When I was looking for options to travel from California to the Midwest, one stood out: the train. I love trains, the route was absolutely gorgeous, and it was much cheaper than flying. What was the catch, then? Time.

This was a long trip, as we spent 56 hours on a train. If you add the almost 4 hours we waited at the train station, then the whole trip was a whopping 60 hours.

And yet, I'm so glad I did it. Something I will never forget.