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The Most Beautiful Train Rides In America

America has some of the most beautiful scenery, and what better way to view it than a leisurely train ride. Why take the family on a vacation rushing from place to place, when the journey can be the vacation. Railway travel is the easiest, most pleasant,…

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America has some of the most beautiful scenery, and what better way to view it than a leisurely train ride. Why take the family on a vacation rushing from place to place, when the journey can be the vacation. Railway travel is the easiest, most pleasant, and surprisingly affordable way to enjoy some of the most magnificent scenery in the United States. Whether you want a quick jaunt through the countryside or a cross country odyssey, these train rides are the best rides in the nation. 

 

CASCADES

156 MILES – Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver, British Columbia

This ride through America’s Pacific Northwest does not disappoint. Traveling from Eugene to Seattle you will travel through magnificent evergreen forests. The train then travels along Puget sound, where on a clear day, passengers on the western facing side can view the majestic Olympic Mountains. 

 

CASS SCENIC RAILROAD

8 miles – Cass, West Virginia

They call West Virginia “almost heaven” because of it’s spectacular scenery. This quick trek is a fantastic way to soak it up. Original locomotives, once used to transport lumber to mining camps, now haul passengers up an 11% grade slope for an amazing view of the mountains below. At the top is the Whittaker Station, a restored logging camp. In October when the fall foliage is at it’s peak is the perfect time to visit.

 

CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR

2,438 miles – Chicago, Illinois to Emeryville, California 

Retrace the trail the pioneers took when they settled the American West on this 50 plus hour train ride. In Denver the train journeys through the towering Rocky Mountains, then into the red rocks of Utah, through Ruby Canyon, into the Sierra Mountains, through Donner Pass and then into San Francisco Bay.

 

 

WHITE PASS AND YUKON ROUTE

120 MILES – Skagway, Alaska

This round trip ride, on a narrow gauge railway built during the Klondike Gold Rush, will have you traveling along the side of sheer cliff drops. Departing from Skagway, you travel 3.000 feet up, past glaciers, mountain lakes and thunderous waterfalls. You can choose the original miner’s supply route to Carcross, Yukon stopping at a restored station house in Lake Bennett, or take the route past Bridal Veil Falls and Dead Horse Gulch to White Pass Summit.

 

CAPITOL CORRIDOR

168 miles – San Jose, California to Auburn, California

This train trip was designed to quickly transport Bay Area residents to the Capitol in Sacramento. This trip will have you speeding alongside the picturesque San Francisco Bay, through the industrial bays and waterways near Martinez, and into the majestic rolling hills of Northern California. 

 

CAPE COD CENTRAL RAILROAD

27 miles – Hyannis. Massachusetts to Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

Ride through the cranberry bogs, salt marshes, oceanfront trails and adorable little towns of Massachusetts. There are two options for this train ride, the sightseeing tour with complete informational narration, or the dinner train where you will enjoy freshly prepared meals on board. Both options will have you journeying through areas of Cape Cod that can only be seen by train.

 

GRAND CANYON RAILWAY

 

130 miles – Williams, Arizona

 

On this round trip train ride you will fly right past all the vehicle traffic and travel directly to the Grand Canyon’s south rim. Departing from Williams you will enjoy dense pine forests, majestic desertscape and rich wildlife.

 

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS RAILROAD

32 or 44 miles – Bryson City, North Carolina

With your choice of two excursions, this train ride is an excellent way to take in some of America’s greatest wilderness. The Tuckasegee River Excursion takes passengers through 32 miles of lush green valleys, over historic bridges and into the quaint town of Dillsboro, where it stops for an hour and a half. The Nantahala Gorge Excursion journeys 44 miles along the Tennessee and Nantahala Rivers, over Fontana Lake and into the gorge. 

 

COAST STARLIGHT

1,377 miles – Los Angeles, California to Seattle, Washington

This train trips hits all the highlights of a classic American road trip, driving up the Pacific Coast. This ride let’s you enjoy the dramatic cliffs along the Pacific Coast Highway, Mount Shasta, San Francisco Bay, Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier and Puget Sound.

 

SUNSET LIMITED

1,995 miles – New Orleans, Louisiana to Los Angeles, California

Delight in the grand vistas of red rocks and cacti on one of the most scenic train routes in America. It begins in Louisiana’s bayou country and travels on through the expansive Southwestern deserts of West Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. During the peak season you will find National Park guides on board who will explain the history and geography of the region. 

 

STRASBURG RAIL ROAD

9 miles – Strasburg, Pennsylvania

Take a quick trip through Amish Country, enjoying the rolling hills and expansive countryside. Once used to transport goods from the heart of Pennsylvania to the coast, restored to being a passenger train in the 1960’s, the first class and president’s trains are outfitted to look like Gilded Age luxury. 

 

EMPIRE BUILDER

2,206 miles – Chicago, Illinois to Seattle, Washington

Enjoy this 46 hour ride as it travels through Lewis and Clark’s expedition route. From your comfortable seat in the observation lounge experience the Great Plains in all their splendor, ride through a seven mile tunnel cut through the Cascade Mountains and spend 8 hours marveling at the Glacier National Park. 

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Destinations

Touring Nashville!

  

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Nashville is one of the most underrated cities in America. And you don’t have to be a lover or even a casual fan of country music to enjoy this great city. So if you’re looking for a simple and fun vacation in an American city you’ve probably never been to before, look no further than Nashville. And when you do get there, be sure to check out all these awesome activities!

THE FOOD… EAT THE FOOD

You could absolutely hate music (which is truly insane) and still love Nashville. Why? Because they have some absolutely amazing food there! And who doesn’t love delicious food? They have just about anything and everything too. They’re most famous for their Nashville hot chicken, but if that’s not your culinary bag there’s something for everyone, from tapas to Italian to plenty of great Mexican and Tex-Mex food.

STOP BY JACK WHITE’S RECORDING STUDIO

Jack White, famously of The White Stripes, started his own record company in 2001 called Third Man Records. But it’s so much more than just your average recording studio. They all have a record store and an actual concert venue in the building! So it’s a great place to take in all the great music Nashville has to offer. And don’t you dare think that’s specific to country music. There is so much other great music being played and created in Nashville. It really is the hub of American music.

GET YOUR DRINK ON

Naturally, a city with a great music scene will also have a great drinking scene. And while you should always drink responsibly and safely, Nashville is a great city to drink as much as you can. Obviously, they have countless places making and service top-notch bourbon and whiskey. But there’s also plenty of amazing breweries. Some of the best include Jackalope Brewing Company, Black Abbey, and if beer’s not your thing, swing by Diskin Cider.

CHECK OUT HATCH SHOW PRINT

Hatch Show Print is a Nashville institution. You can’t walk a block in Nashville without catching a few promotional posters that were made at this print shop that’s been in business since 1879. Even in recent years as more digital and advanced techniques have crept up, Hatch Show has stuck by their traditional letterpress technique and the community has loved them for it. Today, visitors can take tours of the factory and pick up a beautiful poster of their own. Because wall art doesn’t get much better than obscure concert promotions!

MAKE YOUR OWN CANDLES AT THE CANDLE BAR

At this point, if you don’t like great music, don’t care much about food, and aren’t a drinker, I guess I just don’t understand you at all. But! There are still other great activities for you to enjoy in Nashville. And making your own scented candles at The Candle Bar is most certainly one of them. Candle making may not sound all that exciting, but just ask anyone that’s ever checked it out and they’ll tell you it’s definitely worth it. Did I mention you get to pick your own scent?!


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Destinations

All-Inclusive Resorts Outside The Caribbean!

  

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When you think of all-inclusive resorts you automatically think of the Caribbean and Mexico, which makes sense. Most of the all-inclusive resorts are centrally populated in the Caribbean and Mexico, but there are some other regions that offer excellent resort experiences in less than ordinary places.

All-inclusive resorts are great if you want to stay on a budget, be completely pampered and have a low-stress vacation. Why not veer off the beaten path and try one of these less than ordinary resort locations and expand your vacation portfolio.

 

Morocco

When you think of Morocco, you don’t necessarily think of all-inclusive resorts but this area is a hotbed for these luxury resorts.   Check out the incredible deals offered up at resorts in Marrakech and Agadir, some featuring fun activities like water parks. Many of these resorts don’t offer alcohol since they are located in an Islamic country.   You can have plenty of fun without booze, so give the magical country of Morocco a chance.

 

Arizona

Arizona is the destination of dude ranches and wellness retreats, so find your happiness in the desert. Surrounded by sand is the norm for all-inclusive resorts but most of these have an ocean with the sand, not Arizona. The desert makes an incredible backdrop for some of the world’s best dude ranch experiences. Come to Arizona dude ranches to ride horses, hike and enjoy nature while relaxing on a ranch.

Arizona is also famous for its wide variety of wellness resorts that range from spas to yoga retreats. Let your mind and body enjoy a vacation while you spend a week on a wellness retreat.

 

Brazil

Brazil has enough coastline for all the world’s resorts but they keep there’s more spread out. These resorts are very similar to the ones you would find in the Caribbean but these are often more remote. The average guests at these resorts are Brazilian families as it’s harder for foreigners to reach remote locations. Check out the Northeastern region of Bahia for the most spectacular resorts.

 

Tennessee

When you think of luxury all-inclusive resorts, that last place you think of is Tennessee, but this landlocked state has one of the world’s top resorts, the Blackberry Farm. The 4,000-plus acre farm is the ultimate luxurious resort where all the meals are cooked using ingredients from the far and are masterfully prepared by the top shelf chefs. Enjoy horseback riding and hiking in the glorious backwoods of rural Tennessee. Who knew that Tennessee had such class?

 

Texas

Much like Arizona, Texas has plenty of dude ranches and wellness retreats, but they also have some fun ones on the coast. These resorts tend to shy away from the all-you-can-drink party vibes and lend themselves to the tranquil, relaxing vibes instead. You may not find unlimited booze here but you will find peace and quiet, which are often harder to obtain than adult beverages.

 

Explore your world and find where you are happiest, and revisit that place as often as possible. Everyone has his or her own idea of a perfect vacation, just make yours a reality.


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Destinations

Where To Stay In Paris

  

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Paris is known as the most romantic city in the world. But Paris is also a very large city, so if you bought the plane tickets then you may still be wondering where you should stay. The Eiffel Tower is not a hotel, so you probably need to do some more research to learn where you should stay in this beautiful city.

We talked to our colleagues and, of course, if you’re a traveler like we are then you should know this beautiful city. This is one city that is quickly crossed off any European traveler’s list. We have visited Paris countless times and so we know the best neighborhoods for you to stay in to make the most of your amazing Paris vacation.

MONTMARTRE 

Montmartre is one of the most special neighborhoods Paris has to offer. Tons of tourists flock here daily, but thankfully they have had no effect on the wonderful charm this neighborhood has to offer. Montmartre is hilly and the locals love this place of residence.

You will be charmed by the beautiful streets, shops, and restaurants around here and you can learn about the amazing history Montmartre has in the art world. Staying in Montmartre is a great way to fall in love with beautiful Paris.

SOUTH PIGALLE

Paris has a wild nightlife and South Pigalle is a neighborhood that proves it. You will find tons of trendy bars and it seems like new ones are added each and every day. But there aren’t just bars here, there are also plenty of wonderful restaurants too.

French food is some of the best food on the planet and you can happily pig out at the many delectable dining options that South Pigalle has to offer. If you are tired of eating heavy foods and need something fresh to clean your system then head to the organic market that takes place every Friday at Place Anvers.

BELLEVILLE-MENILMONTANT

Belleville-Menilmontant is home to a bunch of hip new art galleries. Check this place out if you want to see the emerging art scene that Paris has to offer. There are a lot of bars too because artists love to drink, so don’t worry, you can still get a taste of Paris’s thriving nightlife as well.

This is a great neighborhood if you want to experience just how multicultural Paris really is. You can find Brazilian food, Sicilian food, and even Rwandan food in this wonderful neighborhood.

OBERKAMPF

Oberkampf is right next to Menilmontant and is where West-African food reigns supreme. Once you’re done eating some tasty treats, then you can go check out some live music at the many live music venues around here. Then hop into a cocktail bar and drink some delicious cocktails and then get some more late night eats.

This is one more neighborhood in Paris that has tons of bars and clubs, they seem to flood every neighborhood all over Paris, which is a good thing. But partying shouldn’t be your top priority in Paris, eating should.


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