Quiet Country Vacation Recommendation Needed! Stars Required.

[sierranevada1]

Oh and from Reno, if you got energy, could take a very scenic rental car side-trip to Lake Tahoe. You can ride through Mt Rose highway going through high elevation mountain scenery, it's about an hour to the lake. And you could come back to Reno via a different route, taking hwy 50 through Carson City from Southern lake shore, this route also takes about an hour and 15 mins. All of it is as scenic and breathtaking as it gets.

[Mr. E. Ryter]

Originally Posted by sierranevada1

Oh and from Reno, if you got energy, could take a very scenic rental car side-trip to Lake Tahoe. You can ride through Mt Rose highway going through high elevation mountain scenery, it's about an hour to the lake. And you could come back to Reno via a different route, taking hwy 50 through Carson City from Southern lake shore, this route also takes about an hour and 15 mins. All of it is as scenic and breathtaking as it gets.

Yeah, that sounds great! If I had a car, I wouldn't have even created this thread because my vacation choice would be really simple -- road trip to Yellowstone!

[wamer27]

I took Amtrak from St Paul to Portland, OR. Left at 11pm Thursday and got into Portland at noon Saturday. This was in early December in 2011. Here’s the bad part, you wake up (we actually couldn’t sleep either night in a small sleeper car) Friday in North Dakota. Sun sets and was dark as you entered Glacier National Park. Saturday morning you are in Washington and in the Columbia river gorge. Running this route in the summer would be better, but the western MN, ND, and eastern MT was terrible scenery. You could fly to Kalispell, MT (like I’m doing this week) on direct Delta flight, it’s not far from Whitefish, MT. There’s gotta be shuttles between the two cities. The train stops in Whitefish. Ride train to Portland. Then do same opposite coming back.

[Mr. E. Ryter]

Originally Posted by wamer27

I took Amtrak from St Paul to Portland, OR. Left at 11pm Thursday and got into Portland at noon Saturday. This was in early December in 2011. Here’s the bad part, you wake up (we actually couldn’t sleep either night in a small sleeper car) Friday in North Dakota. Sun sets and was dark as you entered Glacier National Park. Saturday morning you are in Washington and in the Columbia river gorge. Running this route in the summer would be better, but the western MN, ND, and eastern MT was terrible scenery. You could fly to Kalispell, MT (like I’m doing this week) on direct Delta flight, it’s not far from Whitefish, MT. There’s gotta be shuttles between the two cities. The train stops in Whitefish. Ride train to Portland. Then do same opposite coming back.

Exactly. This is just another one of the things I don't like about living in Minneapolis. I can't simply hop on Amtrak and relax. I'm not interested in having to fly somewhere, then take a bus/taxi, then the train and then do it all in reverse. And, as you said, and as I said earlier. Those exact locations (in bold) are dead boring and ugly. Not much of a vacation when you want the ride itself to be the vacation.

I'll come up with something though. Don't know what, but I will! Thanks again to everyone for their replies!

[demtion35]

Originally Posted by Mr. E. Ryter

Exactly. This is just another one of the things I don't like about living in Minneapolis. I can't simply hop on Amtrak and relax. I'm not interested in having to fly somewhere, then take a bus/taxi, then the train and then do it all in reverse. And, as you said, and as I said earlier. Those exact locations (in bold) are dead boring and ugly. Not much of a vacation when you want the ride itself to be the vacation.

I'll come up with something though. Don't know what, but I will! Thanks again to everyone for their replies!

You could ride the Northshore Train, starting in Duluth. Especially in the fall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohob8VTsVAk

[Campeador]

Why not rent a car and drive up the North Shore? Hike the rivers (Cascade, Brule, & Baptism, especially) and enjoy a bonfire in front of Superior. There's no shortage of places to rent. Lutsen has lots of options. Check airbnb for others. No need to spend all of your time in transit when there are great options for what you seek just to the north.

[demtion35]

Originally Posted by Campeador

Why not rent a car and drive up the North Shore? Hike the rivers (Cascade, Brule, & Baptism, especially) and enjoy a bonfire in front of Superior. There's no shortage of places to rent. Lutsen has lots of options. Check airbnb for others. No need to spend all of your time in transit when there are great options for what you seek just to the north.

I would second exactly what is said above. It is perfect.;

[Tyryztoll]

Not sure of the train options in correlation, but if it's scenery and isolation you seek, consider the driftless regions of Minnesota and Wisconsin.......even northeastern Iowa. Some of the most underrated countryside I've ever traversed, and not as many people to contend with in comparison to going up north. If they do have train routes through there it would be an excellent choice, but even if they don't please still consider it. This is the region down in SE Minnesota, SW Wisconsin and NE Iowa. We're planning a family outing down there for the fall and can't wait to go again. The rivers and bluffs especially are just gorgeous, and I have to imagine it would be primo stargazing territory.