The Coolest Attraction and Lodging at Each California Zephyr Stop

Recently, I was pondering taking another trip on the scenic Amtrak California Zephyr at a different time of year. (Click here to read my review of the trip I took in the Autumn.) I rode the Zephyr straight from Emeryville, California, to Chicago, Illinois, on that trip. However, I think I’d like to break it up on my next trip and stay a night or two at some of the stops. (Click here for a map of the stops.)

I started researching what there was to see at each stop and figured I should share that on the ol’ blog! Here’s what I’ve come up with so far. I hope this helps you out.

Please let me know in the comments if you have any recommendations for what to see and where to stay along the route.

California

Emeryville, CA (EMY)

Coolest Attraction: Trader Vic’s Restaurant – Get your tiki on with a view of the San Francisco Bay! You may even see a werewolf drinking a Pina colada with perfect hair! (IFKYK). Trader Vic’s is in the Emeryville Marina Park area which is a nice place to stroll around. Another recommendation is Honor Bar, great cocktails, buckets of fried chicken and other surprisingly gourmet gastropub food options.

Coolest Lodging: Hyatt House Emeryville – This hotel is the closest to the Amtrak station. There’s an overpass across the train tracks from the hotel’s parking lot right to the station.

Martinez, CA (MTZ)

Coolest Attraction: John Muir National Historic Site – John Muir was a nature writer, an influential early advocate for protecting the wilderness spaces in the U.S., and founder of the Sierra Club. At this historical site you can see Muir’s 1882 home for the last 24 years of his life. Muir’s gravesite it also here.

Coolest Lodging: Muir Lodge Motel

Davis, CA (DAV)

Coolest Attraction: YOLO Causeway – Every summer a QUARTER MILLION bats hang out under this overpass. At dusk you can see the “batnadoes” they create when they head out to hunt for dinner!

Coolest Lodging:

• Hilton Garden Inn Davis Downtown is highly rated and close to the train station. Note that Davis is a University town (UC Davis), so hotels may be fully booked depending on what’s going on there.
• Alternatively, this 3 bedroom VRBO is a 5 minute walk to the train station and is rated a perfect 10.

Sacramento, CA – Sacramento Valley Station (SAC)

Coolest Attractions: Old Sacramento Waterfront – This National and California Historic Landmark on the Sacramento River is comprised of 53 historic buildings packed with restaurants, bars, clubs, shops, the Sacramento History Museum, a carousel, and a Ferris wheel.

Coolest Lodging: Delta King Hotel – This hotel is an authentic paddlewheel riverboat from 1927. It’s docked at the Old Sacramento Waterfront. It features two restaurants onboard. The Delta King Hotel is a 10 minute walk from the Amtrak station.

Roseville, CA (RSV)

Coolest Attractions:

• Roseville Telephone Museum – An extensive collection of telephones including Early Telephones, Desk Sets, Mid-Centur and Novelty phones. You can also see Switchboards.
• Blue Line Arts Gallery – Gallery featuring local artists.

Coolest Lodging: Hyatt Place Sacramento Roseville – This highly rated hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, and bar onsite. This hotel is a 10-minute drive from the Amtrak station.

Colfax, CA (COX)

Coolest Attraction: Colfax Heritage Museum – This museum is at the Colfax Amtrak station. A small collection of local history memorabilia and information with a cute gift shop.

Coolest Lodging: Best Western Colfax – Breakfast is included.

Truckee, CA (TRU)

Coolest Attractions:

• Historic Downtown Truckee – Cute downtown full of Mom and Pop restaurants and shops in Old West buildings.
• Donner Memorial State Park – Donner Lake is a beautiful sight. This park has a visitor center detailing the history of the local Native Americans, the ill-fate Donner party, and the builders of the transcontinental railroad.
• Lake Tahoe – This gorgeous lake is only a 20-minute drive from Truckee. I’ve visited dozens of times, and each time, I am actually stunned by how beautiful it is! Be sure to see it at least once in your life.

Coolest Lodging:

• Tahoe Star Hotel – This historic hotel, built in the 1870’s, is a 5 minute walk from Truckee’s Historic Downtown, and the Amtrak Station.
• Sunnyside Resort and Lodge – This wonderful lakefront lodge would be worthy splurge to have a room overlooking Lake Tahoe. Complimentary breakfast and afternoon tea are a feature. There is also a great restaurant onsite with a Lake view. The Sunnyside Resort is a 25 minute drive from the Truckee Amtrak Station.

Nevada

Reno, NV (RNO)

Coolest Attractions:

• The Great Reno Balloon Race – Held for 3 days in early September, you can expect to see up to 100 balloons overhead. Have money to burn? You can even book a ride on one of the balloons, starting at $425 per person.

• The RiverWalk – Stroll along the Truckee River, enjoying the view and choosing between dozens of restaurants, bars, and shops to stop at.

Coolest Lodging: Atlantis Casino Resort Spa – Enjoy a luxury room with floor-to-ceiling windows for a great view of the city and the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountains. While you’re at it, do a little gambling, go swimming at the indoor or outdoor pool, and get a massage at the spa! Then, choose from over a dozen restaurants/ bars within the hotel. The Amtrak station is a 12 minute drive away.

Winnemucca, NV (WNN)

Coolest Attractions:

• The Martin Hotel – This place is just a restaurant now, no longer a hotel. It was established in 1898 and has been run by Basque familes for much of it’s existence. It’s appeared in many reviews and articles praising the food. The bar menu is very fun, it’s broken out by the Prohibition years each historic cocktail was invented.
• Buckaroo Hall of Fame & Heritage Museum – A museum of memorabilia from the Old West and tributes to the exceptional Buckaroo’s (cowboys/vaqueros) of the past!

Coolest Lodging: Best Western Plus Gold Country Inn – This is the highest rated place in town. Breakfast is included. This hotel is a 3 minute drive from the Amtrak station.

Elko, NV (ELK)

Coolest Attractions: Western Folklife Center – See multimedia exhibits of historic and current cowboy lifestyles. They also host the annual Nation Cowboy Poetry Gathering in late January.

Coolest Lodging: Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Highly rated hotel with indoor pool and breakfast included. This hotel is a 6 minute drive from the Amtrak station.

Utah

Salt Lake City, UT – Amtrak Station (SLC)

Coolest Attractions:

• Guided Sightseeing Tour by Bus – I think it’s alwasy a great idea to take a guided bus tour when first visiting a big city. This one is 2.5 hours long and will give you a good overview of Salt Lake City including the Temple Square, Capitol Hill, the Brigham Young Estate, and much more. After you get the overview you can decide which place you’d like to go back to explore in-depth.
• The First KFC – Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant – 3890 S. State Street. The original started in 1952. Since then it has been rebuilt but you can see you can see exhibits and a Colonel Sanders statue.

Coolest Lodging:

• The Grand America Hotel – This beautiful 5 star hotel was just awarded Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers choice for Best Hotel in the American Southwest and West. The hotel offers multiple restaruants to choose from, a spa, indoor and outdoor pool. The Grand America Hotel is a 5 minute drive from the Amtrak station.
• evo Hotel – If you’re looking for someplace a little more wacky, try this fun modern hotel! Their motto is “Stay Rad”! evo is an outdoor sporting and apparel company with multiple locations. evo Hotel in Salt Lake City is part of their flagship campus which contains a retail stores, huge climbing gym, and a 5000 square foot skate park. The hotel has a cafe, a rooftop bar and a range of rooms available for individuals, familes or groups. evo Hotel is a 2 minute drive from the Amtrak Station.

Provo, UT (PRO)

Coolest Attraction: Bridal Veil Falls – Beautiful 2-tiered waterfall, an easy walk from the parking lot.

Coolest Lodging: Sundance Mountain Resort – This resort can do double duty as a cool attraction + lodging! On their website you can choose if you will be there in the Summer or Winter to see what the offerings are. In the summer, they have Full Moon Lift Rides, where you can ride the ski lift up and back under the starlit, full-moon sky. They also offer live music concerts and theater performances, mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, and fly fishing in the summer. The winter activities include downhill and cross-country skiing. Year-round, they have 3 restaurants, a spa, and art, perfume, pottery, soap, journal, and jewelry-making classes! Click here to book your charming log cabin-style room. This resort is a 30 minute drive from the Provo Amtrak station.

“Fun” Fact: The Sundance Mountain Resort was created by Robert Redford in the 1969, and he named it after his character in the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”. He sold it to a resort conglomerate in 2020, whom he said will “maintain the resort’s unique character while honoring its history, community, and natural beauty by balancing responsible development and land preservation.”

Helper, UT (HER)

Coolest Attraction: The Helper Museum – dedicated to the area’s coal mining and railroad past. The museum includes a mock-up of a coal mine.

Coolest Lodging: The Historic Conoco Filling Station – This was a gas station originally built in 1923. It’s been renovated recently to maintain its historical look and converted into a vacation rental. It is also available to book for photo shoots or film productions. This hotel is a 3 minute walk from teh Helper Amtrak station.

Green River, UT (GRI)

Coolest Attractions:

• Goblin Valley State Park – This unique valley is full of thousands of formations called “Goblins” or “Hoodoos” and is often compared to Mars! Goblin Valley was featured in the movie “Galaxy Quest” as an alien planet. Goblin Valley is an hour drive from the Green River Amtrak Station, but I had to include it because it’s so cool!

• Crystal Geyser – This geyser was created by accident in 1935 by oil drillers looking for oil. It erupts every 8 to 27 hours with some eruptions lasting over 14 hours! Pretty big range. The Crystal Geyser is a 20 minute driver from the Green River Amtrak Station.

• Most importantly, while in Green River, listen to the classic Creedence Clearwater Revival’s song Green River on repeat!

Coolest Lodging: River Terrace Inn – Right on the Green River, this hotel features lovely gardens and a pool. Breakfast is included. The River Terrace Inn is a 4 minute drive from the Amtrak Station.

Colorado

Grand Junction, CO (GJT)

Coolest Attractions:

• Museum of the West – Per their website “”Ride” in a stagecoach, “fly” a 1958 Cessna from Walker Field, or gaze upon an ancient cup and ladle from the Anasazi. Study Ute and Fremont Art, see the real firearms that outlaws used, sit in a one-room schoolhouse, and visit the Pastime saloon”. Also, there is a tower at the top from which you can get a 360-degree view of the area.
• Colorado National Monument Park – There are many short or long hikes to see incredible views within this park! Do not miss this!

Coolest Lodging: Hotel Melrose – This hotel was orginally established in 1908, but has fully modern amenties and stylish dark acedamia decor. It’s located right downtown near restaurants and shops and is a 9 minute walk from teh Amtrak station.

Glenwood Springs, CO (GSC)

Coolest Attractions: Glenwood Hot Springs Pool – This is apparently the worlds largest hot spring pool. The spring water contains various minerals which are supposed to relieve aches and pains.

Coolest Lodging: Glenwood Hot Springs Resort – This hotel is very highly rated and is next to the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool. The resort also has a spa and athletic center. The Amtrak station is a 10-minute walk from this Resort.

Granby, CO (GRA)

Coolest Attraction: Moffat Road Railroad Museum – Model trains and real historic trains on display. They feature Colorado’s largest permanent Christmas train display, the 1,100 sq. ft. O scale model railroad layout includes 6 running trains at once, tunnels, water, bridges, auto roadway, and a huge ski mountain with 2 chairlifts. Looks very cool!

Coolest Lodging:

• C Lazy U Ranch – An all inclusive luxury dude ranch! The Ranch is a 12 minute drive from the Amtrak Station.
• Trail Riders Motel – Modest motel with high ratings. Within walking distance to Granby restaurants and stores. 8-minute walk from the Amtrak Station.

Fraser-Winter Park, CO (WIP)

Fraser is the town where the Amtrak Station is located. Winter Park is a ski resort town about 5 miles away.

Coolest Attractions:

• Winter Park Resort – This ski resort is regarded as highly family-friendly with ski lesson, tubing, ice skating and a “sunset snowcat and s’more tour.” The resort area has nearly 30 restaurants to choose from, a handful of shops (offering ski equipmentrental in winter and bike rental in summer).
• Cozens Ranch Museum – This museum shows what the pioneer times were like in the late 1800s.
• Headwaters River Journey – This interactive museum of over 30 exhibits is all about the water and wildlife of Colorado’s rivers.

Coolest Lodging: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites – This highly rated hotel has views, an indoor swimming pool and includes breakfast. It is a 10-minute walk from the Amtrak Station.

Denver, CO – Union Station (DEN)

Coolest Attractions:

• Denver Union Station – This is where the California Zephyr will stop. The beautiful station was opened in 1881 and refurbished in a Beaux-Arts style in 2014. (I had to look that up… Beaux-Arts is is based on French neoclassicism with Renaissance and Baroque touches, using modern materials like glass, iron and steel. Now we have learned some thing today!) The station has numerous shops and restaurants and The Crawford Hotel on its upper floors!
• Meow Wolf Denver – I spent about twenty minutes studying this website, and I’m still not sure what the heck this is! 😀 It is described as an immersive art playground. It is ranked one of Denver’s must-see attractions, so check it out!
• Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater – This open-air amphitheater is one of the most beautiful concert settings in the world! Be sure to check out the concert schedule to find out who’s playing!

Coolest Lodging:

• The Crawford Hotel – This luxury hotel is stunning! Like stepping back in time to the golden age of train travel. Distance to the Amtrak station – you are staying in it!
• The Oxford Hotel – This is Denver’s oldest hotel. Care has been taken to maintain the hotel’s historic details while bringing it fully into the modern era. Over the years, the hotel has collected art from various eras and displays it throughout the building. The Oxford Hotel is only a 1 minute walk from Union Station.

Fort Morgan, CO (FMG)

Coolest Attractions: Fort Morgan Museum – Glen Miller, famous big band conductor/ composer, went to high school right here in Fort Morgan. You can see an exhibit about him with artifacts from his life here at the museum. Glen’s big hits include “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “In the Mood,” and “Moonlight Serenade.”

Coolest Lodging: Best Western Plus Overland Inn – This highly rated hotel has an indoor swimming pool and fitness center and includes breakfast. It is a 7-minute drive from the Amtrak station.

Nebraska

McCook, NE (MCK)

Coolest Attraction: High Plains Historical Society and Museum – Everything you always wanted to know about the history of Red Willow County! The museum is housed in the original home of Edwin Perkins, invernor of Kool-Aid. The history of Kool-Aid is a big feature of the Amtrak California Zephyr route apparently! haha

Coolest Lodging: Cobblestone Hotel & Suites – This highly rated hotel has a bar, an indoor swimming pool and fitness center and includes breakfast (if you are a “Genius” on Booking.com). It is a 6-minute drive from the Amtrak station.

Holdrege, NE (HLD)

Coolest Attraction: Nebraska Prairie Museum – This museum’s mission is “to be a historical, interactive, resource for the community, through the collection of artifact, archival documents and memorabilia that explain the lifestyles of those who preceded us.”

Coolest Lodging: Cobblestone Inn & Suites – This is the higher rated (of the 2 hotels!) in Holdrege. It has a fitness center. Some rooms include kitchenettes. This hotel is a 3 minute drive from the Amtrak Station.

Hastings, NE (HAS)

Coolest Attractions:

• Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center – Each Spring 80% of the world’s population of Sandhill Cranes come through here. The visitor center offers several different guided tour options to see the Cranes and learn about them.
• Kool Aid was invented in Hastings in 1927! You can see an exhibit about Kool Aid at the Hastings Museum.

Coolest Lodging: Dragonfly Inn & Suites – This hotel is an 8 minute drive from the Amtrak station. Doesn’t look like much from the outside but people love the quirky decor and comfortable beds.

Lincoln, NE (LNK)

Coolest Attractions:

• Robbers Cave – This is a 5600 foot long cave beneath downtown Lincoln. Part of it was naturally formed and was used by Native American, eventually a brewery expanded the cave for storage, then it was a hang out for all sorts of nefarious activities. Tours are available.
• National Museum of Roller Skating – Who wouldn’t want to learn the history of roller skates? Here you can see the evolution of skates starting back in 1819.

Coolest Lodging: The Kindler Hotel – This is a highly rated downtown hotel, only a 12 minute walk from the Amtrak Station.

Omaha, NE (OMA)

Coolest Attractions:

• The Old Market – This is Omaha’ s historic downtown area. There are dozens of restaurants, bars, galleries, and shops in the historic buildings.
• Joslyn Castle & Gardens – This beautiful castle was built in 1903 in the style of a Scottish Baronial mansion. It’s surrounded by beautiful lush gardens.

Coolest Lodging: Magnolia Omaha – This 1923 historic boutique hotel is a few blocks from The Old Market. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The Magnolia is a 5 minute drive from the Amtrak Station.

Iowa

Creston, IA (CRN)

Coolest Attractions:

• Creston Station – Yes, this is where your Amtrak train will stop. It was built in 1899. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, and houses an art gallery on the first floor.
• Union County Historical Village and Museum – This is an 1890s village featuring a schoolhouse, church, museum, and more.
• Each September Creston has “Hot Air Balloon Days“.

Coolest Lodging: There is a Quality Inn in Creston. Alternatively, try this newly remodeled, 2 bedroom VRBO rental. It’s highly rated and looks charming! It’s a 17-minute walk from the station.

Osceola, IA (OSC)

Coolest Attractions: Revelton Distilling Company – You can tour Revelton’s whiskey and gin distillery for $20 per person, including tastings of 5 spirits. They also feature live music on Friday evenings.

Coolest Lodging: Lakeside Hotel Casino – This hotel is on West Lake and has an indoor pool, casino, cafe and restaurant. They also have live music on Saturday nights. The Lakeside Hotel Casino is a 6 minute drive from the Amtrak station.

Ottumwa, IA (OTM)

Coolest Attraction: Radar O’Reilly M*A*S*H Exhibit – This is located at The Iowa Heartland History Connection. It is a tribute to the character Radar, who’s hometown was Ottumwa. The exhibit features Korean War history as well as info about the TV show.

Coolest Lodging:

• Cobblestone Hotel & Suites – This hotel along the Des Moines River is only a 10-minute walk from the Amtrak station, and it has an indoor pool! What’s not to like?
• This two-bedroom VRBO is rated 10/10 with high points for cleanliness. It’s a 4 minute drive from the Amtrak station.

Mt. Pleasant, IA (MTP)

Coolest Attractions:

• Richard E. Oetken Heritage Museum – Midwestern heritage museum featuring steam engines, threshing machines, an antique doll collection, and a 1915 family farm house.
• Harlan Lincoln House – Abraham Lincoln was pals with James Harlan, who became the first Republican Senator from Iowa. Lincoln’s son married Harlan’s daughter and their kids spent a lot of time here. You can see artifacts from teh time period including the collar from the coat Lincoln was wearing when he was assasinaed. Yikes!

Coolest Lodging: AmericInn by Wyndham Mount Pleasant – Highly rated with an indoor pool. This hotel is a 4 minute drive from the Amtrak station.

Burlington, IA (BRL)

Coolest Attractions:

• Snake Alley – This street was featured in the 2017 Ripley’s Believe It or Not as “Unbelievably Crooked.” Apparently the turns on Snake Alley are sharper than those on San Francisco’s Lombard Street, making it win for the curviest street in the World.
• Crapo Park – OK, there is actually a place in Burlington called Crapo Park! All of us need to visit to have some 10-year-old-style giggles. Apparently the correct pronunciation is “cray-poh”, but that’s not nearly as much fun. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places. It contains an arboretum and a botanical garden.

“Fun” Fact: William Frawly, Fred Mertz on I Love Lucy, was born in Burlington, IA in 1887.

Coolest Lodging: Comfort Suites Burlington – Highly rated. Indoor pool and included breakfast. 8 minute driver from Amtrak Station.

Illinois

Galesburg, IL (GBB)

Coolest Attractions:

• Galesburg Railroad Museum – This museum is dedicated to the history of the railroad industry in this area. If you know anything about trains (I don’t..I should probably go to this museum to learn!) you can see these train cars here: CB&Q 1935 RPO, The 3006, Bulington Route 13501 Waycar, and a Pullman Meath. The museum also has lots of artifacts and memorabilia. Bonus: the Amtrak Station is right next door!
• Carl Sandburg State Historic Site – Our old pal Carl Sandburg is a Pulitzer Prize winner for his poetry and his biography of Abraham Lincoln. When he died in 1967, President Johnson declared that he was “more than the voice of America, more than the poet of its strength and genius. He was America.” This site has the house where he grew up and exhibits and artifacts from his life.

Coolest Lodging: Great House of Galesburg – Gorgeous Airbnb in an 1857 mansion, a 3 minute drive from the Amtrak Station.

Princeton, IL (PCT)

Coolest Attractions: Annual Events – Take a look at the Annual Events link to see whats happening when you’re planning to visit. They have a Shrimpfest & Brew Hullabaloo, Main Stree Concert Series, and “Shadows of Blue & Gray,” a Civil War battle reenactment.

Coolest Lodging: Historic Knox Hotel – This 1858 hotel passed through many hands over the years but was purchased in 2021 by a local couple who are lovingly restoring it. Several rooms are now available. The Amtrak Station is a 2 minute walk away.

Naperville, IL (NPV)

Coolest Attractions: Naperville Riverwalk – This is called the “Crown Jewel of Naperville”. It is a beautiful and peaceful walk along the DuPage River. The Millennium Carillon Tower is along the walk. You can climb 253 stairs to the top and get a fantastic view, including the Chicago skyline, on a clear day.

Coolest Lodging: Hotel Indigo – This IHG hotel is less than a mile from the Amtrak station in downtown Naperville, and it’s close to the Riverwalk. You can even get a room with a riverview.

Chicago, IL – Union Station (CHI)

Coolest Attraction: The Navy Pier – Check out this post all about it!

Coolest Lodging: The Sable Hotel by Hilton – Check out this post all about it!

Please let me know in the comments if you have any other great attractions or hotels to recommend along the California Zephyr trail! Thanks for reading!

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