Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Car & Motorcycle
Although the quickest way to get to the Pacific Northwest is usually by plane, the best way
to get around is by car. If you have time, it can be less expensive to drive to the Pacific
Northwest than to fly and rent a car. And the region is blessed with many scenic highways
that make driving long distances a feasible alternative.
Note that driving regulations, such as speed limits and the permissibility of right turns
on red lights or making U-turns, can vary somewhat from state to state.
Train
The Pacific Northwest is well served by
Amtrak
( 800-872-7245;
www.amtrak.com
) in
the USA and
VIA Rail
( 888-842-7245;
www.viarail.ca
)
in Canada. Trains are comfort-
able, if slow, and equipped with dining and lounge cars on long-distance routes.
Amtrak's
Coast Starlight
links Los Angeles to Portland and Seattle via Oakland and oth-
er West Coast cities. The
Empire Builder
runs from Chicago to the Pacific Northwest via
Minneapolis and Spokane, where it separates to reach Portland and Seattle. VIA Rail's
Canadian
runs between Vancouver and Toronto. Schedules can be very fluid: arrival and
departure times become less reliable the further you are from the starting point.
Amtrak fares vary greatly, depending on the season and current promotions. You can
beat the rather stiff full-price fares by purchasing in advance - the earlier you buy, the bet-
ter the fare. Round-trips are the best deal, but even these can be more expensive than
airfares. Children, students, veterans, military personnel, seniors and American Automo-
bile Association (AAA) members are eligible for discounts; check Amtrak's website for de-
tails, and for rail passes, which are a good option for longer travel periods.
GETTING AROUND
Air
Seattle, Portland and Vancouver are the principal hubs for flights to outlying Pacific North-
west cities, which include (but are not limited to) Klamath Falls, Eugene, Medford, Salem,
Yakima, Walla Walla, Spokane, Bellingham and Wenatchee. Seattle also has air destina-
tions in the San Juan Islands and Victoria.
NORTH TO ALASKA
Waaay at the northwest tip of North America lies the USA's 49th state, Alaska. It's
the biggest state by far, and home to stupendous mountains, massive glaciers and
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