5 Incredible Washington Day Trips You Can Take By Train
Find yourself looking up “day trips near me in Washington?” Road trips are great, but if you really want to see the Evergreen State from a vantage point you’ve never seen, take one of the scenic train trips in Washington. We’ve got some beautiful options for train travel here. Not driving means not having to deal with traffic or fill-ups, and you’ll have a much easier time enjoying the amazing scenery.
Why not escape the city for a day and head somewhere else on an Amtrak Train? These European-style trains run along a 467-mile corridor. The route goes all the way from Vancouver, British Columbia down to Eugene, Oregon, so it encompasses the majority of the Pacific Northwest. The trains are even named after Northwest mountains! Check out the schedules and rates at the Amtrak Cascades website.
2. Snoqualmie to North Bend (Snoqualmie Valley Railroad)
On select weekends (typically from April to October), you can utilize this picturesque railroad. Start in Snoqualmie and ride back to North Bend, where you can spend the day shopping or exploring the town. Or, you can start in North Bend and spend your afternoon at Snoqualmie Falls. This 5-mile ride is one of the best railroad excursions in Washington.
This two-hour train ride will take you through some amazing Eastern Washington scenery. You'll travel through country and city, making it one of the best unique day trips in Washington. Ephrata's Amtrak station is right next to several great shops and restaurants, and you've only got a 10-minute walk to the Grant County Historical Museum. Check out the schedules and ticketing information here.
4. The Wild West Train (Chehalis-Centralia Railway)
This two-hour train trip will let you ride in a 1920s coach and be a part of the action as actors play out Wild West roles. You'll get a beautiful meal on linen tablecloths, and enjoy dessert and coffee on the way back to calm your nerves. Check out available dates and details here. The Chehalis-Centralia Railway has a number of other fun themed scenic train trips in Washington.
If you live in Southern Washington but enjoy an occasional trip to the city, the 3.5 hour train ride from Vancouver to Seattle is a great option. Seattle has all the public transportation you’ll need to check out any neighborhood, and if you leave in the morning, you’ll be back home in time to sleep in your own bed. Check out the schedules and rates at the Amtrak Cascades website.
Have you taken any of these unique day trips in Washington? This is just a small sample of some of the great train rides you can take in our state. Check out some of our historic railroads.
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Address: Fairhaven Station, 401 Harris Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
Address: Northwest Railway Museum, Conservation and Restoration Center, POB 459, 9300 Stone Quarry Road, Snoqualmie, WA 98065, USA
Address: Northwest Railway Museum, North Bend Depot, 205 E McClellan St, North Bend, WA 98045, USA
Address: Chehalis/Centralia train railroad station ?, 200-210 N Cedar St, Centralia, WA 98531, USA
Address: Train Station, 1301 W 11th St, Vancouver, WA 98660, USA
Address: King Street Station, 303 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104, USA
We mentioned La Conner above, but it's such a wonderful city that it deserves a second mention! But it's certainly not the only great small town in Washington. We have so many that are worth checking out. Winlock is very notable. If for nothing else, it has the world's largest egg, which is a pretty egg-cellent claim to fame.
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Jessica Wick is a writer and travel enthusiast who loves exploring new places, meeting new people and, of course, beautiful Big Sky Country and every part of Washington State.
