posted
Next May, my wife and I plan to go to California to visit the Ronal Reagan Presidential Library.
Plan to cash in about 60,000 AGR points.
If I ride the Southwest Chief where is the best place to de-train and travel to Simi Valley.
Any recomendations as to accomodations and rental cars. Are there any alternatives to doing a lot of driving in California. I do not like driving in congested traffic.
We have never been to California and would like to spend a day or two seeing the countryside. I do not care about the big city.
Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Posts: 68 | From: Lynchburg, Virginia USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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"... and make the San Fernando Valley my home!"
OK.
Let's start with 3-4. You want either 2 roomettes or a Bedroom. The upper berth, at 2' wide is a bloody coffin.
When I was wed, we took a Bedroom. The lower is 3'4" across. That's snuggly but do-able.
Yes, you have an alternative in Los Angeles: Pacific Surfliner. Direct service from LAUPT to Simi Valley (from the Amtrak website, Simi Valley station is 5050 Los Angeles Avenue, Simi Valley, CA 93063
Amtrak California reports the Hotel Grande Vista is 1.5 miles away, and cabs are plentiful.
posted
From Lynchburg, your choices are either 20-51-3 or 19-1 to Los Angeles. The connection from the N-bound Crescent (Train 20) to the W-bound Cardinal (Train 51) in Charlottesville is pretty good, and then the connection in Chicago to the W-bound Southwest Chief would be quite doable -- of course you need to remember that the Cardinal only runs 3 days a week.
THe preferred route would probably be to take the Crescent (Train 19)from Lynchburg south to New Orleans, then catch the W-bound Sunset Ltd (Train 1), but again the Sunset only runs 3 days a week, and you would need to overnight in New Orleans.
From L.A., there are several daily Pacific Surfliners to Simi Valley and points north.
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
You have a few options, depending on what you really want to do. Since you are coming in on the Southwest Chief, you will probably want to go all the way to Los Angeles. There really is no closer or reasonable way to get to Simi Valley other than going to Los Angeles first.
Now, once you are in Los Angeles, you again have several options. As previously mentioned, you can take a Surfliner train from LAX to Simi Valley. It's a nice ride.
However, once you get to the Simi Valley station, you will be stuck without a car----and that's not good.
If it were ME doing this trip, I would simply rent a car at LAX (Union Station) and drive to your destination from there. It is by far the simplest thing to do. A car gives you the freedom to come and go and the time YOU choose, and not a train schedule. It also elminates the problem of how to get from the depot to your hotel, from the hotel to the library, etc......
Keep in mind also that the library is located in Simi Valley, but it at the top of a big hill and very steep and winding road. You will want a car to do this. I was at the Reagan library recently, and it is beautiful! Wait until you see the Air Force One pavillion---stunning. Plan on spending a few hours there, or longer if the lines are long.
I also recommend getting your hotel outside of the City of Los Angeles to keep the costs reasonable. The Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn chains are my favorites (and if you are an Amtrak Guest Rewards member, you get Amtrak miles for staying at Hampton Inn which is a member of the Hilton family). If you want to see what other people candidly say about specific hotels, go to this web page:
In the search box, for example, type in "Holiday Inn Express Simi Valley". I just did this, and there are currently 5 reviews for this hotel. Some good, some bad....but you can decide for yourself the validity of the comments.
Have a great trip!
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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"Dada da da! Dada da da! DaDa da dada Da dada da da! The Toreadors are here We've made it very clear Our capes are on, Our Swords are drawn Red Gold and White will win tonight... Our Boys have hit the field The other team must yield For Taft will fight with all her might To Win the Victory tooohoonight!"
I came home from the hospital to Canoga Park; I grew up on Winnetka Avenue south of Ventura Boulevard. I'm a 1974 grad of Taft High School. I've been back a few times, including since the millenium, and have seen the San Diego Freeway, the Pasadena Freeway, the Hollywood Freeway, the Ventura Freeway, the Golden State Freeway, AND!!! Sepulveda Boulevard in all their gridlocked glory.
There is no way on this earth I'd advise someone to use a car in greater Los Angeles if they do not absolutely have to. If Mr and Mrs SSTS are simply doing the Reagan Library, let them use the public transport system. It'll be far less stressful on them!
Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
If I remember correctly, this topic (visiting the Reagan Library) came up on this board before. And I believe someone came up with the links for Public Transport from the Amtrak/Metrolink Station to the Library. A search might turn that up.
Anybody else remember this topic?
Frank in still gorgeous but warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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Try getting an out-of-towner to use unfamiliar public transportation in an unfamiliar city. The majority of the time, you won't convince them. The car is the easiest thing to do. I've done it many-a-time in LA, and I just take the traffic in stride. So do millions of other people.
Posts: 2355 | From: Pleasanton, CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I will be booking bedrooms both directions. My wife and I share the lower bed. Not a tight fit for us. We have never used the upper bed.
To max the AGR points, I will probably start in Atlanta (two zones) headed north on the Crescent and maybe the Capital Limited rather than Cardinal to Chicago then the Southwest Chief. Total points 60,000. Starting in Lynchburg it would be 100,000 points.
I wouldn't mind the driving in California but my wife hates the heavy traffic. I think we will be able to figure out the public transportation, especially with the great help available on this board.
Posts: 68 | From: Lynchburg, Virginia USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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SSTS: You also asked about what else to do while in CA. I really enjoyed San Diego last summer, great climate, lots to see & do, and it's not too far from the Reagan Library either.
Posts: 2642 | From: upstate New York | Registered: Mar 2004
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I've been meaning to get up to the Reagan library for a couple years myself. I'm going to try to carve out a day this Fall to do it, after the heat of summer leaves the Valley. Good for you SSTS for heading across the entire country to do the same. You've inspired me to get on it this Fall!
A trip down to San Diego on the Surfliner sounds like a good idea to me too. From LA through Irvine you don't see too much of interest; industrial areas in LA county with a few short views of the LA skyline, and gradually nicer suburbs in North/Central OC county. But once you leave Irvine and Central OC you start to see some nice rolling hills for a few miles until you hit San Clemente and a stunning hour long ride along the Pacific Ocean. It's really a very pretty route, the sort Amtrak puts in their commercials. Just make sure you sit on the western side of the train facing the ocean.
Or you could head the other direction up to Santa Barbara on the Surfliner or Coast Starlight and visit that equally lovely and typically Californian city for the day.
As for using public transit in and around LA County, I would think it would be easier to rent a car. Unless you truly are afraid of freeways and traffic, you won't find any traffic in LA that you can't already find in big Southeast cities like Atlanta, Dallas or Washington DC. (I lived for several years in the South in several different cities) Even Charlotte and Tampa and Orlando at rush hour serve up their own small versions of gridlock and congestion. It's just in LA the congestion rolls on for 50 miles in every direction. But if you only need to go 10 miles in and around town, then what does it matter that the congestion goes all the way to San Bernardino, Oxnard, or Laguna Niguel?
You could even consider the LA freeways as part of the adventure of travel. If you hate city life, here's your chance to prove it and tell the folks back home of the traffic you sat in on the Hollywood Freeway. Glamour! Adventure! SigAlerts! :-)
Posts: 56 | From: Orange County, CA | Registered: Jun 2007
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Granted, the Redondo Junction Roundhouse is no more, but I've never lacked for things to look at coming out of LAUPT on the Santa Fe!!!
Of course, I can remember the site of the Santa Fe (later Amtrak) LA Commissary, dropped for the Metropolitian Water District Building.
Things to do in the LA metro, near Amtrak, what a choice of options:
- Dodgers at Dodger Stadium - Angels at "that other place" (I'm old enough to remember KFWB saying "Today at Chavez Ravine" just to insult the Dodgers and their stadium). - Santa Barbara!!! (Including UCSB) (Frank, help me out...) - Heck, the run up the Coast line to SLO. Refugio Bend is perhaps my favorite trainwatching spot in the world. I used to hike up to the signal from the campgrounds (we camped at Refugio every summer of my youth).
Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
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Ok, here are my tips. The Moorpark station is closer to the Library than the Simi Station so you may want to get off there. Surfliner trains are kind of limited, but M-F we also have the Metrolink commuter trains which run more often and are quite a bit less money. As for hotels, do not, I repeat DO NOT stay at the Grand Vista or the Holiday Inn Express. I recommend the Posada Royale (now a Best Western) or the Courtyard by Marriott. Both are the closest to the Library. I'm not sure if they still do it, but the Posada Royale used to offer wine and chese M-F in the early evenings as well as fresh baked cookies. They also offered a really good full buffett breakfast. Not sure if they still offer these ammenities since becoming a Best Western. We're kind of lacking on the public transportaton out here, so as was already mention you'll need to call a cab from whichever train station you arrive at. If you don't have a number, the front desk staff of your hotel will probably be willing to call for you. There are also a few car rental locations in Simi if you decide you'd like to drive around. Usually we don't have too much traffic out here. The closer you get to LA the more you will find.
Posts: 13 | From: So Cal | Registered: May 2006
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I agree Smitty, trying to get out of towners to use public transportation. I understand there are time of arriving or age and health of the traveler. Arriving in a city and using the Subway or Bus systems are part of the experience. Also a cheap way to see alot more. Hey cheapest tourist view of NY Harbor is the Staten Island Ferry (It's Free). All city Mass transit systems have web sites with maps and timetables. Problem with mid sized citys is that the busses often stop running after 8pm.
Posts: 516 | From: New Haven, CT USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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I just used mass transit in ABQ for the first time, after years of taking a cab between Amtrak and airport car rentals. It was a good way to see the city and it's people. Schedules and fares were printable from their website. Definitely worth a try.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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Thanks to the web it is not as difficult as it used to be. Get maps from Mapquest to any level of detail you need. Search out the web sites for the LA bus system, Metrolink, whatever else, and find the routes that get you closest and the times they run. You can do all that before leaving home if you have the time. I am nearing my first week in San Francisco without being on anything but public transport. Of course that is somewhat unfair, in that SF is really east to get around on public transport, and I am used to doing it in unfamiliar cities. Example: First subway ride in Seoul less than 2 hours after checking into hotel, after getting to hotel by bus from airport.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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On 7/18/2007 Jamie said: "As for hotels, do not, I repeat DO NOT stay at the Grand Vista or the Holiday Inn Express. I recommend the Posada Royale (now a Best Western) or the Courtyard by Marriott"
In the last year has anything changed for the better or worse at these hotels?
I finally bit the bullet and have squandered 100,000 AGR points on a roundtrip Charlottesville to Simi Vally trip.
Won't happen until ear;y May 2009.
Bedrooms on 50/51 and 03/04 and Business Class on the Pacific Surfliner 769/784.
Still trying to figure out lodging for one night. Will not have a car but ain't scared of public transportation.
Could have save points by driving down to Atlanta and starting there, but wife wont happy about the extra traveling.
Posts: 68 | From: Lynchburg, Virginia USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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"If it were ME doing this trip, I would simply rent a car at LAX (Union Station) and drive to your destination from there. It is by far the simplest thing to do. A car gives you the freedom to come and go and the time YOU choose, and not a train schedule. It also elminates the problem of how to get from the depot to your hotel, from the hotel to the library, etc......"
having a car might be convenient but it wont do any good for the environment. I went to the reagan library a couple of years ago. took the surfliner from LA to simi valley and took a bus up from there. was pretty easy. and relaxing (i dont think driving a car in LA is relaxing).
Posts: 416 | From: St. Albans, Vermont | Registered: Feb 2003
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I agree with you. AGR has provided free transportation to Simi Valley, no need to spend money for a rental car and it's expensive insurance.
Simi Valley local government has a web site that gives good information on the bus routes and schedules. My problem right now is to find a hotel close to one of the routes that goes by the station and the hotel I choose.
The most accommodating hotel so far was the Grand Vista, it offered free shuttle to and from the station as well as to the Library. BUT Jamie said not to stay at the Grand Vista or Holiday Inn. I know a lot of hotel properties change hands and improve; I would like to hear from someone in that area that knows the score concerning these 2 properties.
Posts: 68 | From: Lynchburg, Virginia USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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