Taking the train to the sea

"You don't need a car to get to the beach" is one of those sentences that makes people who live here raise an eyebrow. But it is true, at least for Santa Monica, and on a quiet Sunday it is one of my favourite ways to spend a morning.

The light rail runs from downtown all the way west to the coast, and the last stop is a short walk from the sand. It is not fast. It stops often, it waits at traffic lights in places, and if you are in a hurry you will find it frustrating. But I am rarely in a hurry on a Sunday.

The ride itself

What I like is watching the city change through the window. Near downtown it is towers, parking structures and construction cranes. Then it opens out past the university and the museums near Exposition Park, into long stretches of low houses, small shops, churches and murals. Further west the buildings get a little shinier and the trees a little more manicured, and then, almost suddenly, the air through the doors smells of salt.

The passengers are half the fun. Students with enormous headphones, families with cool boxes and folding chairs, cyclists hanging their bikes on the hooks, someone heading to a Sunday shift. It is a cross-section of the city you don't see from behind a windscreen.

Arriving

From the final station you walk downhill towards the water and the pier. I usually skip the busiest part and head along the beach path, either north towards the cliffs or south towards Venice. The path is shared with bikes and skaters, so keep to the side and keep your wits about you.

There is something deeply satisfying about stepping off a train and into the Pacific.

A few tips

Get a reloadable transit card rather than fumbling for change; it makes changing lines much easier. Weekend service can be less frequent, so check the schedule before you go rather than assuming. Bring a layer even on hot days, because the coast is often noticeably cooler than inland. And travel light: sand gets into everything, including your bag on the ride home.

Getting around this city without a car takes patience and a little planning. But days like this remind me that it is possible, and that some of the best views of Los Angeles are the ones you get from a slow train window.