Prescott, Ariz.
THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION named Prescott one of America's Distinctive Destinations. Established in the 1860s as a mining town, it has more than 700 buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places. There are Victorian homes, a huge courthouse square, saloons and antique shops. Prescott is an hour's drive south from Sedona. Last year, Bisbee, Ariz., received the same honor. Information: www.nationaltrust.org; www.visit-prescott.com. Other Distinctive Destinations named this year by the National Trust include Monterey, Calif.; Palm Springs, Calif.; and Philipsburg, Mont.
New historic train
THE SAN LUIS EXPRESS, which runs from the town of Alamosa, Colo., to the historic (1870s) La Veta and back, reopened this year. The last regular passenger train on the line ran in 1953. The three-hour ride takes visitors through Forbes/Trinchera Park, around Horseshoe Curve and along the edge of the San Isabel National Forest. It passes through two tunnels. Information: www.alamosarain.com.
Going green
THE NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM in Washington, D.C., will help visitors learn how expert builders help conserve the Earth's resources at its Festival of the Building Arts, Oct. 7, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Work side-by-side with master craftsmen to find out how to make a home more energy efficient, for example. You'll also see cob, straw bale and clay plaster construction. The event is free. Information: www.nbm.org; 202-272-2448.
E-mail: kclayton@desnews.com