Point Reyes National Seashore is one of the most beautiful places that you will find on the west coast, if not the world. On the all-star list of spots in Point Reyes, Alamere Falls tops the list and is one of my personal all-time favorites. Though it is quite a hike to get to, it is well worth the walk. The reward is a waterfall that ends on a beautiful deserted beach - Alamere Falls.

Amtrak's Coast Starlight is a train adventure that runs the west coast of the United States, from Los Angeles to Seattle.  While train travel has lost a lot of its popularity due to the reduction in cost and increased convenience of air travel, it can still be a lot of fun to experience.  The Coast Starlight is one of the most scenic routes that Amtrak offers.  We decided to make the trip from Los Angeles to Oakland (San Francisco) over the Thanksgiving weekend aboard the Coast Starlight.