Picturesque small town stops on Amtrak routes

[MccfamschoolMom]

Did anybody suggest Springfield IL?

Within an easy walk from the station is the world class Lincoln museum, the old state capital, a cool Frank Loyd Wright house to tour, the Lincoln Home National Park, lot of good eateries and lodging. Plus it is the state capital so all the government stuff is nearby.

There's usually some sort of Lincoln-related exhibit at the old train station (should be near the current Amtrak station, and either free admission or free w/Lincoln Museum admission). And I can personally recommend "The Feed Bag", a lunch-only soup & sandwich restaurant very popular with state employees, as well as the Prairie Archives, a used bookstore next door to the Feed Bag, with a huge collection of local history & Lincoln-related books, as well as some cute souvenir T-shirts. (My favorite features Mary Todd Lincoln's face, with the caption, "I'd have to be crazy to go back to Springfield, Illinois!")

 

[Maglev]

La Conner, Washington, is just a short cab ride from the Amtrak station in Mount Vernon. Here is a view from our room at the Channel Lodge:

 

[Northwestern]

A lot of great info.

Here is another list of picturesque small towns with Amtrak stops:

https://is.gd/GmZfV7

Truckee and Leavenworth are on my list. I would delete Gallup, NM.

Thanks, Maglev, for the photo of La Conner. I am thinking of a trip, next summer, from Portland, on a Cascade train, to Mount Vernon. Then a cab or Uber to La Conner and a stay at the Channel Lodge. By the way, are there interesting things to do and see in Mount Vernon?