California Coast by planes, trains + automobiles includes ride on world’s shortest railway

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By Sandra Thomas

I was surprised a train trip lasting less than a minute could cause so much anxiety, but the steep angle of the Los Angeles-based Angels Flight was giving me real wooden roller-coaster vibes as we ascended the 298-foot-long railway.

But unlike a roller coaster, the bright orange car we were travelling in did not end in a stomach-churning drop, but instead jerked precariously to a halt at the top of the narrow-gauge funicular railway, where we disembarked after mere seconds.

A visit to this downtown L.A. landmark, which runs up Bunker Hill, was just one of the highlights of a recent visit to California inspired, in part, by the 35^th anniversary of the classic comedy, Planes, Trains & Automobiles.

I like this movie because, while it showcases some of the worst-case scenarios in travel — as many are facing today — it also reminds travellers a little empathy and patience can go a long way in brightening the day of others just trying to get to where they need to be.

So, optimistically, my husband and I travelled from Vancouver, Canada, to Santa Barbara, L.A., Santa Monica, San Diego and Palm Springs, exploring as many modes of transportation as possible, including our ride on Angels Flight.

Los Angeles-based Angels Flight is considered the shortest railway line in the world; The Tacos and Tequila Taste is a walking tour organized by Santa Barbara Food Tours; The Cormorant Boutique Hotel in the heart of La Jolla has a great rooftop patio/lounge called the Birdseye. Sandra Thomas photos

Stop 1: Santa Barbara, California, by plane

Santa Barbara highlights

Where to stay: We grabbed an Uber to get to the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort, where we enjoyed ocean views for our two-day stay.

Dinner around a fire table at the Hilton’s Set Restaurant, followed by gourmet s’mores at an outdoor bonfire.
Two-hour sunset cruise on the Double Dolphin catamaran.
Salt Cave Santa Barbara.
Tacos and Tequila Tour from Taste Santa Barbara Food Tours (by foot).
Visit to Cat Therapy to pet foster cats.
Walk, drink and eat in the Funk Zone, a former industrial hub turned home to 13 blocks of some of the city’s best wine tasting rooms, breweries, galleries and restaurants, including Tyger Tyger.

Stop 2: Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, California, by Amtrak’s Surfliner train

Los Angeles highlights

The iconic Hollywood sign celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Photo courtesy of Discover Los Angeles

Where to stay: The Shay in Culver City is an urban boutique hotel where we had a view of the Hollywood sign, which just celebrated its 100^th anniversary.

Dinner at Etta, located within The Shay, is all about wood-fired dishes – think hearth-roasted olives, fire-baked focaccia and bubbling shrimp.
Explore Culver City, steeped in motion picture, television and aviation history.
Visit the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, showcasing still and moving images from the unparalleled collection of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences.
Tour the Petersen Automobile Museum, one of the largest automotive museums in the world.
Taste your way around the Citizen Public Market.

Stop 3: Santa Monica, California, from L.A. by Uber

Santa Monica highlights

Where to stay: It was a short Uber ride from L.A. to the Hilton Santa Monica Hotel & Suites, centrally located within walking distance to the beach and Santa Monica Pier, shops and restaurants.

Enjoy rustic baked goods and sweets at Huckleberry Bakery & Café.
Visit the Santa Monica Pier and historic Santa Monica Pier Carousel, featuring 44 hand-carved horses, two sleighs, a rabbit and a goat, and lit up by 1,100 electric lights.
Lunch at True Food Kitchen, where healthy meets delicious.
Dinner at Cassia, a Southeast Asian restaurant to popular, we visited on a Monday night and it was reservation only.
Start a walking tour of the charming 10-block Montana Avenue with a Lavender Bloom Matcha Latte at La La Land Kind Café, where “kindness” is their mantra and kids navigating the foster-care system find employment.

Stop 4: San Diego, California, by rental car

San Diego/La Jolla highlights

Where to stay: The new Cormorant Boutique Hotel is in the heart of La Jolla, where we enjoyed great views and cocktails on the rooftop patio/lounge Birdseye.

Dinner at Coasterra on Harbour Island, specializing in modern Mexican cuisine and an extensive cocktail list showcasing more than 70 agave spirits.
Try pancakes from a 60-year-old recipe at Madi, a vintage-inspired café in Normal Heights.
Drink beer, listen to live music and shop for books and vintage clothing in North Park.
Enjoy lunch surrounded by modern art at ARTIFACT at Mingei International Museum, located at the entrance to Balboa Park, home to the San Diego Zoo, Spanish Village Art Centre, San Diego Air and Space Museum, San Diego Automotive Museum, Model Railroad Museum and San Diego Museum of Man.
Wander Old Town San Diego State Historic Park and look for ghosts at old Whaley Museum.
Sample margarita flights and get serenaded by a mariachi band at Café Coyote in Old Town, voted best Mexican food in San Diego.
Take in the largest collection of Chicano murals in the world at Barrio Logan and Chicano Park.

Palm trees and Adirondack chairs dot the lawn of the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort; The rooftop pool and lounge at The Shay hotel in Culver City; Santa Monica Pier and its vintage carousel; Breakfast at Madi in the Normal Heights neighbourhood of San Diego; Delicious food aside, dinner at a fire table at Set Restaurant in Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort is an experience in of itself. Sandra Thomas photos

Stop 5: Palm Springs, California, by rental car

Palm Spring highlights

Where to stay: The JW Marriott Desert Palm Springs Resort & Spa is a fabulous desert oasis, complete with a palm-tree-lined driveway, breathtaking mountain and lake views and a lobby so grand, it includes indoor boat parking.

Or embrace all things vintage and mid-century modern at Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa in Indian Wells, where the resort’s design and decor pay homage to the glamour of the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.

Go back in time at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
Take in a vintage and thrift-store tour with artist Kim Garretson, whose wicked sense of humour is reflected in his assemblage art, seen here on Instagram.
Spend hours at the Palm Springs Art Museum, perusing its contemporary, western and Native American art and two sculpture gardens.
Relax with a spa treatment at the 13,000-square-foot Spa Esmeralda, located within Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa and enjoy the steam rooms, garden courtyard and jacuzzi.
Dinner at The Place, located within the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort, where we devoured both memorable Mexican food AND sumptuous sushi.

Final thoughts

By the end of our 12-day trip – even with so many moving parts – we had suffered barely a glitch and I’m happy to say my faith in the people working in multiple transportation, service and hospitality related industries, was not only restored, but I was impressed by their grace under pressure in these trying travel times.

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