This may sound weird...I need advice from those who have Amtrak experience (was it pleasant?) and those from the Northeast/New England.
FI and I live in Hawaii and get gorgeous tropical weather all the time, therefore we want to do something different from the typical tropical honeymoon and we aren’t afraid of going somewhere cold! That plus the fact that we have a tight budget made us think of sticking close to home for the honeymoon. We will be married in September in Tennessee and will be taking our honeymoon in early October...what are your thoughts on an Amtrak honeymoon through New England and down the east coast? I have never ridden on Amtrak, but can picture a romantic train journey with incredible scenery. Is this delusional? Is it like this at all? Has anyone in the hive ever ridden this route? Also, will the fall colors be in-season in early October?
My initial idea is to fly in to Montreal, and somehow end up in Washington DC (have to be there for a friend’s wedding 2 weeks later.) Since we have 2 weeks to play with, where should we go? If you know the area, I would be ever appreciative if you would take a quick look at this map and let me know if you recommend any quaint little places along the way.
And if you have negative Amtrak experience and think this would be a terrible idea for a honeymoon...please let me know too! :) Thanks so much!
From Boston to around the Connecticut area, it's beautiful! But you won't get much romantic scenery after that. =( And while the train ride itself seems like it would be really quaint and romantic, that line is full of business travelers (especially now with gas prices), and it's no more romantic than a plane ride.
That being said, I love this honeymoon idea! It'll be a ton of fun.
I would actually do that the opposite direction..fly into NY and take the trip north...fall colors will be in definitely by late September/ early October in New England but probably not as strong in the mid-Atlantic. Vermont is supposed to be especially nice.
Amtrak is what it it is. I am not sure if there is a hop-on hop-off thing you can do with them so you can see different parts of the Northeast, but I would take a look and see if they have any packages for that time of year. It's fine but it's definitely not the train experience you see in old movies, etc. with the full meal served by a waiter (at least not in my experience in the Northeast..other please correct me if I am wrong).
I've gone on 3! different Amtrak trips from upstate NY to Dallas, TX with my fiance's grandmother for various trips to see him and his family because she just doesn't do planes :) We had a sleeper cabin all 3 times which was really nice as we had concierge service, dinner (which is DELICIOUS! on the train), and got to meet other travelers as well. We met a couple on their honeymoon and I think it's a fab idea but only if you did something like a sleeper car which has sleeping accomodations. Good luck!
I take the Amtrak Acela from NYC to Baltimore all of the time... it is not a long trip but it is very comfortable and much less hectic than flying. I would go for it.
The NYC-DC corridor is very pretty while you're in Pennsylvania and Maryland (lots of water and trees and scenery), but once you hit New Jersey it's a lot of houses clustered close together---not that picturesque, but this is only a tiny portion of the journey. North of NYC is beautiful as well.
As for the train, I have only ridden in the regular cars on the commuter trains, and if you want a memorable train experience I would NOT recommend taking that type of train. The trains are clean, comfortable, and roomy with the legroom, but it's just not that exciting. They're filled with commuters and the last two I was on were both 1.5 hours late.
However, a train car with sleeping accomodations and personalized service sounds like it could be a lot of fun. You want to make sure that you are entertained---either that you can go places and see sights, or that you can spend quality time together, which is difficult to do if you don't have a private space to retreat to if you want it.
If you can, get to Maine. I don't know if the train goes up there, but if you have the time, I would absolutely recommend it. There are some awesome bed & breakfasts in Kennebunkport and Acadia National Park is amazing. I've also heard that New Hampshire and Vermont are gorgeous and during that time the fall colors should be pretty cool. And the Lake Placid, N.Y., area is stunning.
i took amtrak a ton from SF to Sacramento to visit Mr. D when we were still dating. I don't know much about what it's like on the East Coast, but I know if you were thinking of doing something on the West Coast, there are some great views going up north! You can even take Amtrak to Yosemite now. I always think Amtrak is pretty well run and clean, and the few times that Mr. D and I have taken the train together, it's just been fun to be riding together :P
I've done long hauls on Amtrak several times and it is my favorite way to travel. Here's what I have found and/or suggest:
!. Don't be too picky about your travel dates. Amtrak doesn't run as frequent a schedule as an airline.
2. Book the very best sleeping accomodations you can afford. The private sleeping/travel compartments are awesome, but small. Yes, you can always walk about the train and you will have your meals in the dining car, but that extra few inches of space is appreciated after day 1 on the train.
3. ENjoy yourselves! It is alovely, lovely way to travel.
My FI and I both travel from Boston to Atlanta annually - separately. I fly (my company pays for it) and since he hates to fly, he takes the train. He loves it so much I don't think I'll ever get him on a plane again!
I definiely echo the ladies above who recommend the sleeper car. If you want to stop and look around in a place, I really recommend booking 2 separate trips as opposed to one massive trip - as the time spent at stations is really minimal.
I've never taken a sleeper car, but I have ridden the Vermonter several times nearly the whole way (Vermont to DC). Based on my own experience, the trains are very pleasant - bathrooms are clean (but, you know, train bathrooms - similar to airplanes), people are generally quiet, and the view along the tracks is very nice, especially up north. Once you make it down past Springfeld, MA, you start to get into the areas with old factories, lots of housing and graffiti, and that pretty much continues through New Jersey. I happen to think that those are just as interesting as all the trees, mountains, and fields, but just saying.
Also, be prepared for wait times and, in case of snow in the northern areas (it's possible - and the trees up north will definitely be beautiful by then) or track trouble, you may end up on a bus being shuttled to a new train. This has happened to me probably 3 out of my 10 rides, and it sucks up a lot of time.
If I were you, I would spend some time in each state in the NE that you can take a good route through. From Montreal you could take the bus to the Vermonter train in St Albans, down into Burlington or somewhere in VT - maybe from there down to Springfield, MA (I wouldn't stay in Springfield but if you could rent a car, you could take it out to the Berkshires in W MA, about 1 hour from Springfield). Then you could take the train from Springfield out towards Boston, which would give you many choices of where to go from there. Perhaps to Providence, New London, New Haven, into NY. After a stop in NY, I would go on to Philadelphia before heading down to DC. That would be my route, and you would get to see a lot of New England - the country and the city - but there are all kinds of routes you could take! However, I am not sure about how many of those would give you a sleeping room or if they are all day trains, or whether you were looking for more long, overnight train rides and fewer stops. So that's just some ideas :)
If you are doing Montreal to DC over two weeks I doubt that you will ever have need of taking an overnight train, to do the whole thing in one fell swoop is only 14 hours. I would however reccomend that on your longer legs that you consider taking business class, it is a bit roomier and a little quiter and often less crowded.
There are some great places to stop and see on your way though! There are of course the cities like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Providence, Baltimore, Lancaster, Atlantic City but also try and learn more about some of the smaller stops. For example, if you take Amtrak from Philadelphia to Lancaster or Harrisburg, PA, you could also stop in Ardmore which is a cute little town with TONS of great shopping (google Suburban Square) and lots of cute places to eat and all of this is literally down a staircase from the train station. But had you just looked at one of the basic maps you wouldn't even know that they stopped there.
The other side of that however is that a lot of these train stations are not within walking distance of anything worth seeing so you would need alternate transportation. Getting a cab or renting a car would not be an issue in one of the major stops (even Lancaster, PA has cabs outside most of the time) but if you were to stop at a random place because it is closest to a B&B where you wanted to stay you are likely to need to call and wait for a cab. So I guess the thing to do would be to research carefully and find out cab numbers before you get to each stop etc.
One other suggestion is to maybe take the train for part of your trip and rent a car for another part--maybe drive through the upper part of the coast until you get to CT so you can explore a little more and see more foliage and then take the train or some other combination.
This sounds like fun at any rate! Let us know what you decide to do, I'd love to hear about it!
Wow, you guys rock!! Thanks so much for your thoughtful input. I have never seen the big cities like Boston & New York, but I am definitely also inerested in the small little towns along the way. I am going to research all the places you all suggested...
I will also look in to upgrading our seats and getting a sleeper car!
This may sound weird...I need advice from those who have Amtrak experience (was it pleasant?) and those from the Northeast/New England.
FI and I live in Hawaii and get gorgeous tropical weather all the time, therefore we want to do something different from the typical tropical honeymoon and we aren’t afraid of going somewhere cold! That plus the fact that we have a tight budget made us think of sticking close to home for the honeymoon. We will be married in September in Tennessee and will be taking our honeymoon in early October...what are your thoughts on an Amtrak honeymoon through New England and down the east coast? I have never ridden on Amtrak, but can picture a romantic train journey with incredible scenery. Is this delusional? Is it like this at all? Has anyone in the hive ever ridden this route? Also, will the fall colors be in-season in early October?
My initial idea is to fly in to Montreal, and somehow end up in Washington DC (have to be there for a friend’s wedding 2 weeks later.) Since we have 2 weeks to play with, where should we go? If you know the area, I would be ever appreciative if you would take a quick look at this map and let me know if you recommend any quaint little places along the way.
And if you have negative Amtrak experience and think this would be a terrible idea for a honeymoon...please let me know too! :)
Thanks so much!
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a370/sshepar1/Amtrak_regionalmap.jpg
posted by hulafish 52 posts 4 months agoFrom Boston to around the Connecticut area, it's beautiful! But you won't get much romantic scenery after that. =( And while the train ride itself seems like it would be really quaint and romantic, that line is full of business travelers (especially now with gas prices), and it's no more romantic than a plane ride.
That being said, I love this honeymoon idea! It'll be a ton of fun.
posted by rebecca 984 posts 4 months agoI would actually do that the opposite direction..fly into NY and take the trip north...fall colors will be in definitely by late September/ early October in New England but probably not as strong in the mid-Atlantic. Vermont is supposed to be especially nice.
Amtrak is what it it is. I am not sure if there is a hop-on hop-off thing you can do with them so you can see different parts of the Northeast, but I would take a look and see if they have any packages for that time of year. It's fine but it's definitely not the train experience you see in old movies, etc. with the full meal served by a waiter (at least not in my experience in the Northeast..other please correct me if I am wrong).
Good Luck!
posted by caribqueen 49 posts 4 months agoHi hula!
I've gone on 3! different Amtrak trips from upstate NY to Dallas, TX with my fiance's grandmother for various trips to see him and his family because she just doesn't do planes :) We had a sleeper cabin all 3 times which was really nice as we had concierge service, dinner (which is DELICIOUS! on the train), and got to meet other travelers as well. We met a couple on their honeymoon and I think it's a fab idea but only if you did something like a sleeper car which has sleeping accomodations. Good luck!
posted by garrysgirl1 1 posts 4 months agoI take the Amtrak Acela from NYC to Baltimore all of the time... it is not a long trip but it is very comfortable and much less hectic than flying. I would go for it.
posted by vyeta7 169 posts 4 months agoThe NYC-DC corridor is very pretty while you're in Pennsylvania and Maryland (lots of water and trees and scenery), but once you hit New Jersey it's a lot of houses clustered close together---not that picturesque, but this is only a tiny portion of the journey. North of NYC is beautiful as well.
As for the train, I have only ridden in the regular cars on the commuter trains, and if you want a memorable train experience I would NOT recommend taking that type of train. The trains are clean, comfortable, and roomy with the legroom, but it's just not that exciting. They're filled with commuters and the last two I was on were both 1.5 hours late.
However, a train car with sleeping accomodations and personalized service sounds like it could be a lot of fun. You want to make sure that you are entertained---either that you can go places and see sights, or that you can spend quality time together, which is difficult to do if you don't have a private space to retreat to if you want it.
posted by chelseamorning 200 posts 4 months agoi used to take amtrak every weekend, but in Los Angeles.
it was always a pleasant experience.
once or twice there was loud people talking, but otherwise it was always kind of fun!
me and my fiance were also considerering taking the train somewhere.
update us on how it all goes please.
posted by SugaryRocks 60 posts 4 months agoIf you can, get to Maine. I don't know if the train goes up there, but if you have the time, I would absolutely recommend it. There are some awesome bed & breakfasts in Kennebunkport and Acadia National Park is amazing. I've also heard that New Hampshire and Vermont are gorgeous and during that time the fall colors should be pretty cool. And the Lake Placid, N.Y., area is stunning.
posted by jma19 364 posts 4 months agoi took amtrak a ton from SF to Sacramento to visit Mr. D when we were still dating. I don't know much about what it's like on the East Coast, but I know if you were thinking of doing something on the West Coast, there are some great views going up north! You can even take Amtrak to Yosemite now. I always think Amtrak is pretty well run and clean, and the few times that Mr. D and I have taken the train together, it's just been fun to be riding together :P
posted by daffodil 65 posts 4 months agoI've done long hauls on Amtrak several times and it is my favorite way to travel. Here's what I have found and/or suggest:
!. Don't be too picky about your travel dates. Amtrak doesn't run as frequent a schedule as an airline.
2. Book the very best sleeping accomodations you can afford. The private sleeping/travel compartments are awesome, but small. Yes, you can always walk about the train and you will have your meals in the dining car, but that extra few inches of space is appreciated after day 1 on the train.
3. ENjoy yourselves! It is alovely, lovely way to travel.
posted by Mimsy 9 posts 4 months agoMy FI and I both travel from Boston to Atlanta annually - separately. I fly (my company pays for it) and since he hates to fly, he takes the train. He loves it so much I don't think I'll ever get him on a plane again!
I definiely echo the ladies above who recommend the sleeper car. If you want to stop and look around in a place, I really recommend booking 2 separate trips as opposed to one massive trip - as the time spent at stations is really minimal.
Enjoy! It sounds like a great idea!
posted by Trebuchet 48 posts 4 months agoI've never taken a sleeper car, but I have ridden the Vermonter several times nearly the whole way (Vermont to DC). Based on my own experience, the trains are very pleasant - bathrooms are clean (but, you know, train bathrooms - similar to airplanes), people are generally quiet, and the view along the tracks is very nice, especially up north. Once you make it down past Springfeld, MA, you start to get into the areas with old factories, lots of housing and graffiti, and that pretty much continues through New Jersey. I happen to think that those are just as interesting as all the trees, mountains, and fields, but just saying.
Also, be prepared for wait times and, in case of snow in the northern areas (it's possible - and the trees up north will definitely be beautiful by then) or track trouble, you may end up on a bus being shuttled to a new train. This has happened to me probably 3 out of my 10 rides, and it sucks up a lot of time.
If I were you, I would spend some time in each state in the NE that you can take a good route through. From Montreal you could take the bus to the Vermonter train in St Albans, down into Burlington or somewhere in VT - maybe from there down to Springfield, MA (I wouldn't stay in Springfield but if you could rent a car, you could take it out to the Berkshires in W MA, about 1 hour from Springfield). Then you could take the train from Springfield out towards Boston, which would give you many choices of where to go from there. Perhaps to Providence, New London, New Haven, into NY. After a stop in NY, I would go on to Philadelphia before heading down to DC. That would be my route, and you would get to see a lot of New England - the country and the city - but there are all kinds of routes you could take! However, I am not sure about how many of those would give you a sleeping room or if they are all day trains, or whether you were looking for more long, overnight train rides and fewer stops. So that's just some ideas :)
Good luck, it sounds like a lot of fun!
posted by katze 26 posts 4 months agoIf you are doing Montreal to DC over two weeks I doubt that you will ever have need of taking an overnight train, to do the whole thing in one fell swoop is only 14 hours. I would however reccomend that on your longer legs that you consider taking business class, it is a bit roomier and a little quiter and often less crowded.
There are some great places to stop and see on your way though! There are of course the cities like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Providence, Baltimore, Lancaster, Atlantic City but also try and learn more about some of the smaller stops. For example, if you take Amtrak from Philadelphia to Lancaster or Harrisburg, PA, you could also stop in Ardmore which is a cute little town with TONS of great shopping (google Suburban Square) and lots of cute places to eat and all of this is literally down a staircase from the train station. But had you just looked at one of the basic maps you wouldn't even know that they stopped there.
The other side of that however is that a lot of these train stations are not within walking distance of anything worth seeing so you would need alternate transportation. Getting a cab or renting a car would not be an issue in one of the major stops (even Lancaster, PA has cabs outside most of the time) but if you were to stop at a random place because it is closest to a B&B where you wanted to stay you are likely to need to call and wait for a cab. So I guess the thing to do would be to research carefully and find out cab numbers before you get to each stop etc.
One other suggestion is to maybe take the train for part of your trip and rent a car for another part--maybe drive through the upper part of the coast until you get to CT so you can explore a little more and see more foliage and then take the train or some other combination.
This sounds like fun at any rate! Let us know what you decide to do, I'd love to hear about it!
posted by nmn838 35 posts 4 months agoWow, you guys rock!! Thanks so much for your thoughtful input. I have never seen the big cities like Boston & New York, but I am definitely also inerested in the small little towns along the way. I am going to research all the places you all suggested...
I will also look in to upgrading our seats and getting a sleeper car!
Thanks again!
posted by hulafish 52 posts 4 months ago