Travel the South by train to see sights that you would fly by in a car or bus. Have a camera available to capture wildlife in rural locations at dusk or dawn. If vacationing as a family, enjoy having the additional space and time to stretch out and play games or read books, rather than cramming your group in a small vehicle.
For a train ride that rolls across open farmland, through cities, along the Atlantic Ocean and green forests, take a train vacation from northern Florida to Miami. After spending the day in St. Augustine exploring historical original Spanish ruins, take a short drive to Jacksonville to board Amtrak's Silver Star train and head south to Orlando. Stop by Cape Canaveral and tour NASA property or watch a space shuttle launch. Stay the night in Kissimmee and visit Disney World the next day before departing by rail again. Enjoy lunch in Palm Beach or head straight to Miami for dinner. This train ride is approximately 10 hours straight through.
You can spend the weekend in New Orleans' French Quarter and take a train westward; or opt to begin your vacation at the train station. An adventure to Houston on Amtrak takes approximately nine hours. This time frame works well if traveling with small children as it affords them the fun of long-term train travel without the burden of extended boredom. Board the Sunset Limited and reserve coach seats in the main cabin where you and your party can enjoy playing board games and cards; do art projects; or simply watch the scenery. A dining car and lounge are both offered, and bedroom suites with private lounge areas are also an option. Once in Houston, visit the Downtown Aquarium to complete the day's train-based nature adventure.
For a 10-day journey that covers national historical points of interest as well as East Coast southern communities such as Charleston, take an Amtrak vacation package. The journey begins in Washington, D.C., where you first take a trolley tour of the city and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant with other travelers in your group. On day three of this adventure, board the train and head to Williamsburg for the afternoon and evening. Guests next head to Charleston and stop to tour a local plantation. Savannah was the first city founded in Georgia, and travelers have two days here to have dinner on their own. St. Augustine, the oldest city in North America, is your final destination. Take advantage of the included rental car and tour Spanish Fort ruins. Have one last dinner as a group before heading home the next morning.
