Rider Stories: Red Wing via Empire Builder

When a friend of ours from the Milwaukee area was visiting us in the Twin Cities awhile back, he mentioned that he’d always wanted to venture to the town of Red Wing, MN. Knowing that Amtrak makes a stop in Red Wing, we decided a short train trip and an overnight stay in this charming river town would be a perfect weekend adventure. We mentioned our plans to a couple of other friends and within days our Amtrak tickets were booked online and our hotel accommodations reserved at the lovely St. James Hotel for our group of five.

Our Saturday morning departure on the Empire Builder out of the gorgeous St. Paul Union Depot was a bit delayed, but the communication we received from Amtrak via text and email was excellent, providing frequent updates as to arrival/departure times. The delay provided us the opportunity to enjoy a delicious breakfast in the 1881 Eating House, a fine dining establishment in Union Depot. By the time we concluded our meal, it was time to board the train.

Boarding was quick and efficient and attendants quickly assisted us in finding seats together. After the train pulled out of the depot, we headed to the lounge car where we enjoyed panoramic views along the route as well as beer, wine and soda to toast to the start of our journey.

The hour-long trip flew by quickly and we were soon disembarking at the Red Wing depot, only a one block walk to the St. James Hotel. After checking into our rooms at this historic hotel, we strolled through town to discover several of the shops and restaurants nearby. We enjoyed a casual dinner while celebrating the birthday of one of our group members, stopped for a beverage at Red Wing Brewery, and capped off the night with delicious desserts at Scarlet Kitchen in the hotel.

We spent the day Sunday exploring more of the town – enjoyed breakfast at the Red Wing Café, shopped for gifts, took photos with the World’s Largest Boot at the Red Wing Store and Museum, sipped beverages at the Barrel House (established in 1886!), and took in a matinee music performance at the historic Sheldon Theater. A full day, indeed!

After a hearty dinner at Liberty’s Restaurant, it was time to gather our luggage from the hotel and head to the depot for our evening departure back to St. Paul. Hearing the approach of the train into Red Wing, we were excited to once again board the train. As before, a helpful attendant assisted us in finding five seats together where we could relax, discuss our weekend adventure...and start planning our next train trip!