Traveling on the Empire Builder Train to Washington and Oregon

We just returned from a summer adventure riding Amtrak's Empire Builder to Seattle and returning via Portland, Oregon with several excursions in Washington and Oregon. Our overall trip lasted 10 days with four days of train travel. Our adventures in between our train treks included hiking, visiting gardens, enjoying beach days, learning about cheese making, exploring Washington's capitol and more. We packed in a lot of exploration and the train trip was a great part of the adventure! Follow along as I share our discoveries including:

• Admiring the grounds at the Washington State Capitol Campus in Olympia

The impressive and stately Washington Capitol Building. The campus is a joy to explore.

• Hiking at Mount St. Helens in Washington

Mount St. Helens' powerful presence could be seen during various hikes in the national monument.

• Waterfall hunting in Oregon

Getting up close to Latourell Falls in Oregon.

• Learning about how Tillamook Cheese is made -- and of course sampling some!

At Tillamook, we enjoyed watching cheese being made.

• Hiking at Cape Meares

The lush forest is only part of what we discovered while hiking at Cape Meares in Oregon.

• Exploring several points along the Oregon Coast

Haystack Rock's towering presence awes.

• Visiting the International Rose Test Garden and Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland

  

  The tranquil gardens at Lan Su Chinese Garden create an oasis right inside Portland!

• Foodie discoveries in Portland which served as a base for much of our trip

This sandwich may look simple but this turkey club at The Original in Portland is one of the best I have had!

• Plus, our adventure riding on Amtrak's Empire Builder!

I was pretty amazed by how many cars were part of the Empire Builder!

Follow along as I uncover these treasures for you! 

Enjoying tea at Lan Su Chinese Garden in Portland.