Why you Should Take the Amtrak Downeaster

A few weeks ago, I came across a post on the Boston Blog page on Facebook that was promoting a travel giveaway. I thought it was fake, to be quite honest, because many things like that on the Internet are scams. However, I took a risk and applied to receive the travel giveaway….and I won!  The giveaway was promoted by Amtrak through the Amtrak Downeaster branch of the service. A few select people won as well. We had to submit our social media handles and a writing sample to get accepted for the giveaway.We were rewarded $200 to go shopping and eat on the trip, $20 for the Amtrak Downeaster café, and two free round trip tickets. 

The Amtrak Downeaster is a specialty train that makes select stops between Boston and Maine. The stops are Boston, Woburn, and Haverhill in Massachusettes; Exeter, Durham, and Dover in New Hampshire; and Wells, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Portland, Freeport, and Brunswick in Maine. The limited stops were my favorite parts of the entire trip and giveaway through Amtrak. The company was promoting adventure by only providing limited stops on this line. Of Course Amtrak allows people to travel throughout the entire United States, but the Downeaster only makes the select few stops listed.  

I decided to go to Portland, Maine because I had never been to Maine before and it seemed like the most urban city with the most to do out of all of the choices. Portland was super exciting and everyone was so friendly. The public transportation was easy to navigate. There were so many chic cafes, restaurants, and boutiques.  

I spent the majority of my trip at the Portland Museum of Art where I visited the various contemporary, modern, and historical art exhibits. I’m a big museum geek and was really impressed by how a small city had such thorough content.  

So why take the Amtrak Downeaster to go to a city you can drive or fly to? The Amtrak  Downeaster offers a specialized, personalized experience. Taking a train provides a more unique travel opportunity and gives you the chance to see every place you pass through the huge windows. Amtrak’s staff is incredible and the Downeaster offered a great, unforgettable experience.  

Look out for their giveaway during the next holiday season!