For years I've been following various travel websites and receiving alerts on good deals on a train ride that would allow me to visit some sites in southwestern Canada. If you plan right, you could pull off an incredible trip from Boise to Banff National Park for under $2,000.

I know what some of you are thinking. Spending $2,000 to take a train ride during a pandemic isn't the greatest idea. It should ease your mind a bit to know that the two train lines you would need to take this 2,200 mile (roundtrip) journey on the rails are following proper safety guidelines and some of these packages include expenses for food and other necessities.

In order to pull this incredible trip off, you would first have to book a ticket from Boise to Vancouver, British Columbia. Some Amtrak deals I've seen online have tickets priced at under $350 roundtrip. The distance for this first stretch of the adventure is approximately 600 miles.

From Boise, you would jump on the Rocky Mountaineer train line for a 530-mile trip northeast to Banff. The cost of these roundtrip packages is about $1,600 on average. Again, you're getting most of your accommodations included in the total price. The Canadian Rockies offer some of the most stunning views, and exiting the train for frequent stops to enjoy the scenery is part of the experience.

I hope to someday get the chance to take this train trip for myself. For the money, it's an incredible bargain when you factor in all of the amazing sites you'll get to see.

RANKED: Here are the most popular national parks

To determine the most popular national parks in the United States, Stacker compiled data from the National Park Service on the number of recreational visits each site had in 2020. Keep reading to discover the 50 most popular national parks in the United States, in reverse order from #50 to #1. And be sure to check with individuals parks before you visit to find out about ongoing, pandemic-related safety precautions at www.nps.gov/coronavirus.

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Stacker compiled a list of 50 attractions--state by state--to see along the drive, drawing on information from historic sites, news stories, Roadside America, and the National Park Service. Keep reading to discover where travelers can get their kicks on Route 66.

LOOK: Stunning vintage photos capture the beauty of America's national parks

Today these parks are located throughout the country in 25 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The land encompassing them was either purchased or donated, though much of it had been inhabited by native people for thousands of years before the founding of the United States. These areas are protected and revered as educational resources about the natural world, and as spaces for exploration.

Keep scrolling for 50 vintage photos that show the beauty of America's national parks.

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