not of the same era's fluorescent tube lights.

Simultaneously, the place felt grand and drab. As more people arrived, the station began to crackle with expectant, nervous energy. An older man in a beret and his wife, who carried a violin case, smiled at me. They seemed like pros; everyone else was busy getting in the right queue. (Amtrak's caste system was already in evidence: "Sleeping Car Passengers" through Door Two, "Coach Passengers"–the riff raff to whom I usually belong – through Door One.) On this trip I had a roomette, which put me in the privileged sleeping-car category. "This way, Sweetie," said Robin, my personal attendant, ushering me up a tiny staircase to my own enclave. Amtrak's roomettes are essentially walk-in closets with two facing seats, a window, and a sliding door along the corridor. The seats fold into a surprisingly comfortable bed. I came back from dinner to find Robin had made it up with crisp white sheets: as elegant a surprise as I've ever had on a train. Had I been sharing the roomette, she would also have made up a top bunk that folded out of the way during the day. Robin brought champagne.

I had a fresh croissant from Belle Epicurean, an authentic French bakery in Seattle, a good book and 36 hours of rhythmic, rocking motion before I reached Los Angeles. A wine tasting had just been announced for the afternoon in the parlour car ("for sleeping-car passengers only!"). I had life beaten. Let me back up a second. Having a life to beat almost wasn't an option. Just over 20 years ago I caught another Amtrak train in Baltimore, on America's opposite coast. It crashed 18 miles later. Writing about it even now I feel anxiety and adrenalin kicking in, my heart beating faster. A freighter cut into the path of my passenger train. When the two collided the Amtrak locomotive erupted in a giant fireball. I almost died; 16 other people did. The crash wasn't in the forefront of my mind on the Coast Starlight, but it skulked near the brainstem. At the station in Seattle I had inexplicably opted to sit in ordinary plastic seats rather than sets of regal, oak-carved benches.

Only later did I realise that the wooden seats were near replicas of those in Baltimore and that my protective, very superstitious subconscious had forbidden me from sitting there. Faced with 36 hours of rare free time – my train left Seattle at 9.45am on Monday and arrived in LA at 9pm the following evening – I had been looking forward to gazing luxuriously out the window at the edges of other people's lives, considering my own. Train travel's great for that. As the engine hurls you forward, tooting its horn (as ours did almost constantly), you're free to plan your future. And yet this was something else I couldn't do. I had been carefully considering the year 1987 when the other train crashed (shortly after New Year's Day) and because I now fear the wrath of the God of Irony, I was careful not to tempt him again. I had lunch in the parlour car. There was also a dining car –"Coach Passengers" were allowed there, too – but the parlour car was reserved exclusively for us sleeping-car people. This seemed wrong. But my egalitarian qualms didn't stop me from enjoying it.

Amtrak owns five vintage parlour cars, built for the Santa Fe Railroad in 1956, and they are used exclusively on the Coast Starlight route (two head north 24 hours apart, two head south and one is reserved as a spare). The parlour car had banquette seating, a bar, swivel chairs for enjoying the scenery, Wi-Fi access and a dreadlocked attendant, William. Meals ranged from fair to pretty good to pretty darn good (in the final category: lime sorbet and manicotti stuffed with portobello mushrooms). The accoutrements – white tablecloths, real silverware, tieback curtains – conjured Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in North by Northwest. Or at least the friendly couple from the station. They turned out to be Walter and Milly, from Berkeley, California. Real train pros. They have taken Amtrak's Zephyr from San Francisco to Denver, and the Empire Builder through Glacier National Park, from Chicago to Seattle. "This is the best of the lot," said Milly, "for scenery and elegance." "Really? It beats Glacier National Park?" I asked, digging into a fruit-and-chocolate tart.

"Absolutely." Walter, I learnt, taught a fascinating course at Berkeley called "Big History", which puts human events in the context of deep time, and uses narrative to link the sciences and humanities. "Trains do that, too," Milly interjected, theorising that train journeys link two dissimilar points, creating a narrative out of chance encounters. "Whenever I get on a train I feel like I'm stepping on to a stage," she continued. "There's a beginning and end, and in between are several acts. You never know what they'll be." There are behind-the-scenes dramas – or maybe comedies – too. Here are my favourite conversation snippets, overheard as I passed half-opened doors to bedrooms (which boast their own sinks, showers and lavatories) and roomettes. "You know, I think you're an autumn, like me." "Really? I thought we were talking about energy policy." And the other: "I like turtles." "Yeah? I like traffic lights. But only when they're green." At the afternoon wine tasting in the parlour car I met Rene and her mother, who also travel the country by train. They agreed that this was Amtrak's best route. "What about you?" Rene asked.

"Do you ride trains a lot? Any good train stories?" My brain froze. Such a complicated answer. A caravan park owner from Florida was telling jokes and people were trying to detect "currant and blackberry flavours" in the Whistle Stop Red, a blend of cabernet and merlot, and "smokiness and pepper" in the Columbia Crest shiraz. (We were tasting Washington State wines, paired with western cheeses such as Rogue River Bleu, reminiscent of Roquefort, from Oregon). Who was I to darken the mood? I had a hell of a train story, but I kept it to myself. "I've ridden more trains in Europe," I said, truthfully, and told them about a trip before the Iron Curtain came down, when I discovered a defecting Hungarian journalist hidden beneath my seat in Vienna. We rode like that all the way to Paris. I didn't sleep a wink from Kalmath Falls, Oregon (where a Japanese balloon bomb killed six people in 1945), to Sacramento, California. Essentially all night. And that was fine with me. I was blissfully comfortable and happy in the cocoon of my roomette, but far too wakeful to sleep.

I kept wondering what the darkness was keeping from me. When the sun rose the world was radically different. We were in California now: big, bright landscapes with busy skies, hard-edged buildings and palm trees. Flat farmland bordered by bald and furrowed hills so furry-brown I wanted to stroke them. By the time I finished my tea and eggs I was peering at Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge, the ships of San Francisco Bay. At lunchtime we streaked through Elkhorn Slough, a salt marsh reserve near Monterey, where egrets preened and massive sea lions lolled in the mud. We spent most of the day bisecting vast agricultural valleys where California grows the lion's share of the world's fruits, vegetables, and berries – veritable inland seas of geometrically planted, irrigated crops, penned by parched hills and dusty, dun-coloured pastures. Cows ran from the train as we passed by. One of the best things about riding a north-south route is that the sun bounds over the tracks in a triumphal arch.

By 3pm, though, as we crawled through the empty Diablo Mountains, so worn that they seemed to wear prehistory on their slopes, I wasn't so triumphant. "Hey, Robin!" I grabbed her as she passed my roomette. "When do we reach the coast?" "At San Luis Obispo," she said, checking her watch. "Don't worry, we should make it before sunset." We did, but only just. I travelled three days after daylight saving ended and an hour's less light meant I just caught the sun sinking into the Pacific beyond the rugged, sand-and-rock-strewn shore at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Oil rigs glinted in the last rays, far offshore. As we travelled south to Los Angeles I tried to let go of the fact that the sea – always my favourite sight – was hidden by darkness. A chat with a glassblower, returning from an odyssey on which he had carried a full-sized glass man across the country, helped me forget the ocean (helpless laughter usually does). As did LA's Union Station, a magnificently restored Art Deco extravaganza. When I got off the train I experienced a "motion echo", as Rene dubbed it.

My body kept anticipating the rhythmic rock it no longer felt – a far gentler physical memory than the scars I carry from that other trip, long ago. I submit both as evidence that I really love trains. Basics Pamela Petro travelled with the help of Amtrak ( ) and America As You Like It (020 8742 8299; ). The latter can arrange a seven-night package starting at £1,179, including flight from London to Seattle and return from Los Angeles with British Airways; three nights at the Fairmont Olympic in Seattle; two days and one night on the Coast Starlight in a roomette (including meals); and three nights at the LA Athletic Club (001 213 625 2211; ). "After the happy indolence of the train," Pamela says, "the LAAC was the perfect place to stay. Rooms on the top two floors are luxurious and thoughtfully appointed – but best of all are the facilities: track, spa, gym, squash courts, yoga studio, boxing studio and lap pool. A great place to work off the train's motion echo." On the Coast Starlight From where to where?

The official route runs from Seattle to Los Angeles, but the line extends to Vancouver on the northern end and to San Diego on the southern. How far? The Coast Starlight, Los Angeles To Seattle Tourist Trains The Coast Starlight, Los Angeles To Seattle Historically, there was no one train that served the entire Pacific coast between Los Angeles and Seattle (and all major stops in between), like today's Starlight operated by Amtrak. However, thanks to the Southern Pacific's burgeoning fleet of passenger trains back in the heyday of rail travel, the railroad essentially covered the same territory such as the Starlight, Coast Daylight, Cascade, Owl, and most importantly the Shasta Daylight (it should be noted that all of these trains covered similar routes with just different names). When Amtrak began operations it at first had no name for the route but eventually settled on a combination of the former two SP trains to come up with the Coast Starlight. Just like back then the trip along this corridor has received steady ridership due to the incredible views it offers of the Cascades and Pacific coastline.

It is somewhat a shame that Amtrak carries no trains with the name Daylight given their deep connection with the state of California during the Southern Pacific and streamliner eras. The largest leg of today's Starlight was historically the domain of SP's Shasta Daylight, which was the railroad's only long distance train by that name (and operated outside of the Golden State) operating between Oakland/San Francisco and Portland. The train was inaugurated by SP in the spring of 1949 and sported the classic Daylight livery of red and orange. During these early years the Shasta's power included beautiful Alco PA diesel locomotives although in later years this was changed to EMD E8s and E9s (which also included a change of paint schemes to all grey with red trim). Other Amtrak Trains Vermonter Most importantly, the railroad provided only top-notch on board services and amenities, a trait that made it legendary. A standard consist in the 1950s included parlor observations, chair cars, diners, a tavern car, and a coffee shop car on a schedule that took just 15 and 1/2 hours to cover a distance of over 700 miles!

During the journey passengers were treated to views of northern California Redwoods and the Cascade mountain range through most of Oregon. As interest in rail travel waned SP cut back the Shasta Daylight to tri-weekly service although it survived until Amtrak with its final run occurring on April 30, 1971. When the national carrier began its own services the next day it retained the Shasta route but expanded it north to Seattle and south to Los Angeles, albeit without a name. By November of that year Amtrak had two named "Coast" trains; the Coast Daylight (a train also operated by the SP) between Los Angeles and Oakland and the Starlight from San Diego to Seattle. Around 1974 the carrier merged these trains as the Coast Starlight and truncated service to as far south as Los Angeles. During these early years the train featured a rainbow of equipment Amtrak had received from the railroads, which while colorful was often in deplorable condition; locomotives like E8s, FP7s, and E9s were simply worn out while passenger cars often had some type of a mechanical issue. Still, Amtrak offered the best services it could with the funding it had available.

For instance, during those days one could still sit down to a freshly cooked meal and sometimes glimpse breathtaking scenes of the Cascades from high atop dome cars. By the late 1970s and early 1980s more reliable power arrived in the way of F40PHs (the first SDP40Fs purchased in the mid-1970s proved unusable for passenger service) as did new cars such as the popular double-decked Superliners (which are still used today). Today, typical power for the Coast Starlight is either one (or two) of General Electric's Genesis series diesels or Electro-Motive's F59PHIs. Since the train's schedule is set to 35 hours (although it usually never meets this deadline) sleeper service is a great package to purchase although standard coach class is also available. Much of the Starlight consist is made up of Superliners today although it also boasts a full-service diner (a rarity on Amtrak), lounge car, cafe, baggage, and the first class-only Pacific Parlour lounge (which also includes sleeping accommodations).

It is a shame that the train does not operate on a tighter schedule as doing so would almost certainly boost its ridership given the on board amenities and spectacular scenery. Because of this, ridership has ebbed and flowed over the years, most recently down nearly 5% between 2010 and 2011. If you are hoping to catch a ride aboard the Coast Daylight it operates two trains daily in each direction, #11 and #14 on Amtrak's official timetable. While the listed schedule is 35 hours, again, you should expect to be somewhat late as the train only averages about 2% on-time rate annually! To learn more about the Coast Daylight and planning a trip please visit Amtrak's official website were you can book tickets and discover everything the train has to offer (from on board amenities to all of its available station stops). Related Reading You May Enjoy Share Your Thoughts Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. Please note that while I strive to present the information as accurately as possible I am aware that there may be errors. If you have potential corrections the help is greatly appreciated.

Coast Starlight Experience - Seattle to Los Angeles Coast Starlight Experience - Seattle to Los Angeles Coast Starlight Experience - Seattle to Los Angeles Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular of all train routes, the Coast Starlight links the greatest cities on the West Coast. Tour Description En route daily between Seattle and Los Angeles, the Coast Starlight passes through Portland, Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area and Santa Barbara. The scenery along the Coast Starlight route is unsurpassed. The dramatic snow-covered peaks of the Cascade Range and Mount Shasta, lush forests, fertile valleys and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline provide a stunning backdrop for your journey. Rediscover the Coast Starlight This legendary train will feature enhanced Coaches and Sleeping Cars, along with exclusive new amenities. The Dining Car will offer fresh, regional cuisine, while the Arcade Room will entertain kids of all ages with a great selection of arcade-style video games. Sleeping Car passengers can enjoy Happy Hour specials and a daily tasting of local wines in the refurbished Pacific Parlor Car, which also will offer a specialty coffee bar, onboard theater and alternative dining venue. This vacation is available from Los Angeles to Seattle, based on your travel preference.

Tour Photos Transportation aboard Amtrak (1 night on train) Hotel accommodations for two nights All meals on board the train Puget Sound Additional hotel nights in Seattle or Los Angeles Additional Sightseeing Tours and attractions in Seattle and Los Angeles Itinerary Day 1 - Seattle Independent arrival into Seattle. Transfer to your hotel, located in the heart of downtown Seattle. Discover the many facets of the Emerald City as you tour the downtown business and shopping district, historic Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, and the vibrant Chinatown-International District. Overnight Seattle. Day 2 - Coast Starlight to Los Angeles Arrive at Seattle's King Street Station for your morning departure. Once onboard the famous Coast Starlight, settle into your seat as you begin your 1400 mile journey to Los Angeles. After settling in, you may want to visit the Pacific Parlour Car which is used as the exclusive lounge for Sleeping Car Passengers. Enjoy dinner in the Dining Car as you pass Three Sisters Mountains. All meals on the train are included for sleeping car occupants. Departs daily from Seattle, Washington: 9:45AM*. Overnight train. Day 3 - California Coast/Los Angeles This morning wake up outside of San Francisco.

Enjoy your breakfast in the dining car as the Coast Starlight hugs the California Coast. Continue to take in the awe-inspiring scenery through late afternoon. On board, you will enjoy lunch and dinner. Arrives Los Angeles, California: 9:00PM*. Overnight Los Angeles. Day 4 - Conclusion Today ends your Coast Starlight Experience. Independent transfer to the airport or rail station. Rail Your Way Add more flexibility to your rail vacation by choosing when and where to begin and end your vacation. Whether you want to go east to west, west to east, north to south, south to north, start at the beginning, travel the reverse itinerary or begin in the middle, Rail Your Way allows you to tailor make your rail vacation so you can have the experience you want. Look for the Rail Your Way icon to identify those vacations that offer customized rail connections or joining points. Ask your rail specialist how you can have Rail Your Way! Add a Cruise Many of our rail vacations begin and end in popular port cities. Spice up your vacation by adding an ocean or river cruise aboard your preferred cruise line to your itinerary and experience the best of both worlds.

Popular cruises include Alaska’s Inside Passage, the Panama Canal, New England and Eastern Canada, and historic river towns along the Mississippi River. Look for the Add a Cruise icon to identify those vacations that offer pre- or post-cruises. Ask your rail specialist how you can Add a Cruise! Train and Hotel Accommodations Hotels include the Westin Seattle and Millennium Biltmore Los Angeles. Exclusive Amenities Rediscover the Coast Starlight. This legendary train will feature enhanced Coaches and Sleeping Cars, along with exclusive new amenities. The Dining Car will offer fresh, regional cuisine, while the Arcade Room will entertain kids of all ages with a great selection of arcade-style video games. Sleeping Car passengers can enjoy Happy Hour specials and a daily tasting of local wines in the refurbished Pacific Parlor Car, which also will offer a specialty coffee bar, onboard theater and alternative dining venue. Amtrak accommodations are available in Coach class, Roomette, and Bedroom. Coach accommodations include a reclining seat with leg rest. Roomette accommodations include a private cabin featuring two comfortable seats beside a picture window during the day, converting to an upper and lower berth at night. Bedroom accommodations feature a sofa and chair by day, and upper and lower berth by night.

Bedroom accommodations also include a sink and self-enclosed toilet and shower. All travelers have access to the Sightseer Lounge. Roomette and Bedroom accommodations include all meals aboard the train. +Vacations By Rail can supply connecting rail from your closest Amtrak Station. Hotel accommodations are based on availability; substitutes will be similar in quality and amenities. Testimonials Submit Please be advised that passengers traveling on Coast Starlight Trains may encounter delays of approximately three to six hours due to heavy congestion, speed restrictions and other operating conditions. Prices are are correct at the time of this web page going live; however, are subject to confirmation at time of booking. Vacations By Rail can supply connecting rail from your closest Amtrak Station. Sign Up For Special Offers About Us Vacations By Rail is the trusted authority on rail vacations. We offer the largest selection of independent rail vacations, escorted rail tours, luxury rail journeys and custom train vacations to destinations in North America, Europe and beyond, as well as a wide selection of European Rail Passes and European City to City train tickets.

Trip Photos Oregon travel guide - Wikitravel Other destinations[ edit ] California National Historical Trail - The road to California carried over 250,000 gold-seekers & farmers to the gold fields & rich farmlands of California during the 1840's and 1850's as well as those who choose to head north to the Oregon Territory Crater Lake National Park -- Deepest lake in the world above sea level, Oregon's only national park Lewis and Clark National Monument - 12 park sites located on a 40-mile stretch of the Pacific coast located at the western end of the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Mount Bachelor -- skiing and snowboarding (November through May) Mount Hood -- snowboarding & skiing (lift serviced year round), snowshoeing, alpine slides, hiking, backpacking, camping Painted Hills -- Part of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, 75 Miles East of Bend, approximately 1000 Ha, 3132 Acres, one of the most photographed areas in Oregon. Colors change as the sun moves in the sky, making an extended visit quite worthwhile.

Brilliant yellow wildflowers bloom in rivers of color down the "valleys" of the hillsides in late April/early May. Oregon National Historical Trail -- As the harbinger of America's westward expansion, the Oregon Trail was the pathway to the Pacific for fur traders, gold seekers, missionaries and others. Willamette National Forest -- Offering numerous outdoor recreation activities including hiking, sailing, and camping at Waldo Lake . Wallowa Lake -- One of Oregon's finest lakes. Beautiful scenery, camping, boating, fishing, hiking, eating, and lodging in the quiet town of Joseph . Silver Falls State Park - Located 26 miles East of Salem this state park has 10 waterfalls. Take the canyon trail on a 6.9 mile hike and see all 10. For a shorter hike take the shortcut and see 8 waterfalls in a 5.1 mile loop. Mill Ends Park in Portland, the smallest park in the world. Bend -- a popular destination for year-round outdoor recreation centered around a vibrant town with award-winning restaurants and unique shops, located on the dry side of the Cascade Mountain range in the high desert.

Understand[ edit ] If driving in Oregon, be aware of a state law that does not allow self-service at gas stations. A gas station attendant must pump the gas. Also, be aware that the name of the state is pronounced "Ory'-gun"; Rather than 'or-eh-GONE'. Redmond Roberts Field (RDM) serves the Redmond , Bend , and Madras areas in central Oregon. For most of eastern Oregon, the Boise Airport (BOI) in Idaho is the closest. Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco , Washington (PSC) is also nearby for locations further north, but still east of the Cascades. Portland International is served non-stop by most major airlines and by several international carriers. It is the only international port of entry for Oregon with daily non-stops from Tokyo , Amsterdam , and a few Canadian cities. The three smaller airports are served non-stop by feeder lines to Portland and other regional hubs such as San Francisco, Seattle, Las Vegas, and Salt Lake City. Salem Airport no longer has passenger service.

By train[ edit ] Amtrak offers several ways to enter and travel throughout Oregon by train: The Empire Builder [1] runs between Chicago and Spokane, Washington, where it then splits, with half of the train continuing to Seattle, and the other half to Portland. The Coast Starlight [2] . Regarded by many as America's most scenic train ride, the Coast Starlight runs between Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington, stopping at many Oregon towns including Portland, Salem, Albany, Eugene, Chemult and Klamath Falls. Amtrak Cascades [3] . The Cascades is a special service that operates between Seattle and Portland 4x daily. Twice daily from Seattle to Vancouver, BC and from Portland to Eugene using special high-speed Talgo rolling stock. Oregon stops include Portland, Oregon City, Salem, Albany & Eugene. Additional service to Eugene & Vancouver are on the Thruway Motorcoach buses. For more information, see Amtrak's website, Wikitravel's article Rail travel in the United States , or the Wikipedia pages on each of this train services.

By bus[ edit ] Greyhound, 550 NW 6th Ave; Portland (Occupies two city blocks, along NW 6th Ave, between NW Irving & Glisan. Next to the historic Union Station (Amtrak)), ☎ 503-243-2361 (toll free: 1-800-231-2222), [4] . travels primirarly along Interstate 5, 82 & 84. Along I-5 buses go between Seattle & Portland via Tacoma, Olympia, Centralia, and Kelso and between Portland & Sacramento via Woodburn, Salem, Corvallis, Eugene, Roseburg, Medford, Grants Pass, etc. Along I-84 buses go from Portland to Salt Lake City (via Hood River, The Dallas, Stanfield, Pendleton, Baker City, La Grande, Ontario, Boise, etc) and Northeast to Spokane(via Stanfield, Pasco & to Spokane along I-82/US 395.

Passengers typically transfer buses in Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Sacramento, Corvallis, Medford, Pasco , Stanfield and Vancouver to continue to other cities. edit In addition to Greyhound there are other companies operating buses to/from places not served by Greyhound Lines: (Airport shuttles & buses from Portland International Airport), [5] . There are various vans & buses available from the airport. edit Bolt Bus, 647 SW Salmon (Along SW Salmon between 6th Ave & Broadway in downtown), ☎ +1-877-265-8287, [6] . Eugene, Albany, Portland, Seattle, Bellingham & Vancouver, BC along the I-5/BC-99 corridor. edit Central Oregon Breeze (COBreeze), 62995 Plateau Drive Ste. 1, Bend OR 97701, ☎ +1 541-389-7469 (toll free: +1-800-847-0157), [7] . Shuttle bus between Portland , Sandy, Madras, & Bend .

edit Oregon Point, ☎ +1 541 484-4100, [8] . Operates on three separate routes. Portland, Cannon Beach, Seaside & Astoria on the NW Point (operated by OC&W Coachways) [9] ; Klamath Falls, Ashland, Medford, Grants Pass, Crescent City & Brookings on the Southwest Point (operated by 'The Shuttle') [10] ; Redmond, Bend , Sunriver, & Chemult along US Hwy 97 on the High Desert Point (operated by TAC Transportation) [11] ; and Eugene, Bend, Burn & Ontario on the Eastern Point [12] (also operated by TAC Transportation. edit Northwestern Connector, [13] . ... is a coordinated regional transit system managed by the CONNECTOR Alliance. The Alliance is working to enhance the livability and economic vitality of northwestern Oregon through the implementation of regional transit strategies. The CONNECTOR system is a national model for inter-agency partnerships and the use of private-public strategies to promote transit. The linked website links to the Columbia County Rider, Sunset Empire Transportation District, Transportation District, Benton County Transit and Lincoln County Transit.

edit Coast to Valley Express, (Corvallis bus transit Center at Nw 5th St & Monroe), [14] . Albany Amtrak, Corvallis, & Newport. edit Valley Retriever, (office) 956 SW 10th St; Newport 97365 (picks up at the Greyhound station at NW 4th & Jackson), ☎ +1 541 265-2253, [15] . Travels between Newport, Corvallis, Bend. Also goes north to Albany & Salem. edit TripCheck.com, [16] . provides a look up of transit providers in the state based on specific criterias the user puts in. Site includes other information such road conditions, rest areas, places to stay the night, etc. etc. edit By car[ edit ] Oregon has two Interstate Highways: Interstate 5 connects Medford, Eugene, Salem, and Portland, running north to the Canadian border of British Columbia, and south through the Willamette Valley all the way to San Diego , California , therefore connecting Canada and Mexico via 3 west coast states.

Interstate 84 connects Portland, The Dalles, and Pendleton, running southeast to Salt Lake City , Utah . Interstate 82 connects Hemiston/Umatilla (from Exit #179 along I-84), Tri Cities, and Yakima and into I-90 at Ellensburg , Washington. Federal and state highways effectively serve the remainder of the state, arranged in a grid-like lattice, but warped by mountain ranges: Highway 101 winds along the Pacific coast and goes through the main street of most every town along the way Highway 99 is the predecessor to I-5, but goes through many towns in the Willamette Valley. At Junction City (just north of Eugene), it splits as 99E and 99W which meander along the respective sides of the Willamette River; both terminate in Portland. South of Eugene, it is the same as I-5. Highway 97 is the main Central Oregon north/south route. When I-5 is closed by winter storms, this is usually a good alternate as it is east of the Cascades and subject to much less precipitation.

Highway 26 goes from the northern coast through the coast range, through Portland then over the south flank of Mount Hood then generally follows an east-west path tracing the north Oregon border 50-75 miles south almost to the Idaho border at Vale. Highway 20 goes from the north central coast in Newport to the eastern border roughly midway through the state. Highway 395 is the main Eastern Oregon north/south route from Pendleton down through Umatilla and Malheur National Forests, through Lakeview and into Lake Tahoe, CA. Going north the highway goes west along I-84 from Pendleton to Hermiston and up along I-82 to Tri-Cities, WA and up to I-90 at Ritzville. Oregon is one of two states in the U.S. (along with New Jersey ) where self-serve gasoline stations are not allowed by law. The speed limit along the interstates is generally 65 miles per hour (mph) except in the urban areas of interstate 5 where it is 55 mph. On highways it is generally 55 mph.

For more details see Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 811.111 [17] and 810.180 [18] . By bicycle[ edit ] The Oregon Coast is a premier destination for cycling, although traffic, narrow shoulders, heavy winds and rains, and windy roads make it dangerous. Nevertheless, many people cycle the entire Oregon Coast each year. In the summer months take Highway 101 north to south starting in Astoria through Lincoln City and onto Brookings to get breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. The prevailing winds will be at your back all summer long. For the seasoned cyclist head north in winter months as the winds are out of the SW at that time of year. By foot[ edit ] The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (which runs from Canada to Mexico) passes through Oregon along the Cascade Mountains. With almost no civilization along its route and very few highway crossings (four in the northern 150 miles of the trail), it is exceptional for experiencing nature while avoiding civilization. Buy[ edit ][ add listing ] Unlike most US states, Oregon has no sales tax. There is no tax included in posted prices and no tax is added at the till.

This is worth bearing in mind if you're planning on making any large purchases during an interstate trip. Eat[ edit ][ add listing ] Four star dining in hiking boots and jeans? This is perfectly acceptable (as are suits and tuxedos) at Timberline Lodge's Cascade Dining Room which offers seasonal northwest cuisine year round. Excellent breakfast, lunch and dinner selections. Dinner reservations are helpful most evenings, but a necessity at holidays and nice summer weekends. Visit one of 30 microbreweries within Portland city limits Drink[ edit ][ add listing ] As with almost everywhere else in the U.S., the legal drinking and purchasing age of alcoholic beverages is 21. And as with many states, Oregon uses loopholes in the federal law to allow underage drinking. Underage drinking is allowed on private non-alcohol selling premises with parental consent, as long as the parent or legal guardian is 21 or older. Sacramental wine can only be allowed for underage drinking as part of religious rite. [20] From the coastal hamlets to the valley cities to the remote towns of the high desert, Oregonians drink, and proudly.

Because of the growing wine and microbrewery industries in the state which produce drink of world-class quality, having a tipple and touring beverage facilities is a popular pastime for Oregon residents and tourists alike. It is occasionally joked that one cannot throw a cat in the city of Portland without hitting a bar (though one shouldn't: the PETA people there can be touchy and rather humorless, especially regarding the hurling of cute little kitties), while most other towns of any appreciable size have at least two places in which one can imbibe. Yes, the drinking culture here is strong, and if you like to pickle your giblets then you'll be in heaven. Oregon is an "Alcoholic Beverage Control State" and as such requires all distilled spirits to be sold by state-approved outlets. Because the liquor stores purchase their wares from the state at an inflated and heavily-taxed cost, liquor by the bottle or by the shot can run your booze bill up pretty quickly. Fortunately, Oregon has no shot size regulation (such as, say, Utah has) and many bars - especially in the Portland area - pour their drinks quite liberally; in fact, a literal three fingers of whiskey is not uncommon if you know the barkeep.

Bottoms-up, but don't bottom out! There are no "blue laws" concerning time of alcohol sales other than a daily 2:30-7:00 AM restriction, so if you like "kegs and eggs" for your Sunday breakfast, Oregon's your kind of place. Also, Oregon's alcohol laws are unitary within the state and are wholly overseen by the Oregon Liquor Control Comission (OLCC), so there's no need to worry about dry towns or dry counties. Finally, bartenders in Oregon seem to be a bit more strict about checking ID than those in many other states. This likely due to the aforementioned OLCC, which is known to be nothing short of draconian when it comes to the enforcement of laws regarding the furnishing of alcohol to minors by service workers and punishment under the same. If you look under 30 (or even 40!), just hand them your ID card / passport before you order because they will ask for it. There is also a total indoor smoking ban in all places but cigar and hookah bars. Beer[ edit ] Oregon has a large number of local microbrews, and several breweries whose beverages are distributed outside the state.

Most are happy to host guests for tastings, and many are accompanied by restaurants and gift shops. McMenamin's is a unique network of restored historical buildings that are used as pubs, hotels, and breweries. Locations are distributed throughout the state, including Portland, Bend, McMinnville, and Eugene. Rogue Brewery, Newport, is probably best known for the famous drinking skeleton icon and the related Dead Guy Ale line. Deschutes Brewery, Bend, is one of the larger breweries in the state and is well-known for their Black Butte Porter, Obsidian Stout, and Mirror Pond Ale. Full Sail Ales, Hood River, brew several well-known ales, including Amber, IPA, and Pale Ale lines. Standing Stone Brewery, Ashland, is a gourmet restaurant in southern Oregon with Lager, Amber, and several IPA lines. They also make several unique beverages such as an Oatmeal Stout, a Barley Wine, and a seasonal Wassail. Ninkasi located in Eugene is the single greatest brewery of all time...Bar NONE!

Wine[ edit ] Willamette Valley Vineyards In recent years, Oregon has become renown as an outstanding wine producing region in its own right, with a range of temperate climates that allow the production of vintages significantly different from neighboring vineyards and wineries in California. Oregon is particularly well-known for its distinguished Pinot Noirs, and is well-suited to grow Burgundian and Alsacian verietals. A diverse arrangement of climates, though, fosters a range of other grapes throughout the state. Some of the larger, more well-known wineries and vineyards are: Willamette Valley Vineyards, Turner (southeast of Salem) Rex Hill, Newberg (southwest of Portland) Valley View Vineyards, Jacksonville (southwest of Medford) King Estate, Eugene (southwest of the city proper) Erath Winery, Dundee (southwest of Portland) Maysara Winery, Mcminnville (southwest of Portland) Liquor[ edit ] Liquor in Oregon is sold in specifically-licensed stores (though supermarkets may still sell wine and beer).

There are several well-known distilleries: Hood River Distillery, Hood River, specializing in traditional strong liquors such as gin, vodka, rum, and whiskey. (Their Pendleton blended whiskey is strongly recommended) Clear Creek Distillery, Portland, specializing in liquors distilled from regional fruit produce. Rogue Brewery has a fledgling - and tasty - distilling operation producing specialty liquors. Stillwagon Distillery, Charleston, crafts several unique and flavorful rums. Tasting room open to the public. stillwagondistillery.com Information regarding Portland's Distillery Row can be found at . Respect[ edit ] Oregonians are fanatically proud of the natural beauty of their state; littering or otherwise causing harm to the scenic beauty - including wildlife - found here is bound to draw attention to you that you probably do not want, up to and including that special type which only an officer of the law can give. That being said, keep in mind that while Portland and the rest of the Willamette Valley is very cosmopolitan and culturally similar to San Francisco and Seattle, Eastern Oregon and Southern Oregon are more akin to Idaho and Nevada; that is to say, quite conservative.

Contrary to popular belief, not all Oregonians are liberal, a fact which will become abundantly clear to you on a trip to a place such as Burns , La Grande , or Prineville . State issues in general tend to be divided along Willamette / non-Willamette lines (that is, large cities within the valley such as Eugene and Portland / smaller cities along the coast, around the mountains, and in the high desert), and some resentment between these groups may be uncovered. The State of Jefferson, a region of southern Oregon and northern California marked by a period of attempted secession during the first half of the 20th century, retains a very independent mindset: Jefferson Public Radio and the State of Jefferson Chamber of Commerce are two indicators of a retained degree of autonomy from this period. Crime[ edit ] Oregonians are known for being exceptionally kind and welcoming people; accordingly, violent crime in Oregon is quite low and visitors are not likely to have any harm come to them during their stay. Be aware, however, that violence has been on the rise in the Portland and Salem areas due to increasing gang activity. Property crime is a problem in any metropolis. For hazards specific to certain cities, please see their respective WikiTravel pages.

If you are in need of emergency assistance, dial 911 on your phone. Drugs[ edit ] The current laws regarding Marijuana in Oregon are similar to that of Washington, Alaska. Residents or visitors of Oregon can possess up to 1 ounce(28 grams) of marijuana. It is legal to posses up to 1 ounce of cannabis while traveling. And to give as a gift to someone who's of legal age. DO NOT bring marijuana out under any circumstances of the state, into any indian reservation that deemed it illegal, nor any federal enclave. Or you will be charged under both state and federal law. It is Legal for Medical Marijuana dispensaries to sell up to 7 grams of weed and/or up to 4 marijuana clones per day to persons 21 or older (although prices are ridiculous). As for "hard drugs", you're better off avoiding them. Due to the state's awful methamphetamine wave of the 1980's - 2000's, there is very little tolerance in this area and a number of tough laws passed in response to the epidemic will all but ensure that you will be involved with the legal system for a long time to come and at great expense.

Another side effect of the state's notorious methamphetamine problem is that any medication containing pseudoephedrine (e.g. Sudafed) is treated as a Class III Controlled Substance of the Controlled Substance Act and thus requires a prescription. This also means that one must prove that they have a prescription to be in possession of such medications, so if one is coming from out-of-state it is a good idea to leave it at home. Psychoactive mushrooms grow naturally here and abundantly, but, of course, possession is illegal. Natural Hazards[ edit ] Natural hazards are also few, but include mountaineering fatalities (Mt. Hood in particular). Tsunamis on the coast are very rare, but have occurred; make note of the "Evacuation Route" signs. For information on the state's hazard assessment, visit the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research [21] . Sudden snowstorms in the Cascade Mountains from October to May occur and could lead to increased avalanche danger. The usual perils of desert travel in the Southeastern part of the state could be eminent if you are unprepared, so always follow desert survival guidelines; and rattlesnakes, bears and other wildlife (particularly east of the Cascade range).

Travel Hazards[ edit ] If you venture out of the Willamette Valley during your stay, be sure that your automobile is well fueled and in suitable condition: while Portland is modern and well-populated, Eastern Oregon includes some of the most sparsely populated areas in the United States. Harney County in the Southeast region of the state, for example, is slightly smaller than Massachusetts but is the home to only about 7,000 people. Breaking down out there will, in best case scenarios, make for a very long and annoying day; at worst, the consequences can be tragic. In rural areas, be aware that many seemingly passable roads are truly impassable for large portions of fall, winter and spring. Apparent routes or shortcuts across mountainous areas and deserts should be validated with locals before attempting - deep snow has captured the vehicle of many a tourist or day tripper who ventured into unknown territory and pushed when they should have exercised better judgment. Finally, as the subject of the vast emptiness of Oregon has been broached, remember to always have an adequate map (Benchmark Maps makes an exceptionally good one), especially if traveling into the wilderness on foot: each year many hikers go missing and, sadly, some never return.

Know where you are going, and make sure someone else does too. Oregon State Police: (503) 378-3720 Oregon State University offers a Saferide Program [22] throughout the week. Get out[ edit ] Washington State - Oregon's northern neighbor offers amazing natural scenery, from the imposing Mount Rainier to the rainforest of Olympic National Park , as well as the quirky culture of cities like Seattle . Idaho - Oregon's eastern neighbor is a rugged state, with snow-capped mountains, whitewater rivers, forests, high desert, and plenty of wilderness. Nevada - The Silver State borders Oregon to the southeast and is home to the adult playgrounds of Las Vegas and Reno as well remote desert and mountain landscapes.

Question: The 'Coast Starlight Express' runs between Los Angeles and which other city?
Answer: SEATTLE