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With Scenic, it’s more than an all-inclusive luxury journey; it's truly spectacular moments that will stay with you forever. 

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The USA’s best weekend escapes for 2024

Jan 22, 2024 • 12 min read

Take in a concert with friends in Chicago's Millennium Park © Abel Arciniega / Choose Chicago

While traveling in a country as big as the USA can be daunting, you have to start somewhere. Why not a weekend getaway?

Among the country’s extraordinary array of climates, regions and cultures, it’s not hard to find tempting options for a big-city exploration, small-town adventure and epic road trip. The hardest part? Deciding where to go. Which is why we’ve asked four expert writers based in different parts of the USA to share their favorite weekend getaways.

Wherever you are or want to go, there’s an ideal trip for you. 

Best weekend getaways in the South 

Writer DeAnna Taylor has visited all seven continents. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina , she has also spent plenty of time exploring her local stomping grounds.

Hocking Hills, Ohio

Best for families

Perched on the edge of Appalachia, Hocking Hills features waterfalls, caves, forests and hemlock-covered gorges that are great for family excursions. Small-town hospitality makes everything accessible, including cozy inns and old-school diners. Try tube-floating on the Hocking River, zip-lining through the forest or gazing at the night sky at the John Glenn Astronomy Park .

Savannah, Georgia

Best for couples

Cozy up with your significant other for a romantic carriage ride under  Savannah ’s famous oaks draped with Spanish moss. Make a pit stop at scenic  Forsyth Park  to snap a few photos by the famous fountain. Or stroll hand-in-hand as you peruse the vendors and artisans in Savannah City Market . Consider dropping into  The Grey  for dinner – the restaurant of famed chef Mashama Bailey and John Morisano – and don’t forget to order the oxtail pot roast and Dutch Fork pumpkin soup.

Southend, Charlotte, North Carolina

Best for foodies

Southend is easily one of Charlotte ’s  most bustling neighborhoods, with dozens of locally owned eateries and breweries competing for hungry visitors. For Asian fare, order a feast of crispy pork belly, bao buns, soy-pickled deviled eggs, and sweet and mild wings at Seoul Food Meat Company . If you prefer Mexican-inspired flavors, visit Tacos Rick-O on the patio of Hoppin’ CLT for some of the area’s best birria preparations. At Resident Culture Brewing ,  El Toro Bruto serves up killer breakfast tacos and pan dulce (sweet pastries). Just don’t forget to grab a chocolate chai or gingerbread matcha from the coffee counter.

Asheville, North Carolina

Best for art and culture lovers 

Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway , charming and eclectic  Asheville is a great getaway for those who truly appreciate the beauty of street art. Spend some time in the River Arts District to get your fill of ever-changing murals, art galleries and even interactive glassblowing at the North Carolina Glass Center . While there, swing by White Duck Taco for a unique menu that includes tacos made with Thai peanut chicken, jerk chicken and lamb gyro.

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Best for outdoorsy families

Whether you’re traveling as a family or solo, this mountainous Tennessee town is the perfect nature escape. Take the SkyLift for a 2.1-mile ride offering aerial views of Great Smoky Mountains National Park . Or simply spend a day hiking the surrounding trails, leaving time for a serene picnic surrounded by nature (you may even spot wild elk). In the winter, grab your skis or snowboard for a day of thrills at Ober Mountain . 

Austin, Texas 

Best for nightlife 

For fun into the wee hours, Downtown Austin is where you’ll want to go – Rainey St in particular. After famed 6th St, this bustling district is the city’s second-largest entertainment hub, with plenty of bars, live-music venues and eateries. If you’re longing for a Caribbean getaway without having to leave the country, Idle Hands serves up a range of tropics-inspired cocktails.

Best weekend getaways on the West Coast 

Originally from Colorado, Tyler Wildeck is a writer based in Portland, Oregon, who has spent most of his adult life roaming the Western USA . 

San Juan Islands, Washington

Best for rustic vibes and romance

For adventurous weekenders, the San Juan Islands  off the coast of Washington State  showcase some of the Pacific Northwest ’s rarest wildlife. Orcas, the San Juans’ most notable island, is home to three resident pods of killer whales, who are commonly spotted just offshore as they hunt for salmon. The islands also boast the largest concentration of bald eagles in the contiguous United States.

In addition to copious wildlife viewing, hiking and kayaking, the most-populous islands offer a variety of engaging historic sites, restaurants and rustic lodges for a weekend’s stay. Just don’t forget to book your ferry boat (or floatplane) ahead of time. 

San Francisco, California

Best for urbanites at heart 

San Francisco is synonymous with West Coast culture for a reason. Where else can you find stunning ocean views, top-tier eats and a wealth of shopping, arts and nightlife? The city truly has it all – and while a weekend isn’t enough to see the whole city, it’s enough to make you want to come back many times over. Whether you’re romping around the Mission in search of the perfect cocktail, taking in a Giants game at Oracle Park (two words: garlic fries) or going on a spending spree at the shops around Union Square , there is hardly a better place to spend a weekend away than the City by the Bay.  

Astoria, Oregon

Best for history buffs

Situated at the mouth of the Columbia River on  Oregon ’s coast, Astoria is just a 90-minute drive from nearby Portland . Great for history buffs and outdoor enthusiasts looking for a weekend at the end of the Oregon Trail, Astoria offers the chance to learn about the earliest days of the fur trade in North America and to visit the famous Fort Clatsop , where the Lewis and Clark expedition spent the winter of 1805. (The current fort has been reconstructed to match the original design, and is part of the larger Lewis & Clark National Historical Park .) Spend your weekend getting lost in the stories of river fording and salmon fishing – and, if you’re brave enough, cast a line for your own gigantic sturgeon, one of the coastal site’s most famous undersea creatures.  

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Best for a family camping trip

For casual outdoorsy types looking for a easy weekend getaway, Joshua Tree National Park offers a wonderful blend of scenery and outdoor activities, with a notably thinner crowd than popular Yosemite  to the north. Just two hours from the Los Angeles area, Joshua Tree offers convenience and a unique desert ecosystem that make it a premium location for a weekend camping trip, and its hiking, world-class rock climbing and stargazing rival anywhere in the US. Bonus points for staying up late enough to snag a picture of the otherworldly Joshua trees underneath a canopy of stars. 

Best weekend getaways in the Northeast

Marcia DeSanctis is a writer based in rural Connecticut, whose travels have taken her to Uzbekistan, Rwanda, Egypt – and all over the northeastern United States.

Ogunquit, Maine

Best for New England seaside atmosphere

Sometimes it’s the classics that awaken a sense of discovery, and Ogunquit is quintessential  Maine . To visit is to experience the wonderfully familiar ⁠– like sensory comfort food – since the air here is tinged with the smells of ocean spray and seafood shacks. Drift through Perkins Cove, the weathered downtown fishing village, and stop for salt-water taffy at Perkins Cove Candies . Try a perfect lobster roll at Barnacle Billy’s  between May and November, and all year long at Nubb’s Lobster Shack .

Ogunquit has a dreamy, white-sand public beach , and beyond it lies the Marginal Way, a dramatic, wind-whipped coastal trail along which you can contemplate the Atlantic Ocean to the sounds of waves smashing the granite cliffs.

Providence, Rhode Island

Best for a foodie and cocktail break

Like a lot of American cities that were once down on their luck, the Rhode Island capital has come roaring back. Once the overlooked little brother of mighty Boston , Providence now draws plenty of visitors thanks to its fabulous architectural treasures, plus such intimate, historic neighborhoods as Federal Hill, the city’s vibrant Little Italy. Here, amid the old brick and wooden buildings, you’ll find one of the neighborhood’s (and the city’s) most distinctive dishes: French fries with meatballs at Angelo’s , an institution since 1924.

Urban revivals often center around a food and bar scene – and in this arena, Providence seems to be constantly, brilliantly innovating. For modern takes on classic bars downtown, Eddy is a modern speakeasy, while Clementine , owned by the city’s former mayor, offers small plates and innovative drinks. In the Fox Point neighborhood, Glou has a minimal, almost Scandinavian vibe. Try the crudo – raw, sustainably caught fish – at Oberlin ; its chef and owner Benjamin Sukle is one of the most celebrated chefs in America. And don’t miss the ice-cream sandwiches at Tricycle .

Washington, Connecticut

Best for art ⁠– and R&R

Located in northwest Connecticut , the town of Washington is an ideal base for a spin around the scenic Litchfield Hills. Full of working farms, broad New England vistas and a pervading sense of tranquility, the town has lured artists, writers and all manner of creators (think Alexander Calder, Frank McCourt and Christine Baranski) looking to escape the din of New York City , just two hours away.

It is fitting, then, that you can visit world-class art galleries right in town: photography at KMR Arts  and painting, sculpture and ceramics (and an unmatched April-to-October farmers market) at the Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens . Browse the shelves at cozy independent bookstore Hickory Stick (and find signed copies from authors who call the area home, including Dani Shapiro, Lisa Taddeo, Courtney Maum and Sarah Albee); bring proper shoes for any of the 18 miles of lush trails at Steep Rock Preserve ; and put on something a little fancier – but not too fancy! – for craft cocktails and a sublime, locally sourced dinner at Community Table .

Hudson, New York

Best for shopping and charm

Just two hours north of Manhattan, Hudson draws both tastemakers and weekend wanderers. The whaling industry ⁠– thanks to which Hudson became a 19th-century boomtown⁠– eventually faltered, yet the city retains the era’s elegant Queen Anne and Victorian bones, and much of it has been lovingly and stylishly restored. The main thoroughfare, Warren St, is lined with handsome mini-mansions, coffee bars, Scandinavian antique stores and low-key-chic clothing boutiques like Unracked . On the to-do list: brunch at Tavern in the movie theater-turned-hotel Rivertown Lodge ; real French crêpes at Le Gamin ; a visit to Olana , painter Frederic Church’s stunning residence above the Hudson River, which also has several miles of trails; and made-in-the-USA basics at Hudson Clothier .

Kancamagus Hwy, New Hampshire

Best for a scenic drive and the great outdoors 

To born-and-bred Yankees, Rte 112, the scenic New Hampshire highway known locally as “ the Kanc ,” is the prettiest drive in the northeast. For raw, sheer, bold beauty, it is textbook New England, blazing red and orange come fall-foliage season. It is also ideal the rest of the year, with less traffic along the 35-mile mountain gap (and its many connected trails) through New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest ⁠– home to Mt Washington and Franconia Notch State Park, both nearby.

Begin in the ski town of Conway and head west. The route is jam-packed with natural beauty and plenty of hiking trails, so by all means pull over and veer off to stretch your legs, take in the views and chase the seven waterfalls cascading over granite rock faces along the way. Among the loveliest sights: picturesque Albany Covered Bridge, built in 1858; the cascade, lake and footbridge at Rocky Gorge; roaring Sabbaday Falls; the Pemigewassett Overlook, with its panoramic vistas of the Osceola Mountains; and Franconia Falls, with naturally carved chutes and slides for a cool dip in summer. At the end of your drive, you’ll be in the fanciful town of Lincoln.

Best weekend getaways in the Midwest 

Rosalind Cummings-Yeates is a Chicago-born-and-bred writer with deep expertise in all things related to the Windy City (she’s written two books on her hometown) as well as the wider Midwest . 

Door County, Wisconsin

Best for outdoor escapades

Five state parks, forests, orchards, sand dunes, sea caves and 300 miles of dazzling shoreline make Door County , Wisconsin , the ultimate natural paradise. This all-season outdoor getaway boasts near-endless recreation options along dozens of scenic trails. The peninsula encompasses a cluster of charming small towns, and travelers can explore the landscapes of each one. After hiking, boating or climbing lighthouses, the signature Door County experience is a fish boil. This centuries-old Scandinavian tradition involves a master boiler who oversees a big cauldron of whitefish – as they toss kerosene on an open fire.

Kansas City, Missouri

Best for a (mid-sized) city break

Over 200 fountains cascade water all over  Kansas City , giving this Midwest powerhouse the designation of the city with the most working fountains in the world. KC is filled with surprises like this, making it the perfect mid-sized-city getaway. Munching through mounds of sweet and spicy barbecue and checking out the city’s notable jazz heritage at clubs and at the American Jazz Museum  are definite musts. But there are also unexpected gems like the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the 22-acre sculpture park at the world-class Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art  – not to mention delightful independent shops .

Chicago, Illinois

Best for culture lovers

Chi-town supplies everything from food and art to music and architecture in big, memorable doses. The Midwest’s largest city,  Chicago  pulses with history and excitement, whether you opt for a famous excursion like an architecture tour along the lakefront, or a visit to one of its 77 diverse neighborhoods. Come hungry, too – to sample signature dishes like deep-dish pizza, Italian beef and jibarito sandwiches, and then to hit up one of 23 Michelin-starred restaurants. World-class museums including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Field Museum of Natural History  explore human achievement, while glorious live music at dozens of blues, jazz and indie clubs is always on offer. The cultural riches shine all year round but the summer brings extra sparkle thanks to dynamic music and art festivals.

Galena, Illinois

Best for historic charm

Cozy up with your partner amid the 19th-century elegance of this former mining town framed by the Galena River, with Victorian houses lining the streets and rolling hills as a backdrop. Stroll through a vineyard and wine-tasting tour, hop on an electric bike or opt for a romantic balloon ride. A stop by the Italianate home of 18th US President Ulysses S Grant is a Galena must-do.

This article was first published Mar 23, 2023 and updated Jan 22, 2024.

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Rhine Highlights with Terri Clark

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Europe’s most spectacular river discovery

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The treasures of Kimberley’s ancient shores

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Spectacular New Zealand

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Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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Experience Wonders Beyond

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Ultra-luxury cruising

In a class of its own.

Popular destinations

Create stories for life.

Great stories are born of unforgettable moments. With Scenic it’s more than ultra-luxury travel. It’s seldom-seen lands, unrestricted global navigation and state-of-the-art ships allowing a front row seat to nature and culture as it unfolds before your eyes.

Featured Itineraries

Charming Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle

Mighty castles and lush green vineyards

Tastes of Norway & Iceland

Arctic Exploration

Discover the Kimberley Coastline: An Ancient Wilderness

An Ancient Wilderness Wonderland

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4 great scenic train rides across the US

Want to truly immerse yourself in the vastness of the USA? There's no better way than to take a scenic cross-country train trip.

During these long-distance train rides, the journey is just as exciting as the destination itself. Relaxing in your seat as you watch the U.S. landscape out your train car window slowly change from cities to farmlands or from wide-open plains to towering mountains is an experience that's worth the extra transit time.

Amtrak offers many overnight and multiday scenic train rides across the U.S. from the East Coast, the West Coast and everywhere in between. Route names like the Empire Builder, the Coast Starlight and the California Zephyr are enough to inspire wanderlust for any traveler.

Whether you're new to train travel or an avid rider of the rails, here are four bucket list-worthy U.S. train rides to take for stunning scenery, plus some tips on how best to book and enjoy them.

Tips for cross-country train travel

While taking a cross-country train trip can be a rewarding experience, as it offers days to leisurely sit back and enjoy scenic landscapes, many people have worries about how best to book such a long trip and what to expect when it comes to sleeping arrangements. TPG has a few tips to help you get on board with the concept and easily plan your journey.

Browse routes by region

A good first step to take when looking for a route that's right for you is to search Amtrak's "Browse by Region" menu. You can pick a large area of the country from which to start or finish your trip.

Once you click on an area, Amtrak will provide lists of highlighted long-distance routes, as well as shorter point-to-point trips. You can then select a route like the Capitol Corridor in California before being directed to ticket purchase menus.

Explore Amtrak Vacations

Amtrak offers curated vacation packages to rail travelers via its Amtrak Vacations website. These tours can include side trips (via bus) to national parks , sightseeing tours in cities and hotel lodging on stopovers along the route. You can search for packages around vacation themes like "Fall Foliage" and "Multiple National Parks."

Amtrak's set of "Most Scenic Journeys" vacation packages include trips lasting up to two weeks that combine rail travel and additional tours. Think of these trips like cruises with shore excursions . Some of the scenic journey-designated options focus on national parks, while others are big-city oriented.

You can click on each option's details to find itineraries, dates and prices. Then, all that's left to do is book your rail vacation.

Consider famous routes

A shortcut to finding scenic cross-country rail routes on Amtrak is to visit its Amtrak Vacations website and click on "Famous Rail Routes." This set of approximately 20 different overnight train routes gives you a great set of suggestions for your own potential cross-country journeys.

For more details on the fixed routes, click on any of the tabs. Once you've chosen a route, you can either book a package tour with Amtrak Vacations or go to the regular Amtrak website and book a point-to-point trip.

Weigh your accommodation options

Taking an overnight or a multiday train trip means you'll need to sleep aboard the train. All of Amtrak's long-distance train trips provide a variety of seating and room arrangments.

The cheapest way to travel is to simply book a seat on the route. While Amtrak's seating is comfortable, with more legroom than you'll find in an airline's business class, it may not be the way you want to travel for many hours. You can get up, walk the train and stop in the cafe car, but this can still be a tough way to travel during a multiday journey.

Fortunately, Amtrak provides several classes of accommodations on cross-country trips, ranging from shared roomettes with fold-out bunks to bedrooms, larger family bedrooms and suites complete with private bathrooms and showers. Should you book one of these rooms on a cross-country itinerary, you'll enjoy access to a separate dining car.

Prices for the various ticket classes vary widely between routes and dates, so check potential itineraries to find the best option for you.

4 scenic train trips to take in the US

Now that you know the basics when it comes to picking a long-distance train route, you'll want to narrow down your options. Although there are many scenic routes in the U.S., here are our four favorites.

California Zephyr: San Francisco to Chicago

Amtrak's California Zephyr route travels between San Francisco and Chicago on a three-day journey. The 51-hour trip (on the west-to-east path) begins in nearby Emeryville, California, then travels through central California farmlands up into the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Along this part of the route, you'll enjoy spectacular panoramas from glassed-in viewing cars.

The train continues through Reno and the Nevada deserts into Salt Lake City before traveling up into the Rocky Mountains to reach Denver . You'll descend into the wide-open plains of Nebraska and eventually wind your way into the Windy City.

This trip is a great way to immerse yourself in the American West, as you'll get a true feeling of the vastness of the region and the variety of terrain that makes up the country.

One-way prices start at $141 per person for a seat in coach and $688 for a room.

Empire Builder: Seattle to Chicago

The Empire Builder train route connects Chicago and Seattle on a 46-hour journey connecting the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest. The train loosely follows the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, the route the explorers took to map out the region acquired during the Louisiana Purchase.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark would have appreciated sitting back in the train's viewing cars to enjoy eyefuls of Montana 's Big Sky Country, Glacier National Park , the Cascade Range and the vast plains of North Dakota. Additionally, the explorers would have marveled at the metalwork of North Dakota's towering Gassman Coulee Trestle bridge.

Should you wish to depart or arrive in Portland, Oregon, instead of Seattle, know that there's an alternate route of the Empire Builder from this Pacific Northwest city, so you can plan your itinerary based on your preferences.

One-way train fares from Chicago to Seattle begin at $150 per person, while rooms cost at least $651.

Southwest Chief: Los Angeles to Chicago

Traverse the American Southwest on a southern route between Los Angeles and Chicago. The Southwest Chief route departs daily and takes roughly 40 hours to cross eight states.

For some of the journey, the train follows the classic American road trip thoroughfare of historic Route 66 . However, unlike its car-friendly neighbor, the train route offers views you won't find while driving the highway, as it winds on twisting tracks that travel through narrow red-rock canyon passages before offering wide-open vistas of mountains and deserts.

The train's main stops include Kansas City, Missouri; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Flagstaff, Arizona. You can also take advantage of excursions from the train when you purchase one of Amtrak's vacation packages. For example, you can visit the Grand Canyon (by train or bus) while the train is stopped in Williams, Arizona.

Even if you never leave the train, the views along the way are enough to create lasting memories.

Expect to pay at least $146 per person for a coach seat on this one-way route or a minimum of $899 for a room.

Crescent: New York City to New Orleans

See the American South on this 30-hour journey between New York City and New Orleans . Departing the urban landscape of the Big Apple, this route will take you through the Northeastern cityscapes of Philadelphia , Baltimore and Washington, D.C. , among other destinations.

Once it exits the urban corridor, the train winds through the countryside of Virginia and the Carolinas, offering stops in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Greenville, South Carolina. Then, it continues through the Deep South states of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi before reaching its final stop in New Orleans.

Tickets for this one-way route start at $139 for a seat in coach and $580 for a room.

Bottom line

Traveling by train across the U.S. gives you a unique perspective of the scale and scope of the American landscape. While it may be slower than flying across the country, rail travel gives you the opportunity to sit back and savor the journey, appreciating the changing views as the hours roll by.

The four scenic cross-country train trips highlighted here are only some of Amtrak's many long-distance journeys available to book. By exploring Amtrak's website, you can find many different rail journeys in nearly every part of the U.S. Best of all, most offer an array of seating options, so you can choose the ticket that best suits your travel preferences and budget.

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Scenic getaways throughout arizona for you and your family and friends, headed to arizona we’ve got an abundance or destinations for you to explore. the incredible scenery of sedona, the apache trail and the grand canyon. the historic old west in tombstone, jerome, prescott and bisbee. the grand saguaros and spanish missions of tucson.  see it all, let us show you the best sites in arizona go to the “ day tours ” page and learn about the unique excursions that arizona has to offer if you are a history buff or an adventurer or just in it for the scenery, we have got your tour., you can also make your trip to the southwest amazing with a “ multi-day tour “ visit arizona and stay where the locals stay have more time cross the boundaries of arizona and see the national parks of utah.

Arizona is rich in Native American history & lore, the influence of Spanish explorations, a vibrant Mexican culture and of course most “recently”, our Pioneer heritage. The Arizona Tourism Industry and the people throughout our state strive to highlight this history and do everything that we can to help it grow and survive into the future. From Ancient Civilizations to New Spain to Mexican territorial times through Pioneer days and today, the people that built our state are the difference. The Native Americans built great dwellings in the cliffs and lived off of the land by designing incredible irrigation systems. The Spanish and Mexican cultures have influenced every aspect of our Southwestern life. The Pioneers shaped the economy into what it is today with copper mining, cattle ranching, agriculture and more… Come to Arizona and we’ll show you first hand how the people are the difference.

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On the “ Custom Tours ” and “ Multi-Day Tours ” pages, there is all the info that you need to build your own tour or multi-day excursion. Pick out all of the sites and adventures that you wish to experience making your visit to Arizona memorable. Tell us what interests you most and we will create an itinerary for you . Discover all of the options available such as lake cruises, horseback riding, hikes, air tours, Jeep tours and more!! A multi-day excursion in the Southwest can take you throughout Arizona and across it’s borders into New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Nevada and California!! There are no limits to your journey… make it memorable!!