bazb4foders

Retired active Australian couple wanting to see as much of the coast as possible in April 2016 wondering which is best-----by coach--or rail?
Duration of trip not a factor.
Is one able to get off either & stay overnight somewhere if one wishes?
Thanks in anticipation,
Marlene & Barry.

Michael

The best parts of the coast (CA1 between Pacifica and Santa Cruz, and CA1 between the Monterey Peninsula and Morro Bay) can best be seen if you drive it yourself. There is public transportation along the San Mateo coast but i do not know if it goes all the way to Santa Cruz.

janisj

Unfortunately neither a train or buses will let you see the best of the coast. As Michael says, your best option is to rent a car.

happytrailstoyou

Ditto what Michael and janisj said.

HTtY

logandog

I recently looked into rail travel from LA to San Francisco for a weekend getaway and it is a convoluted mess.
Eleven plus hours for a 350 mile journey and changing from rail to bus, passing through some of the least attractive parts of the state.
The rail journeys from Santa Barbara to LA and From LA to San Diego have some very scenic seaside segments however.
Car rental is the best option to experience the world class beauty of the California coast and Hiway 1.

clarkgriswold

Apparently they are not interested in driving as all their posts have been regarding flights vs train vs coach bus tour.

We would have to see the exact "Coach Tour" that you are considering in order to tell you if they hit the most desired spots/ allow you to get out and walk/tour on your own anywhere, etc.

The train is not really a "convoluted mess" though some of the itineraries on Amtrak.com do make it seem that way. You do have to get a bus from the Ferry Bldg in San Francisco to the Amtrak station ....but after that it's just train all the way. And yes, you can make some overnight or two night stops along the way...San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, etc.

MichelleY

Drive if you really want to see the best places and be able to stop and take it all in.

Underhill

We took the train from SF to Santa Barbara, and it was a LOOONG day of travel, with not great scenery for the most part. Driving lets you get it all.

jamie99

You really need to rent a car and drive Highway 1, the bus and train do not travel this part, one of the most beautiful drives in the US.

ltt

considering you won't have the luxury of your own car, a coach tour would be your best option. i found this one that seems like a pretty good itinerary but there are tons you could look at
http://www.starlinetours.com/NADEitinerary.aspx
i would arrive in san fransisco a few days before the tour starts to see some of the things you won't see on your day of sightseeing such as alcatraz, different restaurants, other things that interest you. then take the tour until day 8 and then spend 3-7 more days in san diego.
will you not drive at all or just don't want to do it every day. just wondered about if you'd rent a car for a day every once in a while.