Time is the true luxury these days. If you have it, one wonderful way to invest it is to look into train travel here in the United States, especially as airlines get more and more comfortable not holding up their end of the deal.

A great “gateway drug ” train experience is factoring train travel into exploring the West coast.

These days there’s not much like peacably arriving at  your destination well-rested and ready to explore…but there are nuances and tweaks to getting the highest high out of Amtrak.

This Globalboho clip sweetly addresses some of them that arose on a recent ride home to LA from San Jose through the  stunningly bucolic central coast of California, with a pit stop in Slo- San Luis Obispo, CA.

Yes, it’ll add a few hours onto your vacation on either side, but it sidesteps the horrific traffic keyed to most major and minor cities in California and usually drops you smack dab in the very places you’re on the road to see.

Plus, equipped with free baggage service for two large suitcases, large seats that still have the legroom that now even business class rarely has these days, a cafe & full bar car, often an observation deck and occasionally (finally) the return of full scale dining cars post-covid… and the ability To move about the train- it’s just a fun experience.

That’s on top of minimal price gouging and great deals the earlier you acquire your tickets. It’s just a better experience overall.

If you can indulgently afford the extra bit of time it will take to get to where you are  going.

Besides,  factoring in bag checking,  ubers to and from airports, traffic and the literal hours it takes logistically to effectively arrive at airports only to wait to fly from major hubs…if you aren’t canceled at the gate-

You’re spending the time anyway.