Better For Your Health

A road trip sounds fun in theory, but did you know that driving 10 or more miles a day can take a big toll on your mental and physical health? Studies show that spending more time behind the wheel of a car is also associated with higher blood sugar and cholesterol, spikes in blood pressure, and increased stress and anxiety levels. Air travel comes with its own set of health risks, including increased exposure to germs and even the risk of deep-vein thrombosis on long flights (not to mention the generally unpleasant TSA experience).

Train travel, on the other hand, is a pretty stress-free experience. You can pick any seat (with plenty of leg room), drop your bags off, and relax.

Productivity

Getting work done on a plane is possible, but it can be a frustrating experience. Even if you can comfortably set up and connect to the in-flight Wi-Fi, you’re not guaranteed the peace and quiet you need to focus. On a plane, there’s nowhere you can move to get away from loud conversations.

However, on an Amtrak train you can simply head to a quiet car and get work done. At no extra charge, you can surround yourself by others who are also looking for a little tranquility. Though you cannot use your phone in the quiet car, you can simply get up to make a call. But that’s far simpler than on a plane, where there are many restrictions, including putting your phone on airplane mode to avoid interfering with the sensors. Earlier this year, the FCC moved to continue banning phone calls on planes.

As a bonus, Amtrak trains have outlets at every seat so that even if all you want to do is watch movies on your laptop, your electronics won’t die on you.

Prices are stable

Scanning plane ticket fares is time consuming and requires a lot of advance preparation, but on Amtrak, prices are stable. They change at a much slower pace than air travel, so even last-minute trips remains affordable. And because there are also no booking fees or ticket change fees, you have more money to put toward your vacation.

Lounge Car / Café Car

One thing that sets train travel apart from flying or driving is the lounge car and Café car (depending on your route). Instead of balancing your food on small trays on a plane or trying to make yourself comfortable in a cramped space in a car, you can head over to the lounge and sit at a table to eat, write, or play games.

Indulge at one of DC’s best pupuserias

Given DC’s large Salvadoran population, making a pupusa stop is a must. And at Gloria’s Pupuseria, you’ll find some of the best pupusas in the DMV. Though Gloria’s specializes in pupusas, the small Columbia Heights shop serves up other mouthwatering dishes, like sopa siete mares (a marisco heavy soup), lechon asado, and churrasco. Best of all, Gloria’s delicious meals doesn’t come with a hefty price tag.

3411 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

Grab some Barbacoa in Philly

South Philly Barbacoa isn’t quite yet a Philly staple, but it probably won’t be long until it is. Just last year, Bon Appétit named it one of the United States’ best new restaurants. And with chef Cristina Martínez’s slow-cooked lamb tacos and meals that remind many Mexicans of home, it’s easy to see why.

1149 S 9th St. Philadelphia, PA 19148

Take in the art at Museo del Barrio in New York City

NYC has an overwhelming amount of tourist attractions, but if you’re looking to get in touch with your roots, El Museo del Barrio should be your first stop. El Museo is as dedicated to highlighting Puerto Rican and Latino art and culture today as it was when it launched 45 years ago. This fall you can immerse yourself in the work of Afro-Cuban printmaker Belkis Ayón, who documented the secret men-only Abakuá society, or check out the powerful uptown: nasty women/bad hombres exhibition, which looks at how artists engage with racism, homophobia, and violence.

1230 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10029

Attend one of the East Coast’s best club nights at Picó Picante

Once a month, Boston, Massachusetts hosts what is arguably one of the best club nights on the entirety of the East Coast. The Good Life, a club that features a variety of dance night and events (bachelorette parties, dubstep nights, etc), becomes the home of Picó Picante each month. With its concrete floor and sound system, The Good Life’s basement lounge has impressed many guests. But it wasn’t until Sara Skolnick and Ernesto Morales, aka Pajaritos, launched Picó Picante that the club cemented its place as a destination for dance music enthusiasts from around the country and the world. As Pajaritos disbanded, Picó has evolved, becoming much more than a club night for the Latinx/Caribbean/African diaspora.

28 Kingston St., Boston, MA 02111

Visit the Famous UC Santa Barbara Elotero

The University of California, Santa Barbara is famous for its stunning campus, athletic facilities and litty party scene. But UCSB has a new star on campus – its local elotero Hijinio Camacho, who recently went viral after word got out that his cart accepts Venmo payments as well as cash. For the past 20 years, Camacho has served Mexican treats – elotes, raspados, mangoes, and tostilocos – to the Isla Vista community, becoming a local staple. His entrepreneurial spirit have made him a beloved community hero, and a snack stop not to be missed. Find Camacho on Pardall, by the Student Resource Building, and learn more about his story here.

Find Out About Up-and-Coming Latino Artists (and drink a great cup of coffee) at Oakland’s Tertulia Coffee

The sleek modernist café and art gallery known as Tertulia Coffee and Sanchez Contemporary on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland has become a vital space for new artists of color to show their work. Since opening their doors last summer, Tertulia’s owners (the Oakland born-and-raised Maria and Tim Sanchez) have curated and presented the works of nearly 100 local artists. They’ve created a space that brings the local community together to bond the old-fashioned way (unlike most trendy cafés, you won’t find any Wi-Fi here.) “We want people to come unplug for an hour and just chill out, relax, put down [their] phone, and meet somebody. Bring a friend and talk. Have a conversation,” says Tim Sanchez.

1951 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94612

Quench Your Craft Beer Thirst at Xicha Brewing in Salem, OR

Portland may be famous as the homeland of American Craft Beer, but it’s facing growing competition from Oregon’s state capital, Salem. There, among the growing brewpub options is a new gem: a Latino-owned brewery called Xicha Brewing. “Xicha is a play on the word chicha,” explains co-founder Ben Mendoza, referring to a fermented corn beverage popular in South America. The brewpub stands out for its Latin American menu (brought to you by the owners of Pura Vida Cocina) and as one of the only breweries in the region owned by Latinos.

576 Patterson St NW Suite 140, Salem, OR 97304

Catch a Seattle Mariners game and nosh on some chapulines.

Baseball may be America’s pastime, but the Pacific Northwest has taken on a decidedly Mexican flavor since the start of the Major League Baseball season. The hottest-selling food item of the season at the Mariners’ stadium, Safeco Field, has been chapulines – toasted grasshoppers doused with key lime salt and chili powder. Demand at the chapulines stand, which is run by Mexican restaurant Poquitos, has been so extreme that the team is now instituting a limit on daily sales of the toasted critters. Get there early if you want catch some of these tasty snacks!