What to do this winter? Check these Train Rides Across the U.S.
The USA has an excellent rail network for visitors. It'll take you through some of the most stunning scenery in the States. It’s all about the journey on these mind-blowingly scenic train rides across the U.S.
Train rides can be nostalgic, romantic, and, most importantly, a leisurely way to see this beautiful country. From national forests in the South to the mighty Pacific coastline, these scenic train rides across the U.S. ensure you get to admire the most beautiful parts of America without having to put in any time behind the wheel. There are no traffic jams and you can nap if you so desire.
L.A. to Seattle: Coast Starlight
The 1,377-mile Coast Starlight route hits the best of the West: Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Sacramento, Portland and more. On the 36-hour trip, bounce from your seat to the dining car and the “sightseer lounge car,” where all the seats face the panoramic, floor-to-ceiling windows.
The one-way journey, including stops, takes about 36 hours. Reserved coach seats start at $98 (tickets are half price for kids 2 to 12 with a paying adult). A sleeper or “roomette” with two convertible beds starts at $513 for two people (including turndown service and three dining-car meals per day).
White Pass & Yukon Route
Skagway, Alaska
The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad is one of Alaska’s most popular shore excursions and is also an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. As you cruise you will wonder who built this rail road during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. The train departs from Skagway on three different excursions, all of which take you up 3,000ft in 20 miles, past glaciers, mountain lakes, and thunderous waterfalls. The signature trip travels the original miners' supply route to Carcross, Yukon, and stops at a restored station house in Lake Bennett. Or you can take the train past Bridal Veil Falls and Dead Horse Gulch to White Pass Summit, a 40-mile round trip that traverses massive trusses that are not for those with a fear of heights.
NYC to Vermont: Ethan Allen Express
Travel north on the Ethan Allen Express from New York. You’ll cruise through the postcard-perfect towns of New York’s Hudson Valley; hit Saratoga Springs, as famous for its horse races as its hot springs; and snake around Vermont’s fittingly named Green Mountains before landing in charming little-big city Rutland, with its historic downtown and one helluva farmers' market.
