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!
View More
Let Amtrak San Joaquins Plan Your Next Beach Trip to Santa Monica
Summer is not over - there is still plenty of time to live your best beach life before diving into pumpkin everything! We know gas is expensive and you don't want to sit in traffic for hours, so here's your easy-travel solution: our new Thruway Bus Route 1C that takes you directly to the Santa Monica Pier! With this route, riders can take the train to Bakersfield followed by a quick bus ride straight to the pier, or if you don't need the train, you can purchase bus-only tickets!
Now that you've booked your trip, it's time to plan some fun in the sun! Santa Monica is a picture-perfect beach town filled with fun activities for all ages. Start your day by taking a stroll on one of the most photographed places in the world, the Santa Monica Pier.
Start your stroll down the pier by breathing in the fresh ocean air and enjoying the scenery. As you travel down the pier, the options for entertainment are endless. Enjoy the street performers, restaurants, and vendors before (or after) taking a breathtaking Ferris wheel ride overlooking the Pacific Ocean. From there, make your way over to the pier's Playland Arcade to let your inner child roam free. Not in the mood for games? No problem, the pier has a hidden gem, a public marine education center called Heal the Bay, where you can learn about marine life with hands-on experiences.
Once you have exhausted all the pier has to offer, there’s still more fun to be had in sunny Santa Monica! Third Street Promenade is located just two blocks from the pier, offering over 100 shops and amazing dining options ranging from delicious confections to mouth-watering main courses. All of this is made better by the fact that this promenade spans three blocks all of which are airy and car-free, allowing for many farmers' markets and the perfect pedestrian experience.
Not a shopper? Santa Monica also has incredible museums like the Getty Villa, a museum and educational center dedicated to the arts and culture of ancient Rome, with architecture that transports you back to the era. Other museums like the Skirball Cultural Center feature extraordinary, life-changing exhibits, music, theatre, film, and more about Jewish history.
Once you've scratched your travel itch, make your way back to the bus stop for the journey home. Best of all, no one has to drive and everyone gets to nap! With free Wifi, charging ports, A/C, and comfortable reclining chairs, this trip is sure to end in relaxation bliss. Don't wait, book your trip today!
recent blog posts
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.
View More
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 […]
View More