Let’s Review! Coaster train ride to Oceanside!
4/5 stars Great thing to do!
Ages: All
Timeframe: All day or just an afternoon
Websites:
Let’s ride the train! We took a day trip, riding the coaster train from Santa Fe up to Oceanside and back. (1 hour each way) The kids had a blast climbing aboard sitting on the second story, watching the view roll past and simply being on a train. It was a cloudy day when we went and the views of the beach were not as exciting as I had expected them to be (why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5). There is a good portion of the ride inland, and when you do get near the beach it isn’t actually that close. Still a bit of a distance from the train. The train has open seating so you find an empty seat and it’s yours. Snag the left side for the ride up and the right side for the ride south for the beach views.
*Note, you will want to get on the train in Santa Fe (downtown San Diego) it is the first stop and you will more likely be able to get your preferred seats. The second stop is Old Town, a large number of people climbed aboard at this stop, and if we hadn’t already been seated we wouldn’t have had seats on the second deck.
Buying the tickets was easy once I figured out which kiosk to use. I found it to be confusing even though many people said “just get it at the station”. Well when you get to the station you can’t buy tickets from a teller. You must walk through and outside. Cross the first set of tracks to the middle platform. Then down on your right is a kiosk specifically for the Coaster train (not the Amtrak). Once you start tapping on the kiosk for tickets it is very straight forward how to purchase. The train conductor came through the train once each trip checking for tickets on our way up and way back.
The seating was large and a bit like sitting in a booth at a restaurant, I was able to bring my single stroller (though I did fold it up for the ride), a double stroller would be much more difficult to get aboard and it wouldn’t fit up the stairs to the second deck. There is a bathroom on the first deck but it’s cleanliness was a bit dodgy. All of the vending machines in Oceanside were completely empty so pick up some water before you go, or stop in a store before getting to the station.
The station in Ocean side is conveniently located downtown close to restaurants, the beach, surfer museum, and the Top Gun house (The famous High Pie). We walked about stopped and had lunch, strolled the board walk, played in the sand and on the beach playground, then headed back for our train ride home.
The kids have a blast and I’m looking forward to doing it again!
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