7 Summer Experiences in the American West You Can Enjoy Without A Car

Hey everyone! I spent the last few weeks traveling the country by train, using an Amtrak Rail Pass. With school starting up again, I don’t have time to give a full description of everything I did and saw, so instead I’m giving you this list.

When people think of long-distance travel in America,  especially west of the Mississippi River, they usually tend to think of classic road trips by car, or else air travel. It’s true that the United States has sorely neglected its public transportation networks over the past century, but it is still feasible, rewarding, and often more economical to travel the country by rail or other forms of public transportation. Train travel has a much lower impact on the environment and allows you to see America in a totally different way where you can sit back, relax, and take in scenery that you would otherwise never see. Here are just a few of the many experiences you can have (and which I just had) in the Western U.S. without a car:

1. Going Batty in Austin, TX

Everything’s bigger in Texas–even the bat population. The capital of the Lone Star State is home to the nation’s largest urban colony of Mexican free-tail bats. All summer long, people gather on and under the Congress Street Bridge around sunset to watch thousands of bats swarm out in search of bugs to eat. Finish your evening with a drink on West Sixth Street, which becomes a pedestrian only zone at night, and learn why Austin is known as the live music capital of the country.

How to get there without a car: The Congress Street Bridge is a short walk from the center of downtown Austin, which in turn can be reached by train or bus.

2. Monday Morning Beach Vibes in Los Angeles, CA

Venice Beach in LA is famous for its funky Bohemian vibes that set it apart from nearby Santa Monica. On a beautiful Monday morning in late July, I was surprised to have the beach almost to myself. As the day wore on, the surfers and skateboarders arrived and local artists hawked their creations on the boardwalk. I ate a delicious lunch at a Thai restaurant near the Venice canals and an equally delicious ice cream on posh Abbot Kinney Boulevard.

How to get there without a car: From Downtown Los Angeles, the 33 bus will take you all the way to Venice beach for $1.75 (or free if your dollar bills are too raggedy to fit in the machine and the exasperated driver tells you to just have a seat). From Hollywood or Beverly Hills, you can take a private bus line called the Blue Bus. The Metro will also get you close from various parts of LA and you can transfer to a bus. If you’re already in Santa Monica, rent a bike and you can easily see both beaches in a short time span.

3. Walking in the Shadows of Giants at Yosemite National Park,  CA

Yosemite National Park is one of America’s most precious national treasures. From 800 year old giant Sequoia trees to incredible glacial rock formations and gorgeous lakes, this park has it all. There’s a convenient free shuttle in the park that will take you to many of the sights, trails, campgrounds,  and lodges.

How to get there without a car: Although I got there via van with a group trip from San Francisco, Amtrak and several bus companies do go to Yosemite National Park, including stops at some of the main campgrounds and cabin rental areas. Once you’re in the park, you can take advantage of the aforementioned free shuttle.

4. Feeling the Fog in San Francisco, CA

From historic hand-operated streetcars to modern subways, trams, ferries, etc., downtown San Francisco is full of options for public transportation. Another great option is renting an e-bike to explore the waterfront and nearby parks like the Presidio and Golden Gate Park (where you can find all kinds of surprises from bison to a Japanese tea garden and much more). During my three days in SF, I walked across the Golden Gate Bridge and visited the aforementioned parks, plus Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, North Beach, Union Square, the Tenderloin, the Mission District, Haight-Ashbury, and more,  mostly on foot and with public transportation. Summer weather here is delightfully cool, making walking and biking feel very pleasant.

How to get there without a car: San Francisco is easily reached by bus, ferry, or regional BART train. Amtrak also goes to the City by the Bay but you’ll need to get off the train in Emeryville and transfer to a coach bus that will take you across the Bay Bridge. Once in the city, you can use any of the methods mentioned above to get around.

5. Digging Up the Past in Denver, CO

The History Colorado Center is a great starting point to learn about the history of the Rocky Mountain State. From grim but important topics like the Sand Creek Massacre and Japanese-American internment during World War 2 to inspirational exhibits about the Chicano movement and other civil rights struggles, to more lighthearted exhibits like a simulation of a gold mine and a room with 100 items representing different eras in Colorado’s history, this museum has a lot to offer. And it’s free for kids every day. A short walk from here will take you past the Colorado State Capitol and a very good vegetarian restaurant and bar called City O’ City, before reaching the restored Victorian mansion known as the Molly Brown House. Learn all about this unsinkable suffragist, humanitarian, Titanic survivor, and progressive reformer as well as her family while admiring their beautiful home. Another great walkable Denver neighborhood is the River North Arts District, resplendent with colorful murals, and full of unique art galleries, shops, restaurants, bars, and food halls.

How to get there: Denver’s beautiful 19th century Union Hall train station–which is a tourist attraction in itself–is conveniently located in the center of downtown. From here you can connect to Amtrak, local and regional rail lines, busses, and more. (Full disclosure: I did rent a car during my time in the Denver area but mainly because I was staying with my cousin who lives outside of the city, and I wanted to visit a lot of places outside of Denver in a short time. But exploring Denver itself does not require a car.)

6. Getting High in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

I’m talking about altitude here of course (although Colorado was the first state to legalize recreational cannabis). Rocky Mountain National Park is an extraordinary place where you can see snow all year round (though not much of it in August lately, thanks to climate change), breathtaking scenery, and magnificent wildlife.

How to get there without a car: Although most people visit Rocky Mountain National Park by car (as did I), there is a special bus called the Bustang that will take you from Denver to the park’s entrance in Estes Park on Summer weekends. From there, a park shuttle will take you to various points of interest within the National Park. Be advised that these bus and shuttle tickets must be reserved in advance (and if you visit the park by car you also need to purchase a timed entry reservation the day before your visit–do it as early as possible because they usually sell out). If the Bustang isn’t running while you’re in the area, a great alternative is to take a historic cogwheel train from Denver to Mt. Blue Sky (formerly Mt. Evans), one of the tallest mountains in Colorado. That option may be temporarily unavailable soon though, as major redevelopment plans are expected to close the mountaintop to all vehicular traffic until 2026.

7. Riverfront Rambling in Kansas City, MO

(Ok, so Kansas City is not really part of the West by most modern reckonings, but it’s west of the Mississippi and I visited it on this trip so I’m including it on the list.)

Kansas City exists because of its position on the Missouri River during a time when steamships were the preferred mode of westbound travel. So it makes sense to start your visit to Kansas City on the Riverfront. At the heart of the River Market neighborhood is City Market, a bustling indoor/outdoor marketplace that has been a fixture since 1857. I didn’t get to see the big farmers market that takes place here on weekends, but even on a weekday there are lots of great local shops and restaurants, spices, teas, fresh produce, and much more. I had some tasty falafel and hummus at a Middle Eastern restaurant there. Directly next to the market is the Steamboat Arabia Museum, which holds the remains of a shipwrecked 19th century riverboat and its remarkably preserved cargo. The boat was recovered in 1988 from an underground aquifer beneath a farm, half a mile from the current course of the river. The museum does a good job explaining this extraordinary excavation process. If you take a bus from River Market to the 18th and Vine Historic Jazz District, you can visit two excellent museums in the same building–the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum (which also hosts live jazz and blues performances at certain times). There’s also a small free exhibit in between the two museums about the history of civil rights struggles in Kansas City.

How to get there without a car: After taking a train or bus to the elegant Union Station (which is currently hosting an exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of Disney), you will find that all busses and streetcars in Kansas City are completely free! You can ride for free all over the city as often as you like. The sleek streetcars are all fairly new, having recently been reintroduced to KC after many decades of absence.

I hope this list has inspired you to ride the rails or at least check out some of these fantastic locations. This is just a tiny sliver of all the incredible adventures and hidden treasures that you can experience in the USA when you leave your car and your plane tickets at home and embrace other modes of travel.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I’m not sure at this point how long I will be continuing this blog or when the next post might come. I will keep you posted when I know more. If you signed up for my email list, you’ll be notified when any new posts are published. Meanwhile, please enjoy more pictures from my recent trip in the Photo Collection including an album of pictures taken from the train. Thanks for reading!