I may have 3-4 days the week after Easter to do a quick railfan holiday. This is good BUT I'm having trouble focusing on how I'd like to use is.
So......I'm asking for suggestions from my fellow Railforum readers. Here's the type of information I'm looking for -
1) Favorite suggestion of an Amtrak route segment (or VIA) that can be ridden in 36 hours or less (ie: Oakland-Denver).
2) Favorite hotels near an Amtrak station (ie: Vagabond Inn in Sacramento)
3) Economic Surface transport between Amtrak and nearby major airports (ie: light rail or shuttle bus) as I've been known to fly in and out on either end of a rail adventure.
4) Finally......anything really interesting along the way? I'm particularly interested in unique places to eat, railroad museums, or even tourist railraods with live steam. Anything not particularly rail oriented that everyone ought to see......like a Smithsonian in DC or the 6th Floor Museum in Dallas?
So....where would YOU go? One caveat, I did ride the 'Coast Starlight', 'Sunset', and 'Texas Eagle' in 2005. These would be lower priority trains for something in April. The 'Starlight' in particular is a no go this time as I won't have enough spare time to factor in a train that might be up to 12 hours late.
train lady Member # 3920
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David, you probably have been to Charleston(SC) but have you taken the Gullah Tour? We did for the first time in June and found it absolutely fascinating. Cyprus garden with the butterfly Pavillion and the boat ride was lovely. It was fun having the butterflies so close , sometimes landing on you. Tommy Conners, near the market was a very good stop for lunch. About an hours drive north is Brookgreen gardens. It is just south of Myrtle Beach. If you rent a car it is a terrific place to go. It's an outdoor sculpture garden on an old rice plantation. I think it;s the largest one in the country . In Charleston the Unitarian church has beautiful windows and you can walk right in and see them,They also have a small but lovely garden. The carriage ride was very interesting. There are boat tours and various walks like the Ghost walk at night. You can find quite a list on the Chas. tourist site. This is one of our favorite places to go.
notelvis Member # 3071
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quote:Originally posted by train lady: David, you probably have been to Charleston(SC) but have you taken the Gullah Tour?
Hi Train Lady,
Yes to having been to Charleston but no to having done the Gullah tour. This is something I'll do a little web research on because I've been leaning towards something trainwise where I'm not onboard overnight......ie: go cheap by going coach. Charleston could be a daytrip for me in both directions changing from 'Carolinian' to 'Palmetto' at Selma and watching trains go by during the layover.
Thanks for a suggestion I would have never thought of on my own.
chrisg Member # 2488
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On April 13th I will be taking the Southwest Chief with a real dining car to Chicago then Dinner Light on the Capitol Limited, Cardinal and Southwest Chief Home. Piladelphia will be to finish up SEPTA and Camaden Light Rail then onto New York City for a Metro North to New Cannan and Long Island to Port Washington.
quote:Originally posted by chrisg: New York City for a Metro North to New Cannan and Long Island to Port Washington.
Don't even bother riding the New Caanan Branch it's a very short and very boring rail line, (I have a report of it here) Save yourself and ride any of the other branches, their all much more interesting.
sojourner Member # 3134
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Chris G, If you have never seen the Hoboken train station (not an Amtrak stop), I recommend it. It's easy to access from NYC and no doubt from Newark as well. Let me know if you want more info and I'll start another strand.
David, Charleston sounds like a great trip considering you locale and time; the western stuff is great but with only 4 days I think you might be biting off more than you can chew. Another possibility would be Savannah. And of course there is always Washington DC, Philly, or NYC. I haven't been to Savannah in too long and still haven't gotten back to Philly (I hope to go this fall) but for the other places, let me know if you want any specific restaurant and other recs once you decide where you are going; I'll be happy to give you a list. I have been to NYC and DC a lot lately and have lots of ideas. For Charleston, it's been about 2 years but I do have a lot of restaurant recs, assuming they are still valid. There is also the ghost tour there, have you tried that? And I really recommend the old downtown houses of worship--Catholic Church, round church, old synagogue, etc--and esp the Unitarian Church garden/graveyard. If you do the ghost tour in the evening, I think it stops there.
mr williams Member # 1928
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Chris G - if you are still awake when you pass the Westbound Capitol in the early hours of the morning give me a wave as I'll be on it - we're scheduled to pass each other somewhere in Ohio!
Kairho Member # 1567
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The Zephyr between Denver and Sacramento is terific PLUS the Colorado and California State RR Museums at each end. More plus, Caboose Hobbies in Denver if you are into modelling.
sbalax Member # 2801
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If you find yourself in Oakland I can highly recommend the Best Western Inn at the Square. We just spend two night there and got the AAA rate at $90.00 a night. They give you a $2.50 per person food voucher good at the Buttercup Cafe which is part of the motel. Excellent food.
BART service from Oakland International (OAK) is easy with an Air BART shuttle from the terminal to the Coliseum BART station. Ride to 12th Street and it is an easy walk to the Best Western.
The Amtrak station (OKJ) is about four blocks from the hotel.
We were having a late lunch at Hahn's Hibachi at Jack London Square when the 6+ hour late #11 pulled past us.
Frank in SBA.
Mr. Toy Member # 311
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quote:Originally posted by notelvis: 1) Favorite suggestion of an Amtrak route segment (or VIA) that can be ridden in 36 hours or less (ie: Oakland-Denver).
Emeryville-Denver.
There's a historic hotel within a block or two of the Denver Union Station, the Oxford, I think.
In 2000 we stayed at the Queen Ann Inn, a nice B&B which is a 5 minute cab ride from DUS. It was the least expensive lodging of any quality in the area. It had the added convenience of being two blocks from the Hertz office.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Thanks for these suggestions everyone....I'm still open to suggestions but here are the possibilities, in no particular order of preference, on my radar at the moment -
1) Carolinian and NEC regional Greensboro, NC to Ashland, VA. Two nights at the Henry Clay Inn across the street. Amtrak regional Ashland to Baltimore, visit the B&O museum, return to Ashland for the night and return to Greensboro the following day.
2) Carolinian and Palmetto Greensboro-Charleston, SC with change in Selma. Sightsee for a day in Charleston and return.
3) The biggie......something involving a night at Jack London Square, and the California Zephyr eastward to either Reno or Denver.....we'll see. This one made possible by cheap airfare on SWA. Thanks particularly for the tip on getting to the Square from the Oakland airport.
4) Maybe some combination of #1 and #2 but that would mean choosing between a day of touristing in Baltimore vs. Charleston.......and having gone to grad school in College Park, MD there can still be some grim an unpleasant days in Maryland well into April.
sojourner Member # 3134
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David, the Oxford Hotel in Denver seemed very nice and is quite close to the train, but when I checked last summer it was a little pricey (not sure how it would be in April, though). I stayed at the Executive Tower, which has since just changed its name to the Curtis. It was then getting a facelift and had a bargain price of $102.50/night Triple A rate, including hot breakfast. My room was huge and very comfortable. The hotel was in downtown Denver about 10-12 blocks from the train station; I walked it one way and took a taxi the other (cheap enough, about $5-6). Address is 1405 Curtis St, phone is 800-525-6651 tollfree or 303-571-0300.
If you take the Zephyr (although I'm not sure what it's like in April--might snow be a problem?) I recommend you go all the way to Denver--otherwise you miss too much gorgeous stuff! And heck, with the things going on at Amtrak, you will want to make hay while the sun shines, if you know what I mean. The sleeper fares were high when I went, so I took coach between Denver and Sacramento no problem; the views were gorgeous so I didn't mind not having a sleeper, and I luckily had a seat all to myself and slept pretty well (I brought my own extra pillow as I always do when I go coach; also eye shades).
jamesbrownontheroad Member # 4294
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Hello... you got the April travel bug too? I'm using the North America Rail Pass before a) the start of high season b) the end of Amtrak, whichever comes first. You can view the itinerary at my blog (see link in signature) ... my own personal highlight which I'm looking forward to is VIA's Hudson Bay between Winnipeg and Churchill... perhaps you could be tempted by something that different?
quote:Originally posted by jamesbrownontheroad: Hello... you got the April travel bug too? I'm using the North America Rail Pass before a) the start of high season b) the end of Amtrak, whichever comes first. You can view the itinerary at my blog (see link in signature) ... my own personal highlight which I'm looking forward to is VIA's Hudson Bay between Winnipeg and Churchill... perhaps you could be tempted by something that different?
Sounds enticing but Winnipeg itself is still kind of chilly in April for a southerner. I was there off the 'Canadian' in April 2004.
Perhaps the 'Ocean'? Hmnnnn.
MDRR Member # 2992
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If the OCEAN is calling you, you can easily do a 3 day RT Montreal-Moncton with 6 hour layover in Moncton 11:30 am to 5:30 pm. Or go to halifax and return the next day. Play your cards right and you can do conventional equipment one way and renaissance the other.
Tanner929 Member # 3720
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To Train Lady,
I visited Brookhaven Gardens last spring. I enjoyed the boat tour along the water ways explaining how the rice plantation worked. It really gave me an insight of how the low country plantation formed and operated.
Mr Elvis, Perhaps you could do the Raliegh Savanah GA loop. Have you made that trip? that looks interesting.
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