The cabins were perfect for us.
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 1/1/10
My wife, son, and I stayed in a cabin at the Northern Queen last year on our way to Lake Tahoe and enjoyed it so much that we made it our destination this year. Our 8-year-old son loved the foldout bed because he could wake up early and watch TV without disturbing us. We were able to save some money on dining by cooking in the cabin's kitchen (microwave and stovetop) and though we didn't intend for them too, they washed our dishes for us.
There are lots of interesting sights in the area, and shoping and dining are available a short drive away. I wouldn't consider there to be much within walking distance except for a gas station with a pretty good convenience store.
Last year there was snow right outside our cabin; this year we reached fun snow about 20 minutes north on highway 20. The Northern Queen's restaurant, Trolley Junction Cafe, had very good food and a beautiful view, but very slow service.