Great Rides, the Hidden Gems of California

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California Shuttle Buses, Water Taxis

In California summers are a special time when tourists arrive, beaches heat up, mountain resort thaw out and some unique, fun opportunities that don't cost an arm & leg come our way for just a few months. Among them are several boat rides, trolley rides and buses to the beach. Because these attractions are often subsidized you can enjoy them for less than what it actually costs companies and agencies to operate them!

WATER TAXIS

LONG BEACH Aqualink- lbtransit.com
the brightly-colored red, yellow and purple 68-foot Catamaran boat operated by Long Beach Transit, the city's transportation operation, costs $5 for a 50-60 minute ride that makes several stops at the city's top attractions—Queen Mary and Carnival Inspiration cruise ship port, Aquarium of the Pacific and Convention Center, Belmont Pier and Belmont Shore, and Alamitos Landing next to Seal Beach. As a public transportation service you must disembark and purchase another fare to return to your point of origination. As another option the free Passport bus connects some portions of the trip. In addition, the Aquabus is a boat that takes you between the shoreline and Queen Mary. Aqualink runs daily during the summer.

MARINA DEL REY  WaterBus - marinawaterbus.com
June 21-September 3, 2018
$1 fare, 1 way
Thursday: 11am - midnight
Fridays: 11am - midnight
Saturdays: 11am - midnight
Sundays: 11am - 9pm
 Visitors enjoy a unique bird's-eye view of the community as colorful boats carry passengers to many of the marina's major attractions, hotels and restaurants. Fare is $1 each way.
Stops
Fisherman's Village
Burton Chace Park
Waterfront Walk
Marina Beach
Dolphin Marina
Esprit 1
Harbor at Marina Bay
Del Rey Landing

CORONADO Summer Bus- Running between the Coronado Ferry Landing and the south end of the Island at Coronado Cays and Loews Coronado Bay Resort, the free bus allows visitors and locals to access the fun activities in downtown Coronado near Hotel del Coronado and catch the year-round, fee based ferry to downtown San Diego.

LAGUNA BEACH: The Summer Shuttle June 30 - September 2, 2018
 lagunabeachcity.net
 Summer Breeze runs:
Saturday & Sunday
11 a.m. - midnight
Free weekend Summer Breeze (OC Bus Route 689) will take you from a parking lot near the intersection of SR-133/I-405 to Laguna Beach. It travels along Laguna Canyon Road and stops at: Sawdust Art Festival, Laguna Art-A-Fair, Festival of the Arts, Pageant of the Masters, Laguna Playhouse, and the Laguna Beach Bus Station.

MAMMOTH LAKES  Town Trolley Free Ride Summer 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
 estransit.com/ routes-schedule/seasonal/lakes-basin-trolley/
Town of Mammoth Lakes provides free summer bus service from The Village (pick-up on Canyon Boulevard below the Westin)  to the Lakes Basin. These trolleys also pull a bike trailer to transport you and your bike uphill to enjoy the downhill ride on the stunning Lakes Basin Bike Trail.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK Free shuttles
nps.gov/yose/
Yosemite Valley  free shuttle service around eastern Yosemite Valley;  free shuttle between Wawona and Mariposa Grove only through July Tioga Road/Tuolumne Meadows  June to mid-September via free shuttle and YARTS Highway 120 East bus; Tuolumne Meadows  free shuttle  summer only;  El Capitan shuttle stops at El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, Four Mile trailhead, and the Valley Visitor Center mid-June through early October

SANTA BARBARA: Summer Shuttle Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend
sbmtd.gov/  Summer Schedule -  Downtown & Waterfront
State Street • Cabrillo Boulevard • Santa Barbara Zoo • Santa Barbara Harbor
Downtown Shuttle
10 am – 6pm Every 10 minutes
Friday & Saturday Evenings
6 pm – 9 pm Every 15 minutes
Waterfront Shuttles
10 am – 6 pm Every 15 minutes
Friday & Saturday Evenings between the Zoo and the Wharf only
6 pm – 9 pm Every 15 minutes

LOS ANGELES COUNTY Beach Bus
dpw.lacounty.gov/PDD/beach_bus/
Department of Public Works   Summer Beach Bus
dpw.lacounty.gov/PDD/beach_bus/
2018 Summer Schedules
Altadena
Castaic
Charter Oak/Duarte
East Los Angeles - no reservation needed
La Crescenta/La Canada Flintridge*
Lancaster
Lancaster City Park renamed Sgt. Steve Owen Memorial Park.
Palmdale
 Topanga Beach Bus - no reservation needed
To ensure seating availability, make a reservation: http://dpw.lacounty.gov/Pdd/Beach_Bus/reservation/

AVILA BEACH Pismo Beach Trolley - free between these beach cities. See slorta.org/schedules-fares/avila-trolley/
FREE trolley service connects you from the Pismo Beach Premium Outlets all the way to Port San Luis via Avila Beach, Avila Valley (Avila Barn, Bob Jones Bike Trail, Avila Hot Springs Resort, and KOA campground) and various resort hotels in Shell Beach and Pismo Beach. Connections from the trolley are available at the Pismo Beach Premium Outlets for SCT (Route 21 and Route 24) and RTA (Route 10). The trolley runs in 3 seasons with varying schedules. Regular schedule runs Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Summer June 8 – September 3 Friday (Farmers Market): 10AM – 8:56PM Saturday: 10AM – 9PM Sunday: 10AM – 6PM Holiday Mondays of Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day: 10AM – 6PM

CALABASAS: Calabasas Trolley
Free, cityofcalabasas.com/trolley.html
Saturday: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
No trolley service between 3 & 4 p.m.
Sunday: 12-4 p.m.
15 minute frequency service with limited stops
The Calabasas Trolley performs a loop route in one direction throughout the City.

SAN DIEGO: Waterfront Summer Shuttle  May 25-September 3, 2018, every day from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
$3 all day, portofsandiego.org/shuttle
The Port of San Diego’s Waterfront Summer Shuttle has been implemented by the Port, and managed by Ace Parking, to connect visitors of San Diego Bay with the waterfront and its businesses. The Shuttle runs on a loop (approximately every 20 minutes) from Sheraton Marina to Harbor Dr. Bridge, with stops in between.
 Sheraton Marina
Maritime Museum
Urban Beach @ The Headquarters
Manchester Grand Hyatt
Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina
Public parking is available at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront and the San Diego Convention Center.

SAN DIEGO: Take the Coronado Ferry or Water Taxi 
$4.75, one way purchase at dock, flagshipsd.com/cruises/coronado-ferry
There are a number of ferries and water taxis that take you from San Diego Harbor, to surrounding areas like Coronado, Harbor Island and Shelter Island.

LONG BEACH
lbtransit.com
The Water Taxi shuttles passengers between several points in the Long Beach harbor.

SEQUOIA-KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK:   
Summer Shuttles May 24 -September 9, 2018
Free Park Shuttles
Ride free shuttles throughout the Giant Forest and Lodgepole areas.
Round-trip shuttles from Visalia to Sequoia National Park
Sightsee as you travel from the Visalia area to the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. Reservations are required and can be made online or by calling (877) 287-4453.
sequoiashuttle.com/reservations/

CAPITOLA: Beach Shuttle Memorial Day weekend through mid-September 2018
Free, cityofcapitola.org
Capitola recently added more than 220 parking spaces in the new Beach and Village Parking Lot 2 (lower), located behind City Hall at 420 Capitola Avenue. Free summer shuttle to the Village runs from the Beach and Village Parking Lot 2 (Lower). The shuttle is available Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from . Both lots are jus a short walk or shuttle ride to the Village.

SANTA BARBARA: Lil' Toot Water Taxi
$5 one way, celebrationsantabarbara.com
Travels between Stearns Wharf and Santa Barbara Harbor

SANTA CLARITA: Summer Trolley May -September 2018
Free, visitsantaclarita.com/plan/trolley-service/
The Summer Trolley offers service hotels to Six Flags Magic Mountain and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Westfield Valencia Town Center and Old Town Newhall. Drop offs and pick ups Thursday thru Sunday evenings also include 3 stops in Old Town Newhall.

WESTLAKE VILLAGE: Westlake Village Trolley May 25-September 1, 2018
wlv.org/index.aspx?NID=368  
The Village Trolley will run on Friday and Saturday nights 3-10 p.m. during the summer season. The Trolley is free and open to all ages. Entertainment will be offered on the Trolley on select nights and times.

SANTA CRUZ WATER TAXI:
santacruzharbor.org/parkingWaterTaxi.html
Parking & Water Taxi Memorial Day through Labor Day Weekend / Holidays 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
*Water taxi also operates on Thursday nights, during the Crow's Nest summer beach barbecues. The taxi stops operating at 9 p.m.. There are 4 scheduled stops.

SANTA CRUZ: Santa Cruz Trolley Weekends Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend 2018
Noon to 8pm
Connecting Downtown Santa Cruz to the Beach and Wharf Area
Trolley Stops
Del Mar Theatre Stop on weekend and holidays beginning at 12:00 PM at Del Mar Theatre at 1124 Pacific Avenue. The final trolley pickup at the Del Mar is 7:30 PM. The Trolley ends with the last drop off at 8:00 PM at the Del Mar Theatre.
Locust Street Garage Stop just a few steps from Pacific Avenue, behind sponsor Sockshop & Shoe Company.
Sanctuary Exploration Cente at 35 Pacific Avenue accesses the beach and Wharf. The first trolley pick is at 12:15 with the final pickup at 7:50 PM. 

DANA POINT: Dana Point Trolley June 8 - Labor Day 2018.
 Free, danapoint.org
Coastal Stops:
Dana Point Harbor Drive and Puerto Place
PCH Pedestrian Bridge-Northbound and Southbound
Coast Highway-Southbound
Points South:
Camino de Estrella and Camino Capistrano
Camino Capistrano/Doheny Place (Pines Park)
Points Inland:
Dana Hills High School and Golden Lantern
Golden Lantern and Selva Road
Niguel Road and Stonehill (Sea Terrace Park access)

SAN LUIS OBISPO: The Old SLO Trolley is a fun way to get from the hotels on North Monterey to Downtown SLO on Thursdays for the Farmers' Market year round and in the warmer months; you can ride the Trolley Friday and Saturdays to SLO's beautiful Downtown. .slocity.org/government/department-directory/public-works/slo-transit

TEMECULA: Wine shuttle
cityoftemecula.org

YOUNTVILLE: Free Yountville Trolley
ridethevine.com/yountville-trolley
Operates on a fixed route and will deviate off route, upon request, for door-to-door service. The Yountville Trolley operates within the Town limits and serves the Veterans Home of California. Service operates on 30-minute headway seven days per week. During a summer school break a special ‘Summer Schedule' is provided.   

BEVERLY HILLS:
beverlyhills.org/exploring/trolleytours/print.jsp All trolley tours depart on the hour from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Southeast corner of Rodeo Drive and Dayton Way, adjacent to Two Rodeo Plaza. Last tour departs at 4:00 p.m. FARES: $5.00 per adult; $1.00 per child 12 and under Tickets may be purchased from trolley docent on a first-come, first-served basis. Limited free parking is available at nearby municipal structures. Private and Special event rentals are available. For more information on renting the Trolley, please contact us at Transportation@beverlyhills.org

SAN FERNANDO: The City of San Fernando offers a Trolley service that run daily using 28 stops to link the City's residential and commercial areas. Stops include the Cesar E. Chavez Learning Academies, the Sam's Club/Home Depot Shopping Center and the San Fernando Swap Meet. Stop waits average 20-25 minutes. .ci.san-fernando.ca.us/our-city/recreation-community-services/programs/san-fernando-trolley/ $0.25 per ride HOURS OF OPERATION Weekdays: 10 am to 4 pm Weekends: 11 am to 4 pm TROLLEYS DO NOT RUN ON THE FOLLOWING HOLIDAYS

 

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