Local Attractions

Northwest Railway Museum exhibits the history of railroading in the Northwest United States and features a restored NP depot with exhibits, 70 locomotives and cars of the Pacific Northwest, plus (usually beginning around April 1) train rides on vintage equipment featuring a spectacular view of Snoqualmie Falls and canyon. Now featuring steam!

The 1906 King Street Station built for the Great Northern and Northern Pacific Railways now serves Amtrak and Sound Transit trains, and is busier now than 50 years ago. Check out the beautifully restored waiting room and ceiling, the tower modeled after Venice's San Marco, or the absolute parade of trains between 4 and 5pm weekdays.

Olympic Sculpture Park is a great destination in its own right, offering spectacular views of Elliot Bay, boat traffic and the Olympic Mountains, but it also happens to span the double-track BNSF mainline with 25-35 trains daily.

Amtrak Cascades. The ride along the Puget Sound seawall from Seattle to Everett, or south of Tacoma, is among the most beautiful in the country. You might take #510 at 7:45am to Everett, returning on #513. Or enjoy a few days in Portland, OR or Vancouver, BC - the border crossing is far easier/faster by train, though you still need a passport.

America's Car Museum in Tacoma includes a variety of exhibits highlighted by a huge collection of artifacts and 350 vehicles spanning over 100 years of automotive history, housed in a spectacular modern structure. Unique to ACM are their open storage galleries giving access to vehicles not on active display. The collection celebrates America's love affair with the automobile and includes both domestic and foreign marques.

The Boeing factory tour and Future of Flight Museum in Everett/Mukilteo, WA lets you go behind the scenes in the world's largest building where Boeing's 747, 777 and new Dreamliner 787 aircraft are assembled. Let your mind reel at the linear layout possibilities presented by 2 miles of subterranean hallways.

Railfan the Stevens Pass area, formerly Great Northern now BNSF.