Travel from Vancouver to San Diego advice?

[Denise Sykes]

HI all
I am visiting the US from New Zealand in late September and have 4 days/3 nights to travel from Vancouver to San Diego. I am unsure how to go about this. I have looked at a number of options, e.g Amtrak from Vancouver to San Luis Obispo and then 2 nights in Pismo Beach but it doesnt look very easy to get from the Amtrak station to Pismo Beach. Another option was Vancouver to Santa Barbara but SB looks super expensive. Has anyone got any advice ?
Thanks so much
Denise

 

[GAT]

According to the Rome2Rio website, it's a 22 minute bus ride costing between $1 -$3. You could perhaps start your research here. https://www.rome2rio.com/map/San-Luis-Obispo/Pismo-Beach

 

[allanorn]

Just looking at Google Maps and that is surprisingly not an easy bus ride. You have to take the local bus 3B north from the SLO stop to Government Center, then take RTA bus 10 south to Pismo Beach Outlets, which after that you're kind of on your own to get to your final destination.

Rideshare like Lyft or Uber might actually be easier, especially with luggage and more than one person - but it might cost you like $40 one-way.

Santa Barbara is really nice but hotels are expensive. Actually, any hotel in that part of California is expensive.

What are your plans in that area? Lounging at the beach, wine tasting, or something else?

 

[caravanman]

Obviously not everyone's cup of tea, but I have enjoyed stays at the San Louise Obispo Hostel, which is within walking distance from the Amtrak station. Moro Bay is a nice coastal town a convenient bus ride away from SLO.
The Santa Barbara Hostel is decent and I also recommend that one for economical stays.

 

[Denise Sykes]

Yep I thought that the bus journey looked a bit complex as I am on my own with luggage. Just looking for a couple of days relaxing on a Californian beach as the rest of my trip is pretty busy

I have looked at the Rome2Rio site, would be nice to hear from someone who has maybe done the trip ?

 

[MarkInAustin]

I would skip the beach and hang out in SLO for a day overnight. Hotels in SLO are not generally inexpensive, but they are much cheaper than hotels along the Pacific beaches.

The hostelry is the most economical, but for @180 USD per night you can have amenities like heated pool, hot tub, cooked to order breakfast, wifi. Be in SLO on a Thursday evening for the Farmers' Market. Explore the 18th century mission and its museum. Walk and gawk at cafes, restaurants, galleries, the art museum, the Leaning Pine Arboretum at Cal Poly, or go to a nearby winery. Actually, there is much more to do in SLO than in a beach town, and the weather is typically mild all year.

If you only have that one night, whether it is Thursday or not, you have two train choices headed south, the Starlight and the Surfliner. Surliner leaves SLO at 6:10 AM...

 

[jiml]

I would skip the beach and hang out in SLO for a day or two or three. Hotels in SLO are not generally inexpensive, but they are much cheaper than hotels along the Pacific beaches.

The hostelry is the most economical, but for @180 USD per night you can have amenities like heated pool, hot tub, cooked to order breakfast, wifi. Be in SLO on a Thursday evening for the Farmers' Market. Explore the 18th century mission and its museum. Walk and gawk at cafes, restaurants, galleries, the art museum, the Leaning Pine Arboretum at Cal Poly, or go to a nearby winery. Actually, there is much more to do in SLO than in a beach town, and the weather is typically mild all year.

Best side trip, if you can make a bus connection, would be to Hearst Castle, IMHO.

This is good advice. We broke up a similar trip several years ago with a few nights in SLO, not wanting to pay a premium for beach accommodation since there was lots to do locally. We used the Embassy Suites FWIW and it was perfectly acceptable. We arranged a local rental car with hotel pick-up while there, visiting wineries and other sights. The hotel did offer its shuttle from/to the station at the time, although it was not available for the early southbound Surfliner departure as I recall.

 

[Asher]

Grover Beach is a good get off. Wineries, Pismo Beach and more.
”About halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Grover Beach is the gateway to Pismo Beach, an outdoor paradise known for beaches, hiking, fishing, surfing, clamming, golfing, and ATV off-roading. Nearby Oceano Dunes Natural Preserve State Park, Edna Valley vineyards and wineries, and the Monarch Butterfly Grove are also popular. Check out the Stone Soup Music Festival and Street Faire in August. And don’t miss Pismo Beach‘s famous clam chowder restaurants!“

 

[Maglev]

If you want to take Amtrak from Vancouver to San Luis Obispo, you will need to spend a night in either Seattle or Portland. The morning train from Vancouver to Seattle and Portland arrives in Seattle after the train to San Luis Obispo leaves. There is also an evening train from Vancouver to Seattle.

 

[thully]

That’s of course assuming the OP meant Vancouver, BC (in Canada) as opposed to Vancouver, WA (in the US). Which is probably the case, though you have to be careful to not pick the wrong one when booking. You can in fact book a ticket from Vancouver, BC to SLO (and potentially all the way to San Diego if they get the Surfliner back up and running by then) without spending a night, but you’d be catching a bus to Seattle at 5:30am. If you want to go all-train you would have to spend a night in either Seattle, Portland, or near one of the stops in between.

(If the OP meant Vancouver, WA they could take the train straight through, though I’m guessing that’s not the case..)

If you want to take Amtrak from Vancouver to San Luis Obispo, you will need to spend a night in either Seattle or Portland. The morning train from Vancouver to Seattle and Portland arrives in Seattle after the train to San Luis Obispo leaves. There is also an evening train from Vancouver to Seattle.

 

[Sidney]

HI all
I am visiting the US from New Zealand in late September and have 4 days/3 nights to travel from Vancouver to San Diego. I am unsure how to go about this. I have looked at a number of options, e.g Amtrak from Vancouver to San Luis Obispo and then 2 nights in Pismo Beach but it doesnt look very easy to get from the Amtrak station to Pismo Beach. Another option was Vancouver to Santa Barbara but SB looks super expensive. Has anyone got any advice ?
Thanks so much
Denise

I ve stayed in Ventura. Much lower rates. If you don’t mind Motel 6 it ‘s usually under $100 and is a four block walk from the station. Nothing fancy and adequate. I booked a round trip to Santa Barbara from Ventura for a day last month.

 

[Denise Sykes]

If you want to take Amtrak from Vancouver to San Luis Obispo, you will need to spend a night in either Seattle or Portland. The morning train from Vancouver to Seattle and Portland arrives in Seattle after the train to San Luis Obispo leaves. There is also an evening train from Vancouver to Seattle.

Oh! I didnt know that ! The website seems to indicate that you can go straight through. Thanks so much for that info

I ve stayed in Ventura. Much lower rates. If you don’t mind Motel 6 it ‘s usually under $100 and is a four block walk from the station. Nothing fancy and adequate. I booked a round trip to Santa Barbara from Ventura for a day last month.

Thanks, I will look at Ventura

 

[TinCan782]

Oh! I didnt know that ! The website seems to indicate that you can go straight through. Thanks so much for that info


Thanks, I will look at Ventura

Just be aware that the Coast Starlight does not stop in Ventura; the Pacific Surfliner does. If you take the Surfliner, instead of Coast Starlight, out of SLO you should be fine.

 

[Asher]

That’s of course assuming the OP meant Vancouver, BC (in Canada) as opposed to Vancouver, WA (in the US). Which is probably the case, though you have to be careful to not pick the wrong one when booking. You can in fact book a ticket from Vancouver, BC to SLO (and potentially all the way to San Diego if they get the Surfliner back up and running by then) without spending a night, but you’d be catching a bus to Seattle at 5:30am. If you want to go all-train you would have to spend a night in either Seattle, Portland, or near one of the stops in between.

(If the OP meant Vancouver, WA they could take the train straight through, though I’m guessing that’s not the case..)

Great point. One hell of a difference in the two Vancouvers

 

[zephyr17]

That’s of course assuming the OP meant Vancouver, BC (in Canada) as opposed to Vancouver, WA (in the US). Which is probably the case, though you have to be careful to not pick the wrong one when booking. You can in fact book a ticket from Vancouver, BC to SLO (and potentially all the way to San Diego if they get the Surfliner back up and running by then) without spending a night, but you’d be catching a bus to Seattle at 5:30am. If you want to go all-train you would have to spend a night in either Seattle, Portland, or near one of the stops in between.

(If the OP meant Vancouver, WA they could take the train straight through, though I’m guessing that’s not the case..)

Vancouver, BC's station code is VAC.

Vancouver, WA's station code is VAN.

Best way to ensure the right one will be to enter the station code in all caps. That will avoid the drop down and the possibility of clicking the wrong Vancouver.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Oh! I didnt know that ! The website seems to indicate that you can go straight through.

In my experience Amtrak.com casually mixes trains and buses like they're the same thing so that might be why.

Thanks, I will look at Ventura

Be aware that the US tolerates a very wide range of hotel standards and they will try to keep your money even if you discover something is wrong. For these reasons I would suggest you check recent reviews from repeat posters on Trip Advisor and ask to see the room before accepting it.

 

[BlackDiamond]

don’t miss Pismo Beach‘s famous clam chowder restaurants!“

Interesting, I wonder how California Clam Chowder compares with New England's.

 

[anilou]

Grover Beach is a good get off. Wineries, Pismo Beach and more.
”About halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Grover Beach is the gateway to Pismo Beach, an outdoor paradise known for beaches, hiking, fishing, surfing, clamming, golfing, and ATV off-roading. Nearby Oceano Dunes Natural Preserve State Park, Edna Valley vineyards and wineries, and the Monarch Butterfly Grove are also popular. Check out the Stone Soup Music Festival and Street Faire in August. And don’t miss Pismo Beach‘s famous clam chowder restaurants!“

The Station Grill right by the Grover Beach Station has live music on Saturday from 5 to 8.

 

[anilou]

HI all
I am visiting the US from New Zealand in late September and have 4 days/3 nights to travel from Vancouver to San Diego. I am unsure how to go about this. I have looked at a number of options, e.g Amtrak from Vancouver to San Luis Obispo and then 2 nights in Pismo Beach but it doesnt look very easy to get from the Amtrak station to Pismo Beach. Another option was Vancouver to Santa Barbara but SB looks super expensive. Has anyone got any advice ?
Thanks so much
Denise

From San Luis Obispo you can catch a Surfliner train to Grover Beach, which takes 18 minutes. If the Coast Starlight rolls in late, there is a bus later on. Grover Beach is not far from Pismo Beach. Number 21 and 24 local buses run between Pismo and Grover. There are some motels 3 blocks from the GB station, mixed reviews on those, or you could get a LYFT to Pismo and stay there (to avoid wrestling with the luggage on the bus.) The Station Grill is a diner right next to the GB station which has live music on Saturdays from 5 to 7.

OR, if you don't mind walking about 10 blocks from the SLO station to the corner of Osos and Palm, you can catch the 10 bus to the Pismo Outlet stop. There are a few places to stay within walking distance there.

 

[MARC Rider]

Vancouver, BC's station code is VAC.

Vancouver, WA's station code is VAN.

Best way to ensure the right one will be to enter the station code in all caps. That will avoid the drop down and the possibility of clicking the wrong Vancouver.

If you try to book from Vancouver, BC, they will ask you for your citizenship and passport number, so that's one way you can figure out whether you're booking from the correct Vancouver.

 

[Trogdor]

If you try to book from Vancouver, BC, they will ask you for your citizenship and passport number, so that's one way you can figure out whether you're booking from the correct Vancouver.

The problem I see is that, generally, folks who want to travel to/from Vancouver, WA, know the difference, whereas those wanting to travel from Vancouver, BC, might not. More folks are likely to want to travel from Vancouver, BC, and you're less likely to notice the absence of some kind of check (i.e., lack of passport field) than the presence of it (which would be the case if you wanted Vancouver, WA, but accidentally picked BC instead).

 

[fdaley]

I recall from research for a previous trip that there is an Enterprise car rental place within easy walking distance from the Grover Beach station.

 

[NW cannonball]

Interesting, I wonder how California Clam Chowder compares with New England's.

I also wonder. I've never been to New England, alas. The clam chowder, red or white, in Seattle's cheap waterfront places has been Okay. Never had clam chowder in California though.

 

[NW cannonball]

HI all
I am visiting the US from New Zealand in late September and have 4 days/3 nights to travel from Vancouver to San Diego. I am unsure how to go about this. I have looked at a number of options, e.g Amtrak from Vancouver to San Luis Obispo and then 2 nights in Pismo Beach but it doesnt look very easy to get from the Amtrak station to Pismo Beach. Another option was Vancouver to Santa Barbara but SB looks super expensive. Has anyone got any advice ?
Thanks so much
Denise

Good food in and near SLO, and decent hourly regional bus service from San Luis Obispo to the beach villages. The local buses in San Luis Obispo had "SLO transit" on their sides then.
It's been nine years since I spent three days in a cheap motel closer to Pismo Beach than Grover Beach where the Surfliner stopped - last northbound stop before SLO. At that time I didn't mind walking a few miles to cheaper lodging with a small wheeled carry-on and a light backpack.
From SLO south I dunno the Surfliner schedule, there's been several recent episodes of "beach erosion" between LA and San Diego.
Hope y'all have a good visit.

 

[anilou]

Rail service to San Diego is scheduled to resume on July 17. Until the next landslide, anyway.