Forget the vineyards for a moment. One of Southern California’s most unusual wine experiences takes place not at a winery, but aboard a vintage train winding through the remote high desert of San Diego County.
The Backcountry Wine Train combines a 90-minute railway journey with six Southern California wines, charcuterie and sweeping views of the rugged Campo landscape — and the experience returns next month!
A wine tasting that leaves the tasting room behind
According to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association, it’s the only wine train experience in Southern California. The next excursion is scheduled for October 4, 2026, with departures at noon and 3 p.m., and tickets are currently on sale.
The experience begins at the historic Campo Depot, where passengers board vintage railway cars for a round-trip journey through the Campo backcountry. Rather than sitting in a conventional tasting room, guests can watch the high-desert scenery roll past the windows as the train travels along part of the historic railway.
The museum describes the landscape as high-desert chaparral, giving the journey a distinctly different backdrop from the vineyards and rolling green hills more commonly associated with California wine country. The entire excursion lasts about 90 minutes, making it more of a leisurely afternoon experience than a full-day train trip.
Six wines are part of the journey
The centerpiece of the experience is a six-glass wine flight selected by a sommelier and featuring wines from local Southern California wineries and vineyards. A professional tasting guide leads passengers through the flight, with tasting notes provided by San Diego advanced sommelier Lisa Redwine.
The experience also includes an individual charcuterie plate, with a vegetarian option available, as well as fresh macarons for dessert. For guests who don’t drink alcohol, the museum also offers a non-drinker ticket with a six-glass flight of handcrafted nonalcoholic beverages.
It’s tucked away in one of Southern California’s more unexpected landscapes
Campo sits in southeastern San Diego County, close to the Mexican border and far removed from the dense urban landscape of Los Angeles. The railway museum’s main train facility is at 750 Depot Street in Campo, where the excursions depart from the Campo Depot. For L.A. residents, that makes this less of an ordinary afternoon outing and more of a road-trip experience — one that trades freeways and city streets for open desert scenery and a historic railway.
The excursion is strictly 21 and over, and physical identification is required. The museum notes that seats are limited and that previous Wine Train experiences have been popular, so anyone hoping to make the October trip should check availability before making the drive to Campo.
For Southern Californians looking for something a little removed from the usual winery itinerary, this particular train offers a rather unusual combination: a historic railway, a six-wine tasting, charcuterie and dessert, all while the high desert unfolds outside the windows.
