Florida weekend trips

My family has the florida rail pass and we are always looking for interested "train weekend" trips to do without the taking the car.

I would be interested to hear of any interesting stops along Amtrak's florida routes that we could make a long weekend out of. Stations that have intersting things to see and lodging within a short walk of the station.

I will share a few of the trips we have allready done. We live in Sebring which could be an interesting weekend trip for anyone from outside the area. 3 trains north and 3 south serve our city each day. A old historic Inn is less than a mile from the station and we have a nice historic district in the downtown area (4 blocks from the station) There is also a cultural center that is right on a real nice lake with a sandy beach and pier all within a few blocks of the train station.

We have also traveled to Winter Park, which I highly reccomend. The station is right in the Park Ave district and there are two hotels within walking distance of the station. You can also take a nice boat tour around the area and an upscale shopping plaze with a movie cinema is close too.

We just came back from a trip to West Palm Beach. We stayed at a Sheraton which is about 3 blocks from the station. City Walk is a rather new shopping district with plenty of interesting sites and restaurants. This is 3 blocks also from the station. From the west palm beach station you can also connect with Tri-Rail and travel all the way south to Dadeland Mall in south dade county via a connector with metro rail.

We did a beach weekend by going to the deerfield beach station. There is a hotel right behind the station if you care to walk but we chose to take a 3 mile cab ride over to the beach and stayed right on the beach.

We plan to do the Sebring - Tampa trip soon, any suggestions from anyone who is familiar with the Tampa train station area? Is it near Ybor City? I think it is.

I would be interested to hear of anyone elses florida trips they have taken and offer some suggestions to a new rail fan.

Thanks

Steve

I've only taken the Silver Service once from WPB to NYC. Some of my railfanning tips would be to invest in a handhelp scanner (you can pick one up at radio shack for around $100), a good camera, and a timetable. Your baisicly all set. Just sit back and in enjoy the ride. If you want to you can always check out the Lounge or Dining Car and I'm not sire if you've ever been in a Sleeping Car or not I'm sure a crew member will be happy to guide you (don't just wonder in). Well that's my two cents worth.

Fireman Steve is right about Winter Park, It's probably one of the nicest if not the nicest looking stop on the Silver Service/Sunset Limited in Florida.

Winter Park is very beautiful. There's a very nice "green grass" park right along the railroad tracks and then on the other side of the park is a bunch of fancy looking store fronts. However, right up the line the Silver Service comes into Sanford the worst looking station on the route.

Unfortuantely I can't find one of the "Conventional" Sanford Station, but this is much nicer in comparison.

A different short trip from South Florida is a trip on the Silver Meteor (98) to Winter Haven (not to be confused with Winter Park). There is not much around the station, but it does have some nice Cypress Gardens and Florida citrus memorbelia.

Take a ten minute walk north on the street in front of the station and you will come to a "home cookin'" restaurant. The Station Agent can direct you. This small place with great eats is always filled with locals, and serves cafeteria style with all kind of vegetables. A full country meal with home-made dessert is just over five dollars.

If everything is on time, you can arrive Winter Haven at 11:00 AM, take a walk, eat, take the walk back and catch the southbound Silver Star around 12:55 PM back to South Florida.

The entire day would cost the Florida Rail Pass rider under six bucks, plus perhaps the cost of a cup of morning coffee in the lounge car.

Off the topic, but what's with the "Winter" names of those two Flroida cities. <_< It never snows!!! :unsure:

Well, Winter Haven is a "haven fron northern winters and I gess Winter Park is where you can "park it" during cold winters up north.

Does anyone know the legend from another time of the Mayor of Winter Park who used to come down to the station and meet trains to greet the arriving tourists? Several people know part of the story.

Does anyone know the legend from another time of the Mayor of Winter Park who used to come down to the station and meet trains to greet the arriving tourists? Several people know part of the story.

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No, what's the answer. B)

Sorry, Must not have worded that correctly. I don't know the Mayor of Winter Haven legend accurately. I am looking for someone who does.

please ignore, I replyed to the wrong topic

Guy

You are right about Winter Haven. I did this trip up from Miami recently, exactly as you described--even ate in the same restaurant! I little honkey-tonk, perhaps, but still worth the day trip. I came back, got on MetroRail, took it to Dadeland South, then the MAX bus home.

As for Winter, there are a number of Florida cities with that name. These were mostly turn of the century marketing names, designed to lure northerners into becoming snowbirds. In addition to Winter Park and Winter Haven, there are also Winter Springs, Winter Beach and Winter Gardens. B)

Staying in Tampa can be alot of fun!!!

When I was working the FFT, we used the Holiday Inn Ashley Plaza as a crewbase. While the Ashley is a 10 block walk, there is a Marriot about 4 blocks away.

We went to a baseball game for 8 bucks one night and went to the pier a few times.

Being single and a "nite owl", I usually ended up in Ybor City every night. Ybor city looks like New Orleans with two story brick facades and open air balconies. On the weekends, they barricade the main street for about 15 blocks and have a street party. There are alot of resturants, niteclubs with live music, bars and a few tattoo parlours for the kids to get their favorite "train tattoo!!! :unsure: Only kidding!!!!

One thing I did find interesting was that I could walk from end to end and drink for free. There are people from all the establishments passing out coupons for a free drink! By the end of the night, I was feeling pretty good and only spent 20 bucks, mostly cover charges.

Now I don't want to hear about any guys like AMF and V/L going to Tampa, doing some underage drinking and coming home to show Mom their "Amtak Forever" tatoos on their behinds!!!! h34r:

B)

Now I don't want to hear about any guys like AMF and V/L going to Tampa, doing some underage drinking and coming home to show Mom their "Amtack Forever" tatoos on their behinds!!!!

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One reason why I'm not allowed on a train trip by myself. :lol:

Miami Joe said:

Staying in Tampa can be alot of fun!!!
When I was working the FFT, we used the Holiday Inn Ashley Plaza as a crewbase. While the Ashley is a 10 block walk, there is a Marriot about 4 blocks away.

We went to a baseball game for 8 bucks one night and went to the pier a few times.

Being single and a "nite owl", I usually ended up in Ybor City every night. Ybor city looks like New Orleans with two story brick facades and open air balconies. On the weekends, they barricade the main street for about 15 blocks and have a street party. There are alot of resturants, niteclubs with live music, bars and a few tattoo parlours for the kids to get their favorite "train tattoo!!! :unsure: Only kidding!!!!

One thing I did find interesting was that I could walk from end to end and drink for free. There are people from all the establishments passing out coupons for a free drink!  By the end of the night, I was feeling pretty good and only spent 20 bucks, mostly cover charges.

Now I don't want to hear about any guys like AMF and V/L going to Tampa, doing some underage drinking and coming home to show Mom their "Amtrak Forever" tatoos on their behinds!!!! h34r:

B)

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I'm not stupid enough to do that. I wish there were Viewliners to take to Tampa (I miss the Silver Palm ).

C'mon guys!!!! :angry:

Lighten up!!!! :lol:

While I won't break the law and take you out drinking, This "old-timer" would love to take you out for "Amtack Forever" tatoos!!

oooohhhhh!!! Just think how much your girlfriends will be impressed with their RR men!!! :blink:

Hydrogen Peroxide not included!!! <_<

B)

Miami Joe said:

C'mon guys!!!! :angry:
Lighten up!!!! :lol:

While I won't break the law and take you out drinking, This "old-timer" would love to take you out for "Amtack Forever" tatoos!!

oooohhhhh!!! Just think how much your girlfriends will be impressed with their RR men!!! :blink:

Hydrogen Peroxide not included!!! <_<

B)

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1) My current prospects for a Girlfriend are slim to none

2) As much as I like Amtrak, I would't get it tattoed to me.

:lol: B)

Girlfreind or not Amtrak is my true love and I'll get the name tatooed on every square inch of body. Ok mabey not. :lol:

Now you guys got me thinking!!! :blink:

Maybe I'll get the FFT or the Amtrak logo tattooed for my birthday this month!!!

Please, no presents or hateful E-mail!!!! :lol:

B)

Miami Joe said:

Now you guys got me thinking!!! :blink:
Maybe I'll get the FFT or the Amtrak logo tattooed for my birthday this month!!!

Please, no presents or hateful E-mail!!!! :lol:

B)

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Happy B-day

Duhhhh! :blink:

I don't want to hear Happy Birthday!! How 'bout here's twenty towards the cool tattoo!! <_<

B)

Enjoy that tatoo!!!

I think V/L gets the trophy for "sad story of the day!!"

B)

Well, i will paraphras a James Brown song. Say it lound, im a railfan and im proud.

Miami Joe said:

I think V/L gets the trophy for "sad story of the day!!" B)

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How so?