Amtrak San Joaquins: Your Designated Driver to the Bay Area Craft Beer Festival: Boots & Brews
Put your cowboy boots on and join us at the 2025 Bay Area Craft Beer Festival: Boots & Brews!
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National Parks & Recreations Month
Enjoy the Great Outdoors for National Park and Recreation Month
From the beautiful coastline of the Pacific Ocean to the mountainous Sierra Nevada, California is home to some of the most amazing natural scenery in the country. National Parks and Recreation Month is the perfect opportunity to explore the beauty of our great state and enjoy the outdoors. From greenspaces to riverfront views, Amtrak San Joaquins can take you to new exciting places. For summer travel along the corridor, Amtrak San Joaquins offers 20% off single rider tickets with our Saver Fare promo when you book seven days in advance. Want to bring your bike? Amtrak San Joaquins trains and buses are equipped with bike storage, making it free and easy for you to travel.
MERCED - YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
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- Explore the vastness of this 748,000 acre park. Hiking is endless at Yosemite with visitors being able to choose from 122 trails. Enjoy the outdoors with recreational activities like fishing, swimming, and boating at one of the park's 3,200 lakes. With an array of lodging, camping, dining, and activity options, enjoy summer fun with friends or the entire family! Take Amtrak San Joaquins to the Merced station to connect with Amtrak Thruway Bus (Route 15A) for direct travel to Yosemite. When you book with Amtrak San Joaquins, Yosemite Park entrance tickets are included with your train/bus ticket.
OAKLAND - LAKE MERRITT
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- Relax by the shore, take the kids to Children's Fairyland, visit the Japanese Bonsai Garden for free, enjoy a meal at one of the dozens of restaurants nearby, or rent a pedalboat, canoe, rowboat, or kayak. Located near Jack London Square Amtrak station, there's plenty of recreational activities and attractions for the entire family for a day or weekend trip!
SACRAMENTO
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- Old Sacramento Waterfront State Historic ParkWith 57 retail stores for shopping, 46 eateries for dining, 5 historical museums (including the California State Railroad Museum), the waterfront ferris wheel, and carousel, there's no shortage of fun and entertainment for the entire family! The Old Sacramento Waterfront is at the doorstep of the Sacramento Amtrak station, making it an easy and a convenient trip!
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- Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail Also known as the American River Bike Trail, visitors can walk or ride their bike along the Sacramento River and the American River. The paved trail is easy, offers plenty of tree coverage, and provides breathtaking views. The 32-mile trail connects the Old Sacramento Waterfront and Folsom. Most walkers and hikers wont tackle the whole trail in its entirety but instead complete a section of it and take a seat on one of the benches to enjoy the view.
Martinez
This 198-acre wetland is home to a host of wildflowers and plants. Catch a good view of the marsh on the Meadowlark Ridge Loop or spend the day birdwatching the many species of waterfowl and shorebirds. The Waterbird National Preserve is a quick Uber, Lyft or bike ride from the Martinez Amtrak Station.
With four ballfields, soccer field, picnic areas, playgrounds, skateboard park, marina, and fishing pier, enjoy a fun day in the sun with unlimited options for recreational activities! Fishing licenses are available at the marina bait shop. A California state fishing license is not required to fish from the pier at the marina. Waterfront Park is conveniently walking distance from the Martinez Amtrak station.
Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline Park
Choose one of the seven trails located in this scenic hillside parkland. With 1,415 acres of bluff and views of the Carquinez Strait shore, explore the eucalyptus groves scattered throughout, and observe the vast wildlife from the red-tailed hawk to the great horned owl. The Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline Park trailhead is just a few blocks from the Martinez Amtrak station.
Antioch/Pittsburg
Known for its ecosystem diversity, over 130 bird species have been sighted, including the threatened black shouldered kite and northern harrier. This 172-acre freshwater and brackish tidal marsh includes a 30-acre beaver pond, freshwater ponds, uplands, and grasslands that are home to river otters and a variety of water birds. Visitors can also rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards from Delta Kayak Adventures and explore the San Joaquin River. Downtown Antioch has a handful of restaurants for visitors to enjoy a nice lunch or dinner. Corteva Wetlands Preserve and Delta Kayak Adventures are a short walk from the Antioch-Pittsburg Amtrak station.
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A Scenic Amtrak Journey: Bakersfield to Martinez
Tuesday, February 26th, began with a cool overcast morning as I boarded Amtrak San Joaquins #711 from Bakersfield to Martinez. With a smooth “swish,” the BiLevel train doors opened, welcoming travelers aboard.
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Service Alert – No Travel To/From Yosemite
Last update: March 24 (8:00am) Monday, March 24, 2025 – Due to a rock slide, Thruway Bus Service to and from Yosemite is limited. The following Route 15 (YARTS) stops are suspended through Thursday, March 27, 2025. Yosemite, El Portal (EPL) – Yosemite, Curry Village (YOC) – Yosemite, Yosemite Village (YOV) – Yosemite, Yosemite […]
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