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Ten years of train hopping: Amtrak Cascades to Bellingham, Washington
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The Amtrak Cascades arrives in Everett, Washington for its trip north to Mt. Vernon, Bellingham and Vancouver, BC. Sue Frause photo.
Ever since I went on the inaugural train ride of the Amtrak Cascades ten years ago, I've been a fan of this run. Generally,I take it direct from Everett to Vancouver, BC; for some reason I'd never thought to make an overnight stop in Bellingham on my way up to Canada. Why did I wait so long? My friend Sandy and I decided to go off on a two-country adventure, and caught the 8:31 a.m. train in Everett on a blustery weekday morning. Train travel is an adventure in itself, and you'll see sights you can't see while behind the wheel on I-5. It's also a great time to catch up on reading or even take a snooze. For the past year, Superliner equipment on Trains #510 and #517 between Seattle and Vancouver, BC has replaced the Spanish Talgo equipment, which is being renovated. Although that means the train is a double decker, I miss the Talgo's Business Class, dining room and other amenities. I'll welcome the Talgo's return, which reportedly is no time soon.
It seemed we had just settled in with our newspapers and breakfast we brought on board (the food offerings are limited on the Superliner) when Bellingham! was announced by the conductor as our next stop. It was 9:45 a.m., and took us just a little more than an hour to travel from Everett to Bellingham (the train originates in Seattle, leaving King Street Station at 7:40 AM). Since there were no taxicabs waiting, Sandy and I went inside the Amtrak depot and used the complimentary phone to call a cab. Within 15 minutes, we were checked into The Chrysalis Inn & Spa in the historic Fairhaven neighborhood of Bellingham where we met our mutual friend, Victoria, who was joining our girls' getaway.
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa
The Chrysalis Inn & Spa is the most luxurious hotel in Bellingham. It's a contemporary lodge design, with plenty of glass, slate and wood and a large fireplace in the lobby. Each of the 43 rooms has a view and a window seat overlooking Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands, along with a gas fireplace and king-size beds with Frette linens and down comforters. Oh, and earplugs. But more about that later. It was time to explore Fairhaven, a short walk from the hotel. The Fairhaven Historic District is known for its wonderfully preserved buildings from the 1890s. Today, it's home to the southernmost terminus for the Alaska Ferry, and its streets are lined with inviting shops and restaurants. First stop was 12th Street Shoes, featuring contemporary and comfortable styles for both men and women. Nearby is the cleverly named Three French Hens, "A Boutique For Chicks," owned by Bonnie Donaghy. This is a shop for women, carrying jeans, lingerie, body and bath products, and housewares. We decided to have lunch at The Abbey Tea Room, tucked into a side street. The tea and presentation were just fine, but the tea sandwiches weren't my favorite. They were much too large and the white bread was cold, as if the sandwiches had been refrigerated. Skip the sammies and have sweets instead. The little lemon tarts were nice.
Purple Smile Wines
What a nice surprise to meet former Everett residents and Wicked Cellars owners Jeff and Edalyn Wicklund. The couple moved to Bellingham in 2005 and opened Purple Smile Wines in Fairhaven. They're enjoying their new venture. "There's always wine on the counter!" Edalyn Wicklund said. They offer weekend wine tastings from noon to 5 p.m. Other Fairhaven merchants arrived, including Chuck Robinson, who, with his wife, Dee, has owned Village Books for 29 years. They moved to larger digs several years ago, but are still a Fairhaven landmark, as is the adjacent Colophon Cafe & Deli. After sampling some fine wines and making a few purchases, we headed back to the inn. With welcoming blue skies above, I wasn't ready to leave the fresh air, so I walked down Taylor Dock from the inn. Pilings in the water mark the spot where two warehouses and the Pacific Steel Works Can factory once stood in the late 1800s. The dock opened for public use in 2004 and now it connects with Boulevard Park and the South Bay Trail. If you keep heading north, you'll gradually bump into downtown Bellingham, about two miles away. Right at 3 p.m., a Canadian Pacific freight train rolled by on the tracks between the waterfront and the Chrysalis. The earplug mystery is solved! I continued north along the trail with joggers, babies in strollers and snugglies, dog walkers, and folks soaking up the rare winter sun.
I love a hotel or inn with a spa, and Chrysalis has a dandy one, which was recently renovated and expanded. It offers a full range of services from half-hour treatments to full-day options. Prices are reasonable, from $85 for a 60-minute Classic Swedish Massage to a 60-minute Skin Rescue Facial for $100. That evening, my friends and I enjoyed dinner at Fino, on the lobby level of the inn, overlooking the water. The three of us supped on small-portion entrees, fine wine and friendly service. After a good night's sleep for me (no ear plugs necessary!) we enjoyed a complimentary European breakfast buffet and took a cab to catch the 9:44 AM Amtrak Cascades to Vancouver, B.C.
Next: New hotel options in Vancouver, B.C.
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