# Presidents Day Weekend Day Trip To Santa Barbara (Pics)



## seat38a (Feb 20, 2014)

My parents and I decided that we would take a day trip to Santa Barbara on Saturday the 15th which was Presidents Day weekend. Since none of us wanted to deal with traffic all the way up north, and after our previous positive long distance trip on the Sunset Limited, we decided to go via Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner. Me living in Orange County, would take train 763 up north, and my parents would join me at Van Nuys. When I boarded the train in Orange County, it was clear that everyone else in Southern California decided to take the train up to Central Coast as well. Business class which we were traveling in, was pretty full and coach was almost 100% full. The conductor made multiple announcements about "One Ticket One Seat" and NO feet on the seats.




P1000372 by seat38a, on Flickr

Business Class Breakfast Snack



P1000379 by seat38a, on Flickr


Fullerton Station



P1000381 by seat38a, on Flickr


Freight Yard Near Los Angeles



P1000386 by seat38a, on Flickr


County Hospital




P1000394 by seat38a, on Flickr


----------



## seat38a (Feb 20, 2014)

Below are pictures that I took after our stop at LA Union Station

Private Railcar Storage Area @ Los Angeles Union Station




P1000397 by seat38a, on Flickr

Observatory



P1000401 by seat38a, on Flickr


A couple that joined us in Los Angeles, did not know that Business Class passengers get free coffee and ended up buying a cup from the cafe car. They were not amused. At Van Nuys station, my parents boarded the train. It was their first time on Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner Business Class. Once we were all settled in, I went to the cafe car to get this:




IMG_0554 by seat38a, on Flickr

Scenes from around Carpenteria



IMG_0565 by seat38a, on Flickr





IMG_0568 by seat38a, on Flickr


----------



## seat38a (Feb 20, 2014)

Shot of the Business Class Car




IMG_0569 by seat38a, on Flickr

The Business Class Car That We Traveled In



P1000403 by seat38a, on Flickr


Santa Barbara Station




P1000405 by seat38a, on Flickr

The Superliner Car Attached To Our Train



P1000406 by seat38a, on Flickr


Conductor Working The Superliner Car




P1000410 by seat38a, on Flickr


----------



## seat38a (Feb 20, 2014)

Superliner Conductor Waving As I Snap This Picture




P1000413 by seat38a, on Flickr

Our Train Heading For Goleta, The Final Stop



P1000418 by seat38a, on Flickr

Looking north from the track



P1000419 by seat38a, on Flickr

The best part of Santa Barbara is that the station is right in the heart of the city. The train drops you off right on State Street. If you turn right on State Street, you go to the pier and the other side takes you right into the city. Also, the Urban Wine Trail in right around the Station as well. Before anything else, we decided to have some lunch at "The Hungry Cat"




P1000429 by seat38a, on Flickr








P1000430 by seat38a, on Flickr


----------



## seat38a (Feb 20, 2014)

More Food Pics:




P1000431 by seat38a, on Flickr

Santa Barbara Sea Urchin



P1000435 by seat38a, on Flickr

Braised Mussels



P1000436 by seat38a, on Flickr

Cobb Salad



P1000438 by seat38a, on Flickr


----------



## seat38a (Feb 20, 2014)

After lunch, we started our Urban Wine Trail tasting.




P1000445 by seat38a, on Flickr

Bought Two Bottles Of It



P1000451 by seat38a, on Flickr


Santa Barbara Station As We Walk To More Wine Tastings




P1000453 by seat38a, on Flickr

10 dollars for Wine Only or 15 for wine and chocolate paring



P1000454 by seat38a, on Flickr



Crossing The Tracks On Our Way To The Pier




P1000456 by seat38a, on Flickr


----------



## seat38a (Feb 20, 2014)

The Pier




P1000458 by seat38a, on Flickr

Oil Platforms



P1000469 by seat38a, on Flickr

It must be mackerel season. People who were fishing were reeling them up constantly. While we were watching the fishing action, this guy popped out of the water.




P1000477 by seat38a, on Flickr


----------



## seat38a (Feb 20, 2014)

It was getting close to dinner time, so we headed back into the city for tapas.

Moscow Mule




P1000486 by seat38a, on Flickr




P1000487 by seat38a, on Flickr




P1000488 by seat38a, on Flickr




P1000490 by seat38a, on Flickr

We had one more item, but I realized I didn't take a picture only after the waitress had already cleared that plate.  Full from the dinner, we started our walk back to the station for our 6:58 PM train back down south.




P1000495 by seat38a, on Flickr


----------



## seat38a (Feb 20, 2014)

Business Class Only Gets A Sign On The Platform




P1000497 by seat38a, on Flickr

Coach Passengers Waiting For The Train



P1000502 by seat38a, on Flickr

This was going to be a full train again. Once we boarded, and the conductor scanned our tickets, I went down to the cafe car to pickup our complimentary wine that Business Class passengers get. Lets just say, that the colorful language that was flying through the cafe and coach was :unsure: . We just kicked back and enjoyed our quiet business class car. My parents got off at Van Nuys and I continued by myself down to Orange County. We got in early into Los Angeles where the crew changed and many of the passengers got off as well.

Business Class Car



P1000503 by seat38a, on Flickr




P1000505 by seat38a, on Flickr

Tioga Pass



P1000513 by seat38a, on Flickr


----------



## seat38a (Feb 20, 2014)

They ran out of these snack packs. The coffee and the juice ran out as well.




P1000507 by seat38a, on Flickr




P1000511 by seat38a, on Flickr




P1000515 by seat38a, on Flickr

My train pulled out on time and we headed south towards San Diego. At Los Angeles, 6 people who had one too many drinks boarded. After spilling couple drinks, they mellowed out and the rest of the journey home was uneventful.


----------



## Bob Dylan (Feb 20, 2014)

Nice Get Away and Great Pics! I'm envious!


----------



## Dan O (Feb 21, 2014)

Really nice pics. Enjoyed them very much. We went to Santa Barbara for the day a couple years ago. Had a good time on the pier and downtown.

Thanks,

Dan


----------

