USA by Rail – the City of Angels

March 18th

The Sunset Limited is the oldest named train route in the U.S., dating all the way back to 1894. Departing from New Orleans and terminating in Los Angeles, it is also Amtrak’s southernmost train. The route spans approximately 1,995 miles and takes roughly two days.

I boarded the Sunset Limited in the morning, traveling westbound toward LA. Departing New Orleans, we passed through the wetlands and bayous of Louisiana. It was a beautiful sunny day and in the marshy terrain I saw hundreds of white egrets, as well as several eagles and woodpeckers. I saw a deer up to its knees in water, struggling to cross through the marsh, and one or two fish jumping out of the water. Louisiana wetlands eventually gave way to Texas hill country, where I drifted off to sleep. 

March 19th

It was a dramatic change, almost startling, when I woke up the next morning in the middle of the desert. Suddenly it was dry as a bone, passing rugged mountains through dusty sand dotted with cacti. Traveling through west Texas, we were at times just a stone’s throw from the Mexican border. I spent much of the day in the observation car enjoying the desert scenery through the huge glass windows as we continued west through Arizona and New Mexico. 

March 20th

We arrived in LA early the next morning and I had just over 24 hours to explore. I first stopped by my hostel in downtown. It was only 7 am, so way too early to check in, but I was able to drop off my bag for the day. 

I decided to take the subway over to Santa Monica. I was groggy after two nights on the train, but wanted to make the most of my one day in LA. Going to the beach felt like a good compromise. 

For a weary traveler on a budget, beaches are the perfect thing. They’re free and you can stay as long as you want. Even better, you can lie down, even sleep, and it’s considered normal. Best of all, you still feel like you are doing a “thing,” even while you nap. 

Revived from my beach rest and feeling a bit more peppy in the brisk salty air, I wandered around the Santa Monica pier, bustling with tourists, street performers, and carnival rides. My favorite part was watching locals fish off the pier. I saw one guy reel in a decently sized perch and stuff it away into his cooler. 

From Santa Monica I walked about two miles along the boardwalk to Venice Beach. It was a good opportunity to stretch my legs after all the time on the train. My goal while on my city stops is to do as much walking as possible. Since I am segueing straight into my PCT thru-hike after my train trip, I need to do my best to get some exercise while traveling. 

The best way to train for a hike is hiking, but the second best way is walking. Fortunately walking is free, available everywhere, and very compatible with the traveling lifestyle. I probably walked about 10 miles total over the course of the day — not impressive by PCT standards, but enough to get the blood flowing anyway. 

In the evening, I took the subway and free bus to Griffith Observatory. The bus pulled up just as the sun was setting over the LA skyline and the iconic Hollywood sign. I walked around the observation deck, watching the orange sky shift to purple as twilight set in. The city skyline began to light up. 

As the stars began to come out I stood in line to use the free public telescope, where I caught a clear view of Jupiter and its moons. 

I took one last look at the skyline before catching the bus back down the hill. “Well, I wasn’t able to see much of LA in just one day,” I thought, “but from here I can see the whole city at once!”