15 best Amtrak trips from Sacramento

Multiple Amtrak routes and trains stop in Sacramento each day, so it’s easy to go on a train adventure. Day trips are an option or you can travel across the country or along the West Coast for amazing scenery. To start planning, here are the best Amtrak trips from Sacramento that don’t require a train transfer or middle-of-the-night travel.

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Oakland

Next to San Francisco Bay, Oakland is about two hours away from Sacramento on Amtrak and an easy day trip. Top attractions include the Oakland Museum of California, Redwood Regional Park, Urban Wine Trail and the Oakland Zoo. Plus, Jack London Square (pictured above) is next to the Amtrak station and has restaurants, bars and hotels near the waterfront.

San Francisco

Choose from multiple Amtrak routes to reach San Francisco for a day trip or overnight stay. The city is full of iconic attractions and travel time is just over two hours. There are three ways to reach the city:

Book your ticket to Oakland and ride the ferry to San Francisco.
Book your ticket to Emeryville and use Lyft, Uber or taxi to reach your final destination.
Book your ticket to San Francisco (SFC station), which includes a train trip to Emeryville then a bus connection to downtown San Francisco.

Reno

“The Biggest Little City in the World,” Reno is about five hours away from Sacramento on the California Zephyr route. After arriving, you can gamble at casinos, visit museums (including the National Automobile Museum), check out the riverwalk and even go skiing. Plan to stay at least one night, but you’ll likely want to stay at least two as the return train to Sacramento departs in the morning.

Paso Robles

Paso Robles is about seven hours away from Sacramento and a must-visit destination if you love wine. Vineyards and wineries surround the small city, and you can walk to several hotels and wine tasting rooms from the Amtrak station. Wine tours are also available.

San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo is a great family getaway or a wine trip that’s 8.5 hours away by train. Downtown there is a children’s museum, railroad museum and historic mission. Adults can also visit the many wineries in the area (the Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards has peacocks). For more things to do, rent a car and drive to nearby Morro Bay State Park and Dinosaur Caves Park.

Santa Barbara

Beautiful Santa Barbara is 11.5 hours away from Sacramento on the Coast Starlight. There is a zoo, harbor, wharf, coastal bike path and historic mission to explore, plus great restaurants and shops on State Street. Consider visiting in July or August if you want to enjoy the beaches and go to the Old Spanish Days festival. Other things to do include wine tasting, winter butterfly viewing and exploring Sterns Wharf.

Oxnard

If you want to enjoy the California coast away from the crowds, consider an Amtrak trip to Oxnard. The city has Victorian architecture, beautiful beaches, whale watching excursions and water activities at Channel Islands Harbor. For a unique day trip, take a boat ride to Channel Islands National Park, often called the Galapagos of North America. Amtrak travel time is 12.5 hours from Sacramento.

Los Angeles

For fun and sun, travel 14.5 hours on Amtrak to reach Los Angeles. Top attractions include the Getty Center, Griffith Observatory, Universal Studios Hollywood and the Santa Monica Pier. City tours are a great way to see the sights (and maybe a celebrity). Note that you can book your tickets to the Hollywood Burbank Station (BUR) for a shorter trip and easy access to Universal Studios, Hollywood and Griffith Park.

Portland

A pedestrian-friendly and bike-friendly city full of parks and gardens, Portland is almost 16 hours away from Sacramento by train. There are many craft beers to try and interesting festivals to plan a trip around. Plus, Mt. Hood (home to multiple ski areas) and the Columbia River Gorge are also nearby, which are great day trip options. You can also transfer to the Empire Builder to travel by train through the gorge.

Seattle

About 20 hours away from Sacramento on Amtrak, Seattle is a cultural urban getaway with many attractions and activities. Grab a coffee and stroll through the famous Pike Place Market, visit the Chihuly Gardens, Museum of Flight, or head to Kerry Park for stunning skyline views of the city. There are even tours to Mount Rainier if you want to visit the national park, or you can transfer to the Empire Builder train to reach many great cities in the mountains and Midwest.

Grand Junction

About 22 hours away from Sacramento on Amtrak, Grand Junction has beautiful scenery, wineries, unique shops and art galleries. The Colorado National Monument is a popular nearby attraction (pictured top of page) — a rental car is best for driving through the area and reaching hiking trails. You can walk eight minutes from the train station to Enterprise or arrange for a pick-up (requires a rental reservation).

Glenwood Springs

Glenwood Springs is a great destination if you want travel into the Rocky Mountains for a relaxing getaway. The hot springs are a top attraction, or check out the theme park, trails, snow sports, rafting and tubing. As a bonus, the Amtrak station is in walking distance of hotels, restaurants and the year-round Glenwood Hot Springs pool (pictured above). Train travel time is 24 hours.

Winter Park

Winter Park, Colorado is a mountain resort area with year-round events and outdoor activities. A free shuttle at the Fraser/Winter Park Amtrak station will take you to downtown Winter Park and the Winter Park Resort. In the summer, mountain biking and hiking are popular — skiing and snowboarding are the things to do in the winter. There are also a large number of breweries to check out. Train travel time is almost 28 hours.

Denver

Full of museums, breweries and outdoor activities, Denver is 30.5 hours away on Amtrak. You can easily walk to Coors Field and many restaurants from the historic train station. Plus, with a rental car or guided tour, you can visit Rocky Mountain National Park, Vail and Boulder. Rail fan should check out the Colorado Railroad Museum, which is about 25 minutes away from the Amtrak station by car.

Chicago

Chicago is the last stop on the California Zephyr route if you are traveling eastbound from Sacramento. It’s a two-night trip that’s almost 50 hours, with great museums, festivals, live music venues and tourist attractions to visit after you arrive. In the warmer months, you can visit one of the city’s beaches, go on a boat tour and take a bike ride along the Lakefront Trail. Or for more rail adventures, check out the best Amtrak trips from Chicago.