After the first of the year, once all the stress of the holiday season has passed, many Northwesterners start to experience crazed bouts of cabin-fever, and frantically begin planning their post-holiday getaways. But getting away doesn’t mean you have to hop on a plane headed for a tropical island. There are many local getaways throughout the region worth visiting during the winter, with many reduced rates and specialty trips designed specifically with listless Northwesterners in mind.
Northerners looking to experience Portland can soon book a seat on the Portland Express. This specialty Amtrak Cascades line runs between Vancouver, BC and Eugene, Ore., offering riders to experience Portland before they even get there. This one of a kind train car has been transformed and retrofitted to transport riders from the minute they board the train. Running January through March, a one-way ticket from Vancouver to Portland is $40, with rides from Seattle as low as $20. And, if you book your tickets two weeks prior to travel, Amtrak will knock an additional 25 percent off your purchase. Be sure to book within the “Mt. Jefferson” train set, one of Amtrak’s two spankin’ new train sets that will run on the Cascades route.
Visitors of Portland will love all the city has to offer, including countless breweries and distilleries, tax-free shopping, and even some of the region’s best dining. Visit Portland during the month of March and celebrate Portland Dining Month with three-course meals as low as $29 at some of Portland’s most renowned dining destinations. For more information of Portland Dining Month and for a list of participating restaurants, visit Travel Portland.
Seattleites looking to head north for the winter can take a vacation to Vancouver with a Clipper Vacations accommodation package. Enjoy riding the Amtrak Cascades to your Vancouver hotel, and get ready to explore one of the most culturally-rich metropolises in the region. With travel and hotel stays starting at as low as $135 per person, Clipper Vacations makes post-holiday travel fun and affordable.
For an experience like no other, book a tour with the Rocky Mountaineer. Providing an experiential way to ride the rails in Canada, this premier train service offers everything from scenic one-day getaways, to week long adventures exploring the Canadian Rockies. Enjoy touring the Pacific coastline, or delving deep into the mountains with one of the Rocky Mountaineer’s many available packages.
Take a day-cation or full on leave of absence with one or all of these great Northwest ways to decompress after the holidays.
