“Nittany Fun Wine Train” - Saturday, April 17th, from LA’s Union Station to Santa Barbara (RT) on a beautifully restored vintage (1949) lounge / bar car coupled to a regularly-scheduled Amtrak train. We’ll have expansive ocean views en route while enjoying a scrumptious breakfast and dinner on-board. Plenty of time in beautiful Santa Barbara to enjoy wine tasting, exploring, sightseeing, antiquing and having lunch at one of the many restaurants in town.

An all-day event (7:30a – 7:30p) of the Penn State Alumni Association - Orange County Chapter.

Cost: $119.95.

Questions? Contact Buck (949-631-7373 hellobuck@yahoo.com).

OVERVIEW

The “Nittany Fun Wine Train” will be utilizing a fully restored vintage Southern Pacific 1940s club lounge railcar, will be making a round-trip run up the coast from Union Station in Los Angeles to downtown Santa Barbara on Saturday, April 17th. (It’s an all-day event). It’s a great way to have an enjoyable and a unique travel experience with your Penn State friends.

The “Nittany Fun Wine Train” railcar will be coupled to the regularly scheduled Amtrak train #799 for the LA to Santa Barbara run and will be for our exclusive use (Only our “pride” will be in the railcar!). I’ve led this trip three times and everyone always has an absolute blast!!

You’re encouraged to wear your Penn State colors and paraphernalia!
 
TRIP DETAILS

The train departs Los Angeles (Amtrak #799) at 7:30AM Saturday morning (I know, it’s early, but there’s no alternative.), arriving in Santa Barbara at 10:30AM. The return train (Amtrak #792) departs at 4:31PM from Santa Barbara, arriving back in Union Station at 7:15PM.

En route to Santa Barbara, we’ll enjoy a delicious and freshly prepared buffet breakfast including: Belgian waffles, Southwest frittata, grilled chicken sausages and fresh fruit. On our return trip to Los Angeles, a scrumptious buffet dinner will be served: Steak filet salad with jicama, red & yellow peppers, mushrooms, avocado and red onions, along with a delectable raspberry chocolate brownie tower dessert. A large variety of beverages will be available at no extra charge, including soft drinks, coffee, tea and wine. And, don’t forget, you can bring your own beverages and there is no additional cost to do so.
 
The waiters/porters always have your utmost comfort and enjoyment in mind and will cater to your every wish. It’s first-class service all the way!
 
Relax and leave the cares of the world (esp. OC!!) behind. The moment you step aboard The Overland Trail, you’ll become aware of the subdued elegance and refined appointments of an earlier, more gracious era of train travel. This club / lounge railcar features a stunning “Streamline Moderne” interior, a most gracious quarter-circle bar, expansive picture windows and a comfortable ride. You’ll travel in style aboard this gem from the past!
 
ROUTING

The Overland Trail traverses the spectacular “Coast Line” of the former Southern Pacific Railroad. This was the route of the famed Coast Daylight, described by many as the most beautiful train in the world. The train was inaugurated in 1937 and ran up until the advent of Amtrak in 1971. We'll enjoy many scenic highlights through the large picture windows of The Overland Trail, including the Santa Susana pass, many miles of beautiful vistas along the Pacific Ocean, and, of course, our final destination, Santa Barbara - the "American Riviera."

DOWNTOWN SANTA BARBARA “URBAN WINE TRAIL”

Click here for info on Santa Barbara wine trails and scroll down to “Trail #6 - Santa Barbara: The Urban Wine Trail” and then click on the map, which lists downtown wine tasting venues. A number of them are within 2 or 3 blocks of the Amtrak Station. The wine tasting rooms charge between $5 and $15 (your cost) for between 3 and 7 pours. An additional wine tasting room, CoastalWinery.com, is located on Stearns’ Wharf and opens at 11AM. We’ll take a break for lunch (your cost) at one of the many downtown eateries. You are not required to do anything with the group while in Santa Barbara, so feel free to go off on your own during our time there. Just make sure that you’re back at the Amtrak station in enough time to board the train back to LA at 4:31PM.
 
PARKING & DIRECTIONS

You can park directly under the MTA building (Patasouris Transit Plaza) all day for just $6. Union Station is located a short walk at  810 N. Vignes St., Los Angeles, CA 90012.
 
Amtrak staff may not be aware of our special railcar but they will be able to direct you to the gate for Amtrak train #799, to which our “Nittany Fun Wine Train” railcar will be coupled.
 
TICKETING

Please call Buck to purchase your ticket for $119.95 each. Visa, M/C & Discover credit cards accepted, plus PayPal (hellobuck@yahoo.com). Parking, wine tasting and lunch in Santa Barbara, and other personal expenses are not included in the $119.95 fare. Only by purchasing a ticket is your spot on the “Nittany Fun Wine Train” guaranteed. No refunds after April 2nd but you can substitute someone in your place up until the train pulls out of the station. We can only accommodate a total of 36 rabid Nittany Lion fans and friends so purchase your ticket now for this fabulous trip – it always sell out!! ADULTS ONLY!!
 


For a bit of levity, watch / listen to the following but substitute “Fun” for the word “Love” in the song => http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvsAqkOhI48
 
Please contact Buck at 949-631-7373 or hellobuck@yahoo.com if you have questions.
 
ALL ABOARRRDDD!!