Quiet, Walkable Midwestern Towns With Hotels Near the Station

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Skim

Skim

Train Attendant
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
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65
Location
Alton, IL
I'm considering a vacation somewhere within five hours of Chicago (not on the Lincoln Service) in a smallish town where we can walk to a hotel from the station and get whatever we need without driving, including a grocery store for healthier food than the average restaurant. Transit would work if it's frequent and it runs when the train arrives/departs. I don't care much for crowds or touristy areas (that's what Chicago is for), but rather want a rural place to get away. A beach community would be a plus. Thruway buses aren't in the cards.

Does such a location exist?

We had considered Port Huron, but its station is so far from everything.
 
What about one of the smaller stops on the CZ in Iowa or Nebraska? Ottumwa, IA - has the river beaches and park?
 
No beach front, though river, but Lafayette, IN would I think meet those requirements. Across the walking bridge(in West Lafayette) from the station is a Hilton Garden Inn, there's also a Holiday Inn Select on the Lafayette side. There's a decent bus system which has the station as it's vertex(and would be necessary for getting to the grocery). Also in the summer the students (Purdue University) are gone, though really if you avoid West Lafayette you don't run into them too much.

I have no idea what your definition of rural is. I grew up in a one stop light town so Lafayette seems quite big to me, but my friends who grew up in traditional cities (Chicago/Seattle/Las Vegas/Detroit) find it to be quite rural.
 
Once Amtrak relocates to Union Depot in downtown St Paul, you will be within walking distance of many hotels. While St Paul is very much a city, it has often been likened to "The Largest Small Town in America" because of the neighborhood-centric feel to the city.
 
How about New Buffalo, Michigan? Small beach town with the Amtrak station right by the beach. Four round-trips daily on the Wolverine and Blue Water, and less than 80 minutes from Chicago. Plenty of restaurants, including some of wider fame (Stray Dog, Redamak's), and a grocery store (Barney's) downtown.
 
Herman and Jefferson City, Missouri on the River Runner Route are Excellent Places to spend Get-a-Way Time and the Rides on the Lincoln Train from CHI to STL and then on the River Runner out of St. Louis are easy and pleasant! Google them up!
 
John Bredin said:
How about New Buffalo, Michigan? Small beach town with the Amtrak station right by the beach. Four round-trips daily on the Wolverine and Blue Water, and less than 80 minutes from Chicago. Plenty of restaurants, including some of wider fame (Stray Dog, Redamak's), and a grocery store (Barney's) downtown.
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Good find John, this one will go on the Bucket List! (In Summer for sure! ^_^ )
 
La Plata, MO on the CZ line. Depot Inn and Suites has golf carts the guests can use to get around the area. Restaurant nearby. Don't know about other amenities nearby. A sizable Amish community as well.
 
Big Iron said:
La Plata, MO on the CZ line. Depot Inn and Suites has golf carts the guests can use to get around the area. Restaurant nearby. Don't know about other amenities nearby. A sizable Amish community as well.
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You mean the SWC line, right?
 
EMDF9A said:
Red Wing Minnesota
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Red Wing is a very nice town to visit, although it is a bit more than 5 hours from Chicago on the EB.

So, some other possibilities might be Galesburg, IL, Burlington, IA, or Wisconsin Dells, WI.
 
Galesburg is 162 miles from Chicago. Four trains westbound, but only three eastbound that receive passengers (6 stops to discharge only). There's lots to do within walking distance of the station, including a railroad museum, but nearest hotels are 2 miles or so by cab.
 
Guest said:
Galesburg is 162 miles from Chicago. Four trains westbound, but only three eastbound that receive passengers (6 stops to discharge only). There's lots to do within walking distance of the station, including a railroad museum, but nearest hotels are 2 miles or so by cab.
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Isn't Galesburg one of the cities which still does the Lincoln-Douglas debate(s) re-enactment? I know it's nolonger every year, ... every other year, every fourth year?? I believe that Galesburg was the motivation for C-SPAN years ago to do/record/sponsor all six?seven? debate (reenactments) of the 1858 election.
 
Wisconsin Dells? Kind of a touristy town, but it's a nice area. I can't think of which hotels are near the station, but it is right in downtown and is easily walkable.

I also second the idea of Hermann or Jefferson City. I've been wanting to stop over in those towns.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. We wound up going with Michigan City, IN due to the beach, short distance, and easy access back via the South Shore Line. Red Wing and Winona are interesting river towns I also want to visit someday.
 
jimhudson said:
Herman and Jefferson City, Missouri on the River Runner Route are Excellent Places to spend Get-a-Way Time and the Rides on the Lincoln Train from CHI to STL and then on the River Runner out of St. Louis are easy and pleasant! Google them up!
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I'll add an endorsement to jimhudson's plug for Jefferson City. The Amtrak station is downtown next to the Missouri River. The station is part of the Jefferson Landing State Historic Site and the adjacent buildings including the state capitol make for a nice two or three hours. A one mile radius from the station takes in some nice and walkable neighborhoods, Lincoln University, and the small downtown area.
 
Kno u have already made ur trip, but here's a SECOND for New Buffalo, MI option. Although Dunes r great, beach in NB is excellent!
 
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