# Amtraking to Whitefish, MT



## Timeshare Von (Mar 5, 2012)

A rather spur of the moment opportunity has come up for me to Amtrak to/from Whitefish, MT next week.  I'm not a skier but am looking forward to seeing this area in the wintertime.

I only plan on being in town for a couple of days and will have a rental car.

Any suggestions, including dining recommendations?


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## Soccer Canada (Mar 5, 2012)

McKenzie River Pizza Co. in downtown Whitefish.. Get the LodgePoles (think breadsticks but better), also really good pizza!!
If you head up the road to Kalispell Famous Daves is also very good!


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## larue (Mar 5, 2012)

Timeshare Von said:


> A rather spur of the moment opportunity has come up for me to Amtrak to/from Whitefish, MT next week.  I'm not a skier but am looking forward to seeing this area in the wintertime.
> 
> I only plan on being in town for a couple of days and will have a rental car.
> 
> Any suggestions, including dining recommendations?



Going to be there on business this week myself and we travel there frequently.  Pretty hard to go wrong in Whitefish for restaurants.

Here are a few suggestions:

http://tupelogrille.com - great for dinner.
http://wasabimt.com - great sushi and grilled items.
http://www.lodgeatwhitefishlake.com - great restaurant and also a pretty good spa.
http://trubys.com - in Columbia Falls down the road but a great place for pizza that used to be located in downtown Whitefish.
http://www.greatnorthernbrewing.com - great downtown microbrewery.
http://www.ciaomambo.com - great italian food


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## ampaholic (Mar 5, 2012)

The Shak - between 6th and 8th on Spokane St. - Great Cajun

While you are at Trubys - you can take a tour of Meadow Lake -


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 5, 2012)

Thanks for all of the great suggestions . . . they all look very good!

I did find a Restaurant.com offer for China Wall in Whitefish.  Has anyone dined there . . . comments good/bad?


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 5, 2012)

ampaholic said:


> While you are at Trubys - you can take a tour of Meadow Lake -



Mmmmm wonder what they're giving away?  LOL  . . .  J/K as I'm only in town for two days and surely don't want to waste a minute in a TS presentation!


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## DebBrown (Mar 5, 2012)

My son lives in Whitefish now and DH wants to do the Amtrak trip there.  I'm not as enthusiastic.  It looks like 30+ hours from Chicago and no sleeper cars on this line.  What made you decide to do the trip?

Deb


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## ampaholic (Mar 5, 2012)

Timeshare Von said:


> Mmmmm wonder what they're giving away?  LOL  . . .  J/K as I'm only in town for two days and surely don't want to waste a minute in a TS presentation!



They are pretty low pressure there - but it does take time. On occasion they give away a round of golf  .


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 5, 2012)

DebBrown said:


> My son lives in Whitefish now and DH wants to do the Amtrak trip there.  I'm not as enthusiastic.  It looks like 30+ hours from Chicago and no sleeper cards on this line.  What made you decide to do the trip?
> 
> Deb



Actually they do have roomettes and bedrooms on the route on the Empire Builder line (east and west).  My routing will be $158 rail ticket + $207 for the roomette which sleeps 2 adults and also includes all meals.  (Otherwise, you buy your meals in the dining car.)  Looks like from Chicago the rail is also $158 and the roomettes start at $221.  They also have bedrooms and family bedrooms, but I don't see much added value unless you're traveling with kids and/or want a private bathroom w/shower (in the Superliner Bedroom).

Yes it is 30 hours from Milwaukee, so I'm guessing a +2hr from Chicago.

I've always wanted to do the Amtrak and to see Glacier Nat'l Park.  I enjoy winter activities and have the time . . . plus my sister and her son are doing an 8 day circle trip on Amtrak.  They live in NoVA and will be coming through Chicago in both directions.  I'll catch up with them in Whitefish and ride along as far as Milwaukee 

I'll be writing on this adventure for IgoUgo.com . . . so I'll be sure to report back and share the link plus photos here.


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## DebBrown (Mar 5, 2012)

I went back to the Amtrak site and found the "rooms".  I guess I didn't realize it wouldn't just be listed as a ticket option.  I see now that you buy the ticket and then the room is additional.  Thanks!  I hope you enjoy your trip.  

Deb


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## MuranoJo (Mar 5, 2012)

Yvonne,
Please let us know how it goes.  I've always wanted to do a train trip like that.  In fact, back in the single days, seriously considered the Orient Express with a friend, but never did make it.


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 6, 2012)

muranojo said:


> Yvonne,
> Please let us know how it goes.  I've always wanted to do a train trip like that.  In fact, back in the single days, seriously considered the Orient Express with a friend, but never did make it.



You can count on it!

I understand your interest and consideration of the Orient Express.  Train travel has been a fascination for me too.  Other than using the Eurorail to explore Germany back in 1996, I've really never utilized the train as a means of transportation.


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## stonebroke (Mar 6, 2012)

*A good place to eat in Columbia Falls*

I would recommend "The Night Owl" in Columbia Falls (the restaurant in back..not the cafe in the front...although that is good too).  The Fry Bread is amazingly good and so is everything else.  It is always busy..especially in the summer.  You also make check out Restaurant.com as there are a number of places generally listed in the Kalispell/Whitefish/Columbia Falls area.


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## LynnW (Mar 6, 2012)

stonebroke said:


> I would recommend "The Night Owl" in Columbia Falls (the restaurant in back..not the cafe in the front...although that is good too).  The Fry Bread is amazingly good and so is everything else.  It is always busy..especially in the summer.  You also make check out Restaurant.com as there are a number of places generally listed in the Kalispell/Whitefish/Columbia Falls area.



We always go there when we're at Meadow Lake. It's called the Back Room.

Lynn


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 6, 2012)

Thanks for the suggestion(s) in Columbia Falls.  With just a couple of days (2 dinners) I am probably going to eat in Whitefish.  I did pick up a Restaurant.com g/c for the China Wall in town.


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 14, 2012)

*Quick Update - some photos*

Arrived in Whitefish last night (Tuesday) and today enjoyed exploring what I could in Glacier Nat'l Park and Flathead Nat'l Forest.  Here are some photos that I've posted over on my FB page.  More to follow, plus IgoUgo stuff later 

p.s.  So far, the Amtrak experience has been fantastic.  I really enjoyed the train ride; the service and meals have been exceptional.


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 14, 2012)

*Car Rental - Alamo Good News*

I picked up a great deal via Hotwire.com ($63 for two days, unlimited mileage . . . vs $80+ and 150miles per day).   

When I picked up the car this morning, I was offered the pregas option at $2.25/gallon . . . vs. street price of $3.50 +/- .  The breakeven for me is roughly 10 gallons or ~300 miles.  Piece of cake as I racked up 200+ miles today and with plans to head north to Canada tomorrow, I'm certain I'll be way ahead on this one.

I've never seen or had the prepay gas option look close to break even much less beneficial to me as the renter.  Hurray for this outstanding deal.


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## DaveNV (Mar 14, 2012)

Yvonne, have you ever calculated just how much fun you've had in your travels?  You always impress the daylights out of me.  And if it's this good from where I sit, it must be completely amazing from your perspective.   

Dave


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 14, 2012)

BMWguynw said:


> Yvonne, have you ever calculated just how much fun you've had in your travels?  You always impress the daylights out of me.  And if it's this good from where I sit, it must be completely amazing from your perspective.
> 
> Dave



Thanks Dave.  I don't know how I'd calculate such a thing and besides, if I did someone would probably try to find a way to bill me (and others) for it.

I found this very ironic:  "You'll be in another one of your curious moods, eager to learn about things around you and beyond. Being wonderstruck is one of your favorite states of mind. Keeping going until you arrive there." - My (Sagittarius) horoscope from yesterday's Minot daily newspaper.

I am blessed to be in the position to travel and for many excursions my DH is game (like 15 days by RV in Alaska).  There are some things he's not too interested in doing (like a 30 hr Amtrak ride) but he's supportive of my wanderlust personality and needs.


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## MuranoJo (Mar 15, 2012)

I love it!  Thanks for keeping us posted, and so glad the Amtrak experience has been great.  Keep it coming, and I'm adding it to the bucket list.

Who says I'll be bored when I retire?  (That is if my retirement $$ is worth anything by then.)


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 18, 2012)

*Initial Wrap Up*

I will be doing a journal & review on IgoUgo in the coming week, but for now here's the readers' digest version . . .

The trip was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed my trip.  We were delayed one hour into Whitefish last Tuesday night . . . and four hours home yesterday back into Milwaukee.  Not sure why the delay westbound, but the eastbound delay was apparently equipment related due to an Amtrak engine that was down so they had to get a (slower) BNSF engine to replace it.  They were late into Whitefish to pick me (and 100+ additional passengers) up.  We continued to lose time heading east.  Unfortunately my sister & nephew missed their Chicago connection to continue on to Washington, DC . . . so they got put up in a Chicago suburb about an hour away.  Jury's still out on how they will be handled regarding the inconvenience as she will now miss a day of work and the train accommodations they were told they would have were not provided today when they returned to the station for their tickets.  She was not a happy camper this morning!

I felt during the train trip, the staff throughout were outstanding . . . the sleeping car attendants, the conductors and the dining car folks.  I also thought the food was better than average to excellent.  I did have one marginal dining experience, but even that was far better than any airline food I have ever had.  (Out of Whitefish, breakfast was obviously delayed due to the lateness of our departure . . . and the staff was rushed and the food on the lukewarm side.)  

The delays throughout the trip also created food inventory availability issues as they had more passengers on the train than I would assume they'd normally expect.  A good example would be Saturday's lunch.  Had we arrived in Minneapolis as scheduled, that would have been 100+ fewer people around to eat lunch.  Because we were so late, many did want to dine on the train, especially those in sleeper cars for whom meals are free.

Bottom line on the experience, I would do it again if the trip circumstances permitted it.  Flexibility and "go with the flow" are essential to make the most of it without getting all worked up over delays and limited meal choices as things run out.

I was amazed at how folks slept on the train.  Many slept in their seats, sitting more or less upright.  A lot, however slept on the floor space in front or behind their seat.  I also saw little kids with a "bed" made for them in adjoining seats folded down with a sheet and blanket made into a comfy bed.

The train out of Whitefish on Friday and again out of Minneapolis yesterday were very full with few open seats.  When I did see folks with an open seat, the little folks (shorter than 5'8" and small frame) could make the most of the two seats, looking pretty comfortable.

The views were spectacular through the mountains after we left Whitefish.  I will be posting more photos on my FB page, as well as the IgoUgo journal I'll be writing.  I'll be sure to provide links to both when they're done.

Any questions . . . feel free to ask and I'll try to answer them!


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## DaveNV (Mar 18, 2012)

Sounds like another great adventure!  How far into Glacier did you get? From the West Glacier entrance? Were you able to see anything on the East side of the park?

Dave


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 18, 2012)

BMWguynw said:


> Sounds like another great adventure!  How far into Glacier did you get? From the West Glacier entrance? Were you able to see anything on the East side of the park?
> 
> Dave



The west entrance side was open through Appagar and as far in as by the McDonald Lake to the lodge . . . I think about 8 miles or so.

I didn't go to the east side, no further on US 2 than Essex and the Izaak Walton Inn.

I did get this photo from my sleeper car at the rear of the train.  This was somewhere around/near the Glacier National Park/West Entrance station.


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## Steve (Mar 18, 2012)

Very cool picture.  I'm really glad that you enjoyed your trip.  I have taken Amtrak across the country from Salt Lake City to Washington, DC.  I also love northwest Montana and enjoy seeing the trains when I am in that area.  But I have never taken Amtrak to northwest Montana.  

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Steve


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 22, 2012)

*IgoUgo Journals & Photos*

I've written and posted my travel journals complete with photos from last week's little Amtrak adventure.

The first is the Amtrak based journal . . . and the second is more about Whitefish and what I saw/did there.

Admittedly, with only two days in town, I didn't get to see or do much . . . but I did try to make the most of my time there!


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## Timeshare Von (Mar 23, 2012)

Timeshare Von said:


> The west entrance side was open through Appagar and as far in as by the McDonald Lake to the lodge . . . I think about 8 miles or so. <<snipped>>



Yikes at that bad spelling . . . and no "edit button" to fix it.

That should read Apgar (Visitor Center).


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