The Zephyr to California

The plan had always been to start in Chicago. Not one but two itineraries were drawn up. None materialized. Time intervened. Then Denver beckoned – I had never been. Others who had journeyed previously between that pair of cities convinced me there was nothing to see but the Prairies. Apologies, Midwest! Welcoming, unfussy and visually exciting, the Mile High City took no time to impress me. Amongst its lengthy list of attractions – Denver Union Station. Perhaps one of the most desirable venues from which to catch a train. A stunning mash up of historic and contemporary. A model for urban renewal and transit-oriented development. And one that’s brought the oomph back to a much-maligned mode of transport in this country. A fitting place then, from which to start our journey.

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Segue to San Diego

La Jolla living

On a first visit to San Diego, your unlikely to start with La Jolla, but this tony seaside community, which lies 14-miles to San Diego’s north (technically a part of it), is a fine introduction to west coast living, or at the very least, to life in Southern California – one that is decidedly laid back, and comes with an endless supply of sunshine, or at least the promise of it!

If you can hack the lines, start with brunch at The Cottage (7702 Fay Ave), which offers free coffee and plenty of eye candy as you wait. There are stores aplenty on Prospect St., the main drag in La Jolla, but instead head down any of the steep roads that lead off it, revealing tantalizing views of the Pacific. Walk the winding stretch along the promenade, from La Jolla Cove, past Scripps Park, to the Children’s Pool, and you will be rewarded with breathtaking vistas of a turquoise ocean, pods upon pods of Seals basking in the sunshine, gorgeous wildflowers adorning the bluffs, and all along, a cool breeze in your face. By the end of it, you would surely have forgotten the arduous coast-to-coast flight you just came in on.

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