Amtrak's Top 9 Walking Tour Cities

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DowneasterPassenger

DowneasterPassenger

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I've never been to most of those cities, but the ones I've been to and spent any time in at all, I'd agree with: Seattle, Portland, and Chicago. My one time in Washington DC was last summer between trains, but I could certainly see why that would be on the list, just from what I observed in my short time there and from what many others have said.
 
San Francisco has to be on any such list. It's compact, the public transit is terrific, and car-driving is hair-raising, to say the least.

For smaller cities served by Amtrak, I'd add Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo in California, Albuquerque and Santa Fe in New Mexico and Baltimore, Philadelphia and Charleston on the East Coast.

I'm sure there are more downtown central areas in other cities as well.
 
I can't believe they left out KIN!
ohmy.gif
(But then again, KIN is in West Kingston a few miles from Kingston, and there is no downtown!
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)

And to the OP: Orlando is served by the Silver Meteor and Silver Star!
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Santa Barbara should be on the list- all of downtown and the beach is well under a mile of the depot, and there is plenty to see!
 
SanJoaquinRider said:
I came across this on the Amtrak website when I was looking for something else.

http://www.amtrak.co...d=1153323725043

  • Washington, DC
  • New York City
  • Orlando - (great walking tour because the Auto Train goes there? I don't follow the logic).
  • Seattle
  • Boston
  • Chicago
  • Portland, OR
  • San Diego
  • Montreal
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I bolded the ones I agree with. Don't get me wrong the others may be good as well; I just can't speak about how good they might be as I've never spent any time there ( I spent a day on a tour of NYC).

peter
 
LA Resident said:
San Francisco has to be on any such list. It's compact, the public transit is terrific, and car-driving is hair-raising, to say the least.

For smaller cities served by Amtrak, I'd add Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo in California, Albuquerque and Santa Fe in New Mexico and Baltimore, Philadelphia and Charleston on the East Coast.

I'm sure there are more downtown central areas in other cities as well.
Click to expand...
Not to be nit-picky, but I don't think I'd include Baltimore and Philadelphia in a list of "smaller cities."
 
SanJoaquinRider said:
I came across this on the Amtrak website when I was looking for something else.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=WSArticlePage&pagename=WhistleStop/WSArticlePage/Blank_Template&cid=1153323725043

  • Washington, DC
  • New York City
  • Orlando - (great walking tour because the Auto Train goes there? I don't follow the logic).
  • Seattle
  • Boston
  • Chicago
  • Portland, OR
  • San Diego
  • Montreal
Click to expand...
I'd add Toronto and San Francisco for sure! (The Maple Leaf, also stopping in Niagara Falls,ON!!!)!And of course the time of year and season will determine the best time to walk! (ie WAS is very hot and muggy in the summer as is NYC, Montreal,Seattle,Portland, Chicago etc. are cold in the winter etc.etc.) The one that stumps me also is Orlando, great if you are Mickey Mouse I guess! :lol:
 
Orlando is not a pedestrian friendly city. Minneapolis is great city for walking with several lakes that have walking paths throughout the city. There are many nice neighborhoods to walk through also. St. Paul has some nice areas to walk in too.
 
I live in Orlando and definitely do not think it is a great city for walking. The walk from the Amtrak station to downtown is about 2+ miles and is along not so attractive roads -certainly not walking paths. However, in downtown, there is a beautiful lake around which is a walking/jogging path.

That being said, I like living in Orlando, and when it is not too hot outside, I walk whenever I can. I agree with the previous posts that Orlando should not be in the top Walking Tour Cities.
 
pennyk said:
I live in Orlando and definitely do not think it is a great city for walking. The walk from the Amtrak station to downtown is about 2+ miles and is along not so attractive roads -certainly not walking paths. However, in downtown, there is a beautiful lake around which is a walking/jogging path.

That being said, I like living in Orlando, and when it is not too hot outside, I walk whenever I can. I agree with the previous posts that Orlando should not be in the top Walking Tour Cities.
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How would you rate Winter Park?

RF
 
Chicago? Well if you lump short trips by light rail travel in with walking yes, loads to do, I only found the Sears Tower within walking distance, the video that you can't avoid on the ride up is geared to 8 year olds.

DC, heck you could spend an hour or two just roaming Union Station! The Smithsonian on the National Mall is within walking distance or a quick ride on Metro, the absolute best way to travel if it goes where you want to.

My only other stop I know about is Indianapolis, a few years ago it had, the bus station, a Hooters, a White Castle, a weird mall, and the State capitol, which from the statuary is still obsessed with their part in the un-Civil War. I did not notice local transit options.
 
Jambo Bound said:
Chicago? Well if you lump short trips by light rail travel in with walking yes, loads to do, I only found the Sears Tower within walking distance, the video that you can't avoid on the ride up is geared to 8 year olds.
Click to expand...
Is light rail in Chicago new? I am only familiar with heavy rail and commuter rail in Chicago, though the Southshore line could be considered light rail. I am going to be in Chicago next month and would like to know where the light rail line is. I didn't see it last August when I was there.
 
Rail Freak said:
pennyk said:
I live in Orlando and definitely do not think it is a great city for walking. The walk from the Amtrak station to downtown is about 2+ miles and is along not so attractive roads -certainly not walking paths. However, in downtown, there is a beautiful lake around which is a walking/jogging path.

That being said, I like living in Orlando, and when it is not too hot outside, I walk whenever I can. I agree with the previous posts that Orlando should not be in the top Walking Tour Cities.
Click to expand...
How would you rate Winter Park?

RF
Click to expand...
The Amtrak station in Winter Park is in the nicest area of that city. If you are into high end shopping (or window shopping), there are many stores walking distance from the station. There are many restaurants of all price levels. There is one hotel a couple of blocks from the station that is a bit pricey, but very nice. I think the walking in Winter Park is much better than the walking in Orlando.
 
jphjaxfl said:
Jambo Bound said:
Chicago? Well if you lump short trips by light rail travel in with walking yes, loads to do, I only found the Sears Tower within walking distance, the video that you can't avoid on the ride up is geared to 8 year olds.
Click to expand...
Is light rail in Chicago new? I am only familiar with heavy rail and commuter rail in Chicago, though the Southshore line could be considered light rail. I am going to be in Chicago next month and would like to know where the light rail line is. I didn't see it last August when I was there.
Click to expand...
No, there are no light rail lines in Chicago. I assume Jambo used "light rail" to refer to rail transit in general, in this case CTA rapid transit.
 
Top 9? They couldn't figure out one more to make a more common "Top 10"
 
I see endorsements for Toronto and Montreal. I would add Vancouver but then wouldn't it be kind of an embarrassment if three of the best 9 walking tours were in another country?
 
jphjaxfl said:
Jambo Bound said:
Chicago? Well if you lump short trips by light rail travel in with walking yes, loads to do, I only found the Sears Tower within walking distance, the video that you can't avoid on the ride up is geared to 8 year olds.
Click to expand...
Is light rail in Chicago new? I am only familiar with heavy rail and commuter rail in Chicago, though the Southshore line could be considered light rail. I am going to be in Chicago next month and would like to know where the light rail line is. I didn't see it last August when I was there.
Click to expand...
The South Shore Line is definitely NOT light rail.
 
Portland, Maine has a lovely, walkable downtown - too bad its not walkalble from the train station.
 
Eric S said:
LA Resident said:
San Francisco has to be on any such list. It's compact, the public transit is terrific, and car-driving is hair-raising, to say the least.

For smaller cities served by Amtrak, I'd add Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo in California, Albuquerque and Santa Fe in New Mexico and Baltimore, Philadelphia and Charleston on the East Coast.

I'm sure there are more downtown central areas in other cities as well.
Click to expand...
Not to be nit-picky, but I don't think I'd include Baltimore and Philadelphia in a list of "smaller cities."
Click to expand...
Yeah you're right! I wrote that intending only to mention Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, but then got carried away and my thought got ahead of my syntax!!!

I don't think you were being nit-picky, though. Maybe picky, but not nittily so!

(Now to hold my breath for someone on this forum to lash out for not putting "nittily" in quotes. So there, beat you to it!)
 
D T Nelson said:
jphjaxfl said:
Jambo Bound said:
Chicago? Well if you lump short trips by light rail travel in with walking yes, loads to do, I only found the Sears Tower within walking distance, the video that you can't avoid on the ride up is geared to 8 year olds.
Click to expand...
Is light rail in Chicago new? I am only familiar with heavy rail and commuter rail in Chicago, though the Southshore line could be considered light rail. I am going to be in Chicago next month and would like to know where the light rail line is. I didn't see it last August when I was there.
Click to expand...
The South Shore Line is definitely NOT light rail.
Click to expand...
The South Shore Line is classed as commuter rail, not light rail. It's probably the last true example of what used to be called an interurban line still in daily operation in the US.
 
I totally agree with the three Canadian cities which are reachable by Amtrak/VIA and then you can catch the great VIA LD trains! Also I would include New Orleans (but not in the summer or winter!)and a plug for my home city Austin! :) I'm sure everyone has their favorites but for sure I agree with Penny that Orlando must have gotten on the list by mistake unless Disney had their employees stuffing the ballot box! :lol:
 
Okay, I got in a hurry and should have written maybe, public transport?

Out here on the prairie anything other than the rails still being used by UP and BNSF looks like light rail, I forgot that this term defines a certain type of commuter rail system, heck the only rail left in my county is in some guys yard holding up a caboose. ;(
 
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