Santa Barbara Scenic Train and Coastal Charm 1-Day Trip from LA
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Escape the buzz of LA and glide up the coast in style aboard the legendary Amtrak Coast Starlight train from Oxnard Railway Station to Santa Barbara(no tour guide during the train trip)—hailed as one of America’s most breathtaking train rides. Watch the Pacific sparkle beside you as you journey to Santa Barbara, a seaside haven of Spanish charm and sun-kissed serenity. Stroll the iconic pier, unwind on the beach and breathe in the ocean breeze, and explore architectural gems like the Old Mission and the historic Courthouse. With spacious train seating, bilingual guides, and seamless LA pickup, this 10-hour adventure is your ticket to coastal bliss, cultural richness, and unforgettable views. All aboard for a day that feels like a dream!
Itinerary:
Los Angeles → Oxnard → Amtrak Coast Starlight (60 mins, ticket included, no tour guide during the trip)→ Pier Santa Barbara (90 mins) → Superior Court Of California (60 mins) → Old Mission Santa Barbara (outside visit, 40 mins) → Los Angeles
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Travelers under 18 must be with an adult. Pregnant travelers allowed if under 24 weeks.
Tour duration includes visit times, travel, traffic, and driving between locations.
Please verify your name and contact details; errors may incur additional costs.
You must provide your pick-up location to the operator at least 3 days before departure. If not received, the default pick-up will be: 08:30am Departure Pico House Los Angeles--424 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
For multiple bookings, please provide all confirmation numbers after booking to ensure you travel on the same bus.
By selecting an option and completing your booking, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to the tour's full product description, including all details about itinerary, included and excluded fees. Your payment indicates your acceptance of these terms.
Tickets & Admission: Third-party attraction tickets or city passes are not accepted.
Bring comfortable shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, cash, and water for hydration. A valid reachable phone number is required for safety and trip communication.
Children under 6 may require a booster seat by law when traveling on the minivans or vans. Please contact the operator in advance if needed; rental available on request.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Professional vehicles transportation (Vehicle used based on the number of guests attending that day)
For the driver and tour guide are included
Professional Driver and Guide (or Driver-Guide)
Ticket of Amtrak Coast Starlight
Meals, Food and Drinks
Personal expenses and other expenses not listed in the Cost Includes
What To Expect
Los Angeles
Today we’ll depart from Los Angeles and drive to Oxnard, where we’ll board the Coast Starlight train to Santa Barbara. The journey blends LA’s urban buzz with coastal calm. Leaving the city’s iconic skyline behind, we’ll head northwest on US-101, a well-maintained highway that hugs the coast in places and offers occasional ocean views and the Santa Monica Mountains as we pass by charming towns like Thousand Oaks and Camarillo. Rolling hills and farmland lead us to Oxnard, a relaxed coastal city known for its beaches and strawberry fields. Depending on traffic, the drive takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, before we pull into the Oxnard Railway Station to board the Coast Starlight train for the ride to Santa Barbara!
Amtrak Coast Starlight (60 mins, ticket included, no tour guide during the trip) Ride the legendary Amtrak Coast Starlight—America’s most scenic train journey! Enjoy 60 minutes of stunning views: snow-capped mountains, lush forests, and coastal beauty. Spacious seats and panoramic windows make this a relaxing, unforgettable experience. Ticket included; no guide needed—just sit back and let the landscape amaze you.
Options
Monterey Park（AS1）
Starting point:
123 S Lincoln Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91755, USA
Rosemead（AS1）
Starting point:
8832 Glendon Wy, Rosemead, CA 91770, USA
Pico House Los Angeles（AS1）
Starting point:
424 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA
Sheraton San Gabriel（AS1）
Pick-up & drop-off services at: this location are only available for guests who have reservations in the hotel. Please provide the hotel confirmation number.
Starting point:
303 E Valley Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776, USA
Rowland Heights（AS1）
Starting point:
1463 Nogales St, Rowland Heights, CA 91748, USA
Reviews
28 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
The city was superb but the tour is to be seen again
Lea R,
Aug 24, 2025
- Viator
4.00Santa Barbara is a very beautiful city, the seaside with all the paintings and craft exhibitions are amazing! This is my favorite part where we stayed for 2 hours. Regarding the tour, the Amastrak Starlight is well to be taken but regarding our guide, he was more a driver than a guide, he just gave us instructions on the times and time on site. He spoke much more with the other Asians than we did, if not at all. We would have liked to have an explanation about County Courthouse, because it’s nice to see but to understand would be better... 🤷🏻♀️ and regarding Old Mission, there is a museum inside and it’s $17 admission, plus there is nothing to see except the religious souvenir shop 🙏🏻 the whole group stayed outside and we waited almost an hour like that
Excellent experience good
MaryPaz M,
Jan 20, 2025
- Viator
5.00it was a really good experience recommendable for anybody. the ride in the Amtrak was fine, the ristorantes in the area ok the food really good
Train ride
Aileen A,
Jan 8, 2024
- Viator
5.00The train tide was very enjoyable. I had my own seat and was very scenic. I was able to talk with the train conductor and he had many tips for my next train tide
Trip description is way off.
Carolyn S,
Sep 18, 2023
- Viator
1.00The tour description in misleading. The train trip is only from Oxnard to Santa Barbara which is less than a 45 minute ride. We spent most of the day in a cramped van in gridlock LA traffic. We also did not take the train back to Oxnard. Instead we drove by van 2 1/2 hours in traffic. We should have taken the trip on our own. We would have taken the train from Union Station to Santa Barbara to avoid the horrible traffic. The guide provided very little information about points of interest the entire day. The experience was more like having a driver rather than a guide. He spoke very little english, was not friendly and demanded a tip at our last stop. The trip description also states it includes admission to the Mission, not true. Our guide told us we would have to pay the entrance fee. We have take lots of excusions and many with Viator. This trip is by far the worst! Not worth the time of money.
I want my money back! Worst Trip Ever!!!
Deborah L,
Sep 17, 2023
- Viator
1.00I feel like I was scammed. I thought we were going on a three hour trip on a train by the Pacific coast , not be an a crowded nasty van with the driver driving like a maniac on the interstate, where I was sitting on the extra half seat by the door. Most disappointing trip ever! The driver tried to put us off at exit 146B on interstate five because we had asked if we might be able to get off at Hollywood Boulevard and stead of by the pico hotel. We weren’t even on interstate 110 which is why we needed to be on to even make it back to Hollywood Boulevard or Los Angeles. We were freaking in the middle of nowhere with abandon warehouses and tents and homeless people. No stores no phones not even a real exit. It was more of a construction exit that it was for vehicles. The Chinese driver could barely speak enough English for us to understand what he was saying, but there were four other Asian people in the van that he communicated with easily. We were told at the mission that if we wanted to go inside, we would have to pay the $15 entry fee which was supposed to be included already., plus he asked for a tip when we left from the mission and had I known he was going to try to put us out on the side of the road. He definitely would not have gotten a tip from me. The trip was definitely not worth $320 that I had already paid, but felt intimidated into giving him a tip, which he totally did not deserve. Philip is not a good representation of your company at all and I will never ever recommend this crap to anybody that is even thinking about taking a pacific coast train trip through you guys. If there is any process that I need to do to get a refund, please let me know what that process is because I do not feel that I should have to pay that much money for what we got. I would have chosen to take the Amtrak over taking the van trip to Oxnard had I known I would be spending that much time I am not on a train.
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Operated by Jupiter Legend Corporation