Train Trip to Wilson
Details
If you've never been to Wilson, this is a great opportunity to explore one of North Carolina's quaint small towns. This one happens to be home to the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park, which can't be adequately captured in pictures. It's a city block filled with art in motion - especially impressive on a windy day. Across the street is a museum and gift shop and there are nearby restaurants, breweries, bars, and shops, all within walking distance of the train station. The walk from the train station to the park is 7 minutes (0.3 miles) on sidewalks. We can get lunch from the Whirlidog Cafe or the food truck that may be parked by the brewery across the street. The food truck doesn't have a website, so I'm not able to access their schedule. There is a covered picnic area in the park, so if it's a nice day, we'll get our food to go and eat at the park.
Amtrak information:
Leave from the Cary Amtrak Station at 9:47 and arrive in Wilson at 11:14. There are 2 stops along the way in Raleigh and Selma. Cost of the round trip is $12. That's the ticket that's non-refundable with no changes permitted. You can get half your money back if you cancel before departure, so you may want to wait and buy your ticket a little closer to the event just in case something comes up and you need to change your plans. If you live in Durham, feel free to board there, where the departure time will be 9:27 and the fare is a lot higher ($28). There is plenty of free parking at the train station.
Return train leaves at 4:05 and gets back to Cary at 5:41.
Unlike air travel, the train station doesn't have security, so no need to get to the train station more than 15 minutes before the scheduled departure.
Everyone will be responsible for purchasing their own train ticket in advance. Once we are there, we'll have lunch and will most likely divide into small groups to explore the town.
Links for helpful information:
Whirligig Park: Home
Amtrak: Train Tickets, Schedules & Routes | Amtrak
Whirlidogs Cafe: WhirliDogs | Hot Dog Café and Restaurant in Wilson, NC