Ok It's Time

Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
A

AMTRAK-P42

Conductor
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Messages
1,181
Location
Redlands, CA
Ok guys, its time to finally start putting together my *hopeful* graduation present (I graduate in May of this year!). The plan is to take Amtrak around the perimeter of country. Many of the routes I have already been on atleast a couple of times, but the two I haven’t are the Silver Service and Capital Limited. I have 2 itineraries right now, one assumes that the Sunset will be operational between ORL and NOL and the other assumes that it wont be. Here we go:

Plan #1-Sleeper on every leg

ATL-NYP

NYP-ORL

ORL-LAUPT

LAUPT-SEA

SEA-CHI

CHI-WAS

WAS-ATL

Plan #2-Sleeper on every leg except ATL-NOL

ATL-NOL

NOL-LAUPT

LAUPT-SEA

SEA-CHI

CHI-WAS

WAS-MIA

MIA-Fly home

Now here is where I need your help. While I have places to stay with friends in Chicago and Miami, I need places to stay in the other cities. I need the names of good/safe/close hotels in the following cities:

NY

NOL

LA

SEA

WAS

ORL

I have stayed in each one of these cities, but it was with my parents years ago and the priorities will be much different on this trip. Thanks in advance guys!
 
there are many hostels in cities across the country too, they are cheaper and you can meet lots of young people.
 
Why a hotel in ORL? You can do a same day connection there.

In NY, check with Expedia and other such services, one can often land a room in the Hotel Pennsylvania for a decent rate. This hotel is directly across 7th Avenue from Penn Station. One can even walk underground negating the need to cross 7th Ave at street level.
 
AlanB said:
Why a hotel in ORL?  You can do a same day connection there.
In NY, check with Expedia and other such services, one can often land a room in the Hotel Pennsylvania for a decent rate.  This hotel is directly across 7th Avenue from Penn Station.  One can even walk underground negating the need to cross 7th Ave at street level.
Click to expand...
Thanks Alan. Well the hotel in Orlando is because of the fact I never sleep on the train (by choice, of course) and going without a goodnight of sleep between trips on this entire trip might cause me to get some unknown illness, :lol: Yea, I have used Expedia and Hotels.com, I was just checking first with people on the board who have stayed at hotels near the station that they would recommend.
 
If you have to overnight in ORL, you might want to consider changing trains in Winter Park. Winter Park is a great little town, the "Beverly Hills" of Orlando to use as an analogy. I suggest WPK because if you want to stay in "town" and don't have access to a car, you can walk throughout the WPK area, to and from the hotel without a car and be in a safe, well lighted area. Taxis are always available at WPK, if one isn't waiting at the station during train time, the agents are extremely helpful and will call one for you (one is a close personal friend who helped with getting me started with Amtrak). The Winter Park station is right downtown and many different resturants and shopping venues are within a 5 block radius. Although the closest hotel to the WPK station is 8 blocks away, the Mt. Vernon Best Western is very nice and affordable. But that's what taxis are for if your not into huffing it.

Although the Orlando and Winter Park areas do have a public bus system (Lynx), they're unreliable and very infrequent in both the ORL and WPK station areas. The Orlando station is in an industrial/hospital district with absolutely no services within walking distance. Your only option in ORL is to use taxi services to get into downtown (about 2.5 miles away), where there only a limited number of very expensive business class hotels and resturants (however, a very good size club scene). If your interested in the Orlando attractions area as part of your trip, utilize the CoachUSA shuttle from the station to the Disney/Sea World Area hotels. If you decide to overnight in ORL, avoid hotels within the immediate area of the ORL train station region, especially those on the infamous South Orange Blossom Trail (US Hwy 17/92/441) region. Most of the hotels along the South Trail have major problems of being drug and prostitution hangouts. Be careful when thinking of booking an economy hotel that's within 5 to 10 miles of the ORL station. Maybe others on this forum can suggest a specific hotel near the ORL station, but none come to my mind that I would endorse.

If at all possible, try to schedule your trip where you can transfer to and from the Sunset/Silver Service trains on the same day. The Orlando area is one of those places where you need to have a car in order to make the most of your stay there. Because of Disney and the other attractions, almost all the nice affordable tourist and family hotels focus on the area 10-15 miles south of downtown and the ORL train station along Interstate 4, International Drive, US 192 (Kissimmee area), etc.
 
how about trying Hotwire.com. There is nothing really in ORl so you might wanna try Daytona Beach (you can get off at Deland) in LA there is Days Inn right down the street from Union Station (thats were T & E crews stay and in Seattle (well I really dont know cause it depends what time the Starlight comes in) but I recommend (sorry for the typo) the Hoilday Inn (very nice staff and nice area ) . If you need for info on the hotel in LA or sea let me know . I know for fact it like 75.00 a night and they fill up pretty quick so u might wanna book it now (some times Amtrak puts up passngers if they miss their connections).
 
As Randy said the Best Western is a good bet. There are also several hotels downtown, the Courtyard (on Colonial I believe, it might be Orange Ave though), or the former Radisson. I know the Radisson just got bought out and is now the Ivanhoe Plaza or something like that, I'll check on that when I'm down that way for Thanksgiving next weekend. I personally would recommend the Radisson if you want to be close to the tracks, but the Best Western is probably a better choice if you're looking for a large number of resturants nearby, there are a ton within walking distance of there, as well as an outdoor mall (Winter Park Village) that's maybe a mile or so away.

As far as New York goes, I personally recommend the Hotel I stayed in a few years back on the Upper West Side, Hotel Newton at the corner of 94th and Broadway. It's an easy Subway ride on a 1/2/3/9 Uptown to 96th Street where you head upstairs on the southend of the platform and the Hotel's right there. It's got pretty reasonable rates, a great staff and plenty of places to eat nearby, including my favorite pizza place Famigilia at 96th and Amsterdam. You can find the Newton here.
 
From one Hotlantan to another I would like to be able to give you really good advise. Instead, it is a bit more tentative than that.

First, I do recommend the Hotel Pennyslvania, already mentioned, as long as you find a good price. Can't beat the location!!

As to NOL, I know that nativeson5859 recently gave a summary on hotel conditions in NOL---of course that will hopefully all be better by the time you trip comes closer.

Most of my numerous trips to WAS have been same day turn arounds but I did stay at a charming little Irish-themed hotel very near Union Station a few years ago. Trouble is, I cannot find it on the map anymore. I do know the neighborhood gets rather scarey around the station (no matter how "nice" the hotel is) so you might focus on safe neighborhoods close to various METRO stops. Hopefully somebody can recommend some.

I've nrver stayed the same place twice in LA, don't remember just where they were.

BTW I like your itineray. I took a trip very much like it about 2000, before I was on this site.

Sorry I can't give more precise advise---but here's hoping for a really neat trip.
 
battalion51 said:
It's an easy Subway ride on a 1/2/3/9 Uptown to 96th Street
Click to expand...
Don't wait for the #9 train. If you do you'll have a very very long wait. :lol: That train has been discontinued, only the #1, 2, & 3 trains still run.
 
Awesome so far guys. My next question is whether to take the Star or Meteor. I mean both go through Orlando, and time is not an issue since I will be staying the night. Which one would you guys reccomend. I am looking for info on which is delayed more often, which is more scenic, etc.
 
AMTRAK-P42 said:
Awesome so far guys. My next question is whether to take the Star or Meteor. I mean both go through Orlando, and time is not an issue since I will be staying the night. Which one would you guys reccomend. I am looking for info on which is delayed more often, which is more scenic, etc.
Click to expand...
If you see 1 Palm Tree you see them all as my Dad would say so senary isn't that good on either.
 
AMTRAK-P42 said:
Awesome so far guys. My next question is whether to take the Star or Meteor. I mean both go through Orlando, and time is not an issue since I will be staying the night. Which one would you guys reccomend. I am looking for info on which is delayed more often, which is more scenic, etc.
Click to expand...
I would take the Star. I'm not sure about OTP for either train. But IMHO, some of the run through Virginia is probably the most scenic on the Silver route. However, the Meteor hits most of that area too late for you to see it in daylight.
 
That's not true at all for the vast majority of the trip's scenery. North of Sanford the tracks are surrounded by some very thick forest, I personally love that end of the run (from SFA-JAX), and honestly wish I could do it more often.
 
My one time on the Silver Service was when I rode the Silver Star back in December of 2003. I thought the trip through Florida from Jacksonville to Orlando was quite scenic.

If you see 1 Palm Tree you see them all
Click to expand...
If you see one snow-capped mountain, you've seen them all, right?
 
FWIT the SIlver Meteor is an older, grander name, historically speaking. I am not sure, from memory, when the SM began but it was in the 1938-40 range. The Star (and the Silver Comet) were in the 1947 range. SM was without question one of the nation's EARLIEST streamliners.

It is no secret------ no secret at all----- that pre-Amtrak Seaboard promoted the SM over its other two silver trains. The SM got first grabs on better equipment, etc, the SIlver Star a was second. Third was the Silver Comet which went to Atl and BHM from New York (competing with Southern) rather than to Florida.

(to you, as an Atlantan, the tracks around Piedmont Hospital were used by the third ranking streamliner, the SIlver Comet. It also stopped at Emory University,and also, Athens, Ga. It was discontinued before Amtrak, late 60's)

Those trains were called silver, not because of the silver headed retiree snowbirds who rode them, but because of the (then)newness and marvel of shiny glittering unpainted stainless steel.

Of course later in Amtrak years there was the Silver Palm. Quite a bit of silver through the years, but the granddaaddy of them all was the Meteor.
 
If you haven't been through Charleston (CHS) I would take the Meteor and take a day layover there. Charleston and the Low Country islands are beautiful. Spanish-Moss in all the trees, and in May it wouldn't be too oppressively hot yet. Also if you haven't been through the Florida Keys, I'd take your primary option #2, end in Miami, rent a car and go down through the Keys. Especially if you like to swim. Don't miss the Keys. And if you do that, take the Star from Orlando South. That'll let you take the dog-leg through Tampa, with the chance to walk through the Tampa Union Station, which has historical significance, some restored Pullman cars in a static display outside, and a historical display inside the station, which has itself been mostly restored and is beautiful. The Star has a crew change at Tampa so you would have a few minutes to walk around. Or take a day at Tampa. Tampa Union Station is in old downtown Tampa, within a comfortable walk to the Tampa Aquarium and a WW-II Victory ship, and the trolley can take you the couple of miles over to the historic Ybor City area, with a fabulous Cuban restaurant, the Columbia. I highly recommend it, and lunch is quite reasonably priced.

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/

And of course there is always Busch Gardens, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.

We live in the Orlando area.
 
AmtrakWPK said:
If you haven't been through Charleston (CHS) I would take the Meteor and take a day layover there. Charleston and the Low Country islands are beautiful. Spanish-Moss in all the trees, and in May it wouldn't be too oppressively hot yet. Also if you haven't been through the Florida Keys, I'd take your primary option #2, end in Miami, rent a car and go down through the Keys. Especially if you like to swim. Don't miss the Keys. And if you do that, take the Star from Orlando South. That'll let you take the dog-leg through Tampa, with the chance to walk through the Tampa Union Station, which has historical significance, some restored Pullman cars in a static display outside, and a historical display inside the station, which has itself been mostly restored and is beautiful. The Star has a crew change at Tampa so you would have a few minutes to walk around. Or take a day at Tampa. Tampa Union Station is in old downtown Tampa, within a comfortable walk to the Tampa Aquarium and a WW-II Victory ship, and the trolley can take you the couple of miles over to the historic Ybor City area, with a fabulous Cuban restaurant, the Columbia. I highly recommend it, and lunch is quite reasonably priced.http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/

And of course there is always Busch Gardens, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.

We live in the Orlando area.
Click to expand...
Luckily, I have spent time in both the keys and charleston. This trip is mainly focued around just the train, which is always nice. If I had extra time, I would def. head back to the keys or even Charleston.
 
Like WPK suggested consider TPA. You can take 91 down to TPA and spend the night there. Theres a Hampton Inn just north of TUS that's right on the tracks (you could most definitely walk there from TUS) and right on the edge of Ybor City where you will have plenty to occupy your time Overnight. Many USF students make their way down to Ybor to have a good time, and there are trolleys through there as well. After your night in TPA you can pick up the Martz Thruway Bus to Orlando and pick up 001 from there. That'd probably beat the snot out of Orlando in a heart beat.
 
AMTRAK-P42 said:
Ok guys, its time to finally start putting together my *hopeful* graduation present (I graduate in May of this year!). The plan is to take Amtrak around the perimeter of country. Many of the routes I have already been on atleast a couple of times, but the two I haven’t are the Silver Service and Capital Limited. I have 2 itineraries right now, one assumes that the Sunset will be operational between ORL and NOL and the other assumes that it wont be. Here we go:
Plan #1-Sleeper on every leg

ATL-NYP

NYP-ORL

ORL-LAUPT

LAUPT-SEA

SEA-CHI

CHI-WAS

WAS-ATL

Plan #2-Sleeper on every leg except ATL-NOL

ATL-NOL

NOL-LAUPT

LAUPT-SEA

SEA-CHI

CHI-WAS

WAS-MIA

MIA-Fly home

Now here is where I need your help. While I have places to stay with friends in Chicago and Miami, I need places to stay in the other cities. I need the names of good/safe/close hotels in the following cities:

NY

NOL

LA

SEA

WAS

ORL

I have stayed in each one of these cities, but it was with my parents years ago and the priorities will be much different on this trip. Thanks in advance guys!
Click to expand...
LA - Wilshire Grand
 
Tampa is a great idea. The hotel price may be more than in the ORL/WPK area just because of the Downtown/Ybor/Convention Center, Cruise Line terminal area. Ybor City is an old Cuban community that developed just prior to the Spanish-American War during the Cuban Independence movement. Famous for its cigar industry, today it primarly serves an entertainment area that has excellent clubs and resturants. As stated earlier, the Columbia Resturant, is owned and operated by the Gozmart family, who immigrated from Cuba to Tampa in the early 1900s. A streetcar line has been restored and operates between Ybor and the Convention Center. From TUS, just walk three blocks down Cass Street to the line (walk under the Crosstown Expressway toward the docks). I'd say the only setback of the Tampa connection is the 75 mile bus ride from TPA to ORL. Although you don't get the ride the A Line back to ORL, but on I-4, you don't miss much on that portion scenery wise between TPA and ORL. I still would ride into Central Florida when connecting from Silver Service to the Sunset Limited. Although JAX is a nice city, it doesn't even compair to the entertainment and cultural experience of either Tampa or Orlando.

On a last note, I must advise you that even under the best of situations, the reality of the Sunset Limited operating between NOL and ORL is slim at best for the dates of your trip. For peace of mind, go with a internary that avoids that section of the Sunset Route. I'd hate to see you on a long bus ride between ORL and NOL on an empty promise by Amtrak and CSX that the line is open for passenger business, only to be terminated for "disruption of service" issues, like being extremely late EB into NOL or due to large number of slow orders that make running it over the old L&N coastal mainline a huge waste of time and money.
 
Amtrak-p42

When in Los Angeles, I advise using Hostelling International -Los Angeles/Santa Monica. It's safe and super clean and best of all, it's within 2 blocks of the ocean and Santa Monica Pier. They also operate an HI-Travel Centre next door which will arrange local tours to tourist spots...Getty, Disneyworld, Universal Studios. You can pick up a fast bus to Santa Monica right across the street from Union Station. The price for dorm facilities is under $30 US. Check out the web site yourself at www.hiusa.org.

Also, try to organize your trip so you have a free morning to take an excellent tour of Union Station in Los Angeles, available by reservation every third Saturday of every month. The tour is excellent and is put on by the Los Angeles Conservancy. Find them at www.laconservancy.org.

After the tour, have lunch at the famous 'Phillippe's', just a few blocks down the street from the front of Union Station.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top