Last year we did this on Friday the 13th, and had a great day, but some of us had work or school - so this year we are scheduling it as our Black Friday ride when almost everyone can make it & needs to burn off their Thursday feasting!

Join us on this year’s “Turkey Burner” train adventure that Huell Howser would’ve enjoyed!
We will train to Riverside, briefly check out the extensive holiday decorations & explore the Mission Inn, enjoy a breakfast at Tio’s Tacos (order to-go - their breakfast are huge!) & check out their extensive sculptures & folk art before heading down the Santa Ana River Trail bikeway back toward Orange County.

Drive TO Riverside:

You will miss the adventure of taking MetroLink but you can drive up & park at the Ride Start: Riverside Downtown Station - meet up when everyone else gets off the train at 9:45 & ride!

Train TO Riverside:

Catch the IE/OC Line train #800 to Riverside. It leaves San Juan Capistrano at 8:11 wrh stops to jump on in LN/MV, Irvine. Tustin, Santa Ana, Orange & Anaheim Canyon. One-way from Irvine is $10.50 ($5.25 senior)
Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin are a bit less, LN/MV, San Juan etc is a bit more…
Arrive in Downtown Riverside at 9:44

We will ride to the famous Mission Inn, check out their extensive holiday decorations and briefly explore the mysterious old Inn a bit if we can; (the final set up of lights that day may prevent us from going in), then roll over to Tio’s Tacos - a famous landmark of ot’s own with quirky & giant folk sculptures & great breakfast burritos.

From breakfast we will take the Santa Ana River Trail bikeway down stream from Riverside to Norco, and continue to Corona…

Ride to Corona-West - 23 miles

Route Slip
Map/Elevation - 22.9 miles Riverside to Corona (Short)
After breakfast, we all ride to the Corona-West station; both route slips have the same first side: 22.9 miles to Corona-West.
Train Home: If you can catch the #815 train back to OC at 1:04pm… (only 2 hours to cover just under 20 miles) - If you miss it, you can have lunch nearby & catch the next/last train #817 @ 3:26 & then transfer to the 602 @ 4:40 at LN/MV to get farther south…One way from Corona-West to Irvine is $8.25 ($4 senior) To Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin are a bit less, LN/MV, San Juan etc is a bit more…
Train BACK to Riverside: If you want to go back for the big switch-on and fireworks, or parked your vehicle in Riverside, Train #804 leaves Corona-West at 1:34 back to Riverside at 2:10 : #808 @ 4:22 $6.75 ($3.25)

Ride to Anaheim Canyon (NOT Anaheim!) 39 miles

Route Slip
Map/Elevation - 39.3 miles Riverside to Anaheim Canyon (Medium)
For those with more time & miles in their legs, we’ll push on from Corona to Anaheim Canyon station.
Train Home: Catch the #817 south at 3:45 pm (about 39 miles in 4.75 hours) which goes as far as LN/MV: Transfer to the #602 train to get all the way to San Juan or San Clemente by 5. Anaheim Canyon to Irvine is $6.75 ($3.25 seniors) Orange, Santa Ana, Tustin are a bit less, LN/MV, San Juan etc is a bit more…
Train BACK to Riverside: If you want to go back for the big switch-on and fireworks, or parked your vehicle in Riverside, Train #808 leaves Anaheim Canyon at 4:03 : $9.25 ($4.50)

Ride to Orange - 44 miles

Route Slip
Map/Elevation - 43.9 miles Riverside to Orange (Long)
Continue on the SART - then drop south across Orange to the Orange station.
Train Home: Catch the 602 @ 4:08 (44 miles in 5 hours)
Orange to Irvine is $5.75 ($2.75 seniors) Santa Ana, Tustin are a bit less, LN/MV, San Juan etc is a bit more…
Train BACK to Riverside: If you want to go back for the big switch-on and fireworks, or parked your vehicle in Riverside, Train #808 leaves Orange at 4:24 : $10 ($5

Trains Home:

Back To Riverside:

All Day Option

Return to Riverside and check out the crowds watching the “big switch on” of the lights complete with fireworks (not likely being offered due to Covid). The last train option out of Riverside is #711 @ 6:07 to Fullerton, to catch the #608 @ 7:16 toward Oceanside…

This would allow you to train up - ride down stream, train back for the ‘show’ and train back home afterward but with no time for dinner… There are are no later evening trains out of Riverside so if you want to see the spectacular launch of the Mission Inn lights & fireworks, and have dinner in Riverside, you should DRIVE up to Riverside - meet us for the ride at 9:45 as we get off the train, ride to Corona or Anaheim Canyon or Anaheim - then train BACK to Riverside to your car, change, make an evening of it & drive home later! Sunset is about 4:45 & the big “Switch On & Fireworks are at 5:15... so getting back to the train by 6 will be cutting it a bit close…

TRAIN TICKETS

Last year Metrolink offered a $7 all-day pass special for trains in & out of Riverside for the Festival of Lights: Do the math; unless you are a senior, student or active military, it could save you to buy a $7 pass, especially if you train TO Riverside, Cycle to Anaheim Canyon, Train BACK to Riverside to see the fireworks, then train home again after ! We’ll post here if we hear they offer it again, and will update train fares if they change by November.
FREE PASS: Metrolink has a new rewards program for all riders. “SoCal Explorer” lets you earn points for every mile you travel on Metrolink, then redeem them for free tickets. For a limited time, you’ll receive 750 free SoCal Explorer points when you sign up. (That’s enough points for a free round-trip ticket!)
As always, Metrolink puts safety first. Trains are cleaned and disinfected daily using hospital-grade products and there are two hand sanitizer stations aboard each train car. Masks are required on all platforms and trains, and the “How Full is My Train?” app helps you plan for physical distancing.

Sign up today for SoCal Explorer today and get enough points for this adventure !

Prices listed may change: You can check current fare prices and SCHEDULE in
We’ll post here if we hear they offer the Festival of Lights special fare again, and will update train fares & schedules if they change by November.