I have a six month old who is all smiles until you put him in a car seat. That is why we Keys made a routine visit to family into an adventure by deciding to go by train. It worked! Baby was happy, kids enjoyed the ride, and I arrived a little less tired. Here are some tips I found along the way to make it more of an adventure for the older kids and a happier ride for baby and Mommy!
1. Buying tickets, kids ride for half fare!
One of the main reasons I was up for this trip is that as I tried different dates and times on Amtrak's website I found tickets comparable to the cost of gas. I was amazed at how affordable train travel is becoming! If you can play with different dates and times to find some great fares.
2. Let the older kids pack and carry thier own rolling suit cases
Amtrak is generous with thier luggage allowances, even if you are just bringing carry-ons. Even so I wanted needed the kids to be able to carry thier own things since I had a foldable stroller, baby and infant carseat, my own carry on, and the baby's diaper bag stuffed with snacks. I put thier clothes in the suitcases first, then let them pack a few toys and books. Then we tested if they could pick up thier suit case alone. This is important as they might have to go up and down stairs with it. I think it taught them some packing light skills too (They whittled down library of books they were bringing to just a couple). I was so glad we decided on rolling suitcases for them. Backpacks would have been too heavy as we waited for the train.
3. Bring a small infant carseat.
This was great for baby naps on the train, and to give my arms a little rest! An infant seat fit perfectly at my feet onboard The conductor called Isaiah a little stowaway (because babies ride for free) which made the kids giggle. I brought a foldable frame stroller that it snaps into, put my luggage and diaper bag on that. later the carseat strapped into my mom's car.
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Sleeping while mommy packs the diaper bag, the morning of the trip.
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4. Check Amtrak's arrival site in case your train is running behind.
You can even download their app. I found the train might be a few minutes late in the morning, and possibly an hour late later in the day, so it is important to check!
5. Leave an extra hour or so to meander around the train station.
I wish I had allowed more time because only got their thirty minutes early, not enough time to make it to the train museum next door. We didn't have to check into a station at all we just hopped onto the train with the digital tickets Amtrak sent by email. It was fun for the kids just to talk to other passengers in the waiting room. Next time I will give us an hour to get a coffee and explore the more around the train station.
6. Pack an activity book with maps, drawing paper, and puzzles.
I found some great travel printables (my favorite one from this Family Education site)
I also went to Amtrak's website and printed out a
map of the trip (just click on the small map on your route to pull up a larger customizable map to print)so the kids could mark off the cities as we rolled through them. For my reading ten year old I added the Amtrak Route Guide which includes a paragraph about each stations history and feature to learn more about where we are at any given town.
I also found these pages with instructions on how to draw trains;
6. When you get a little stir crazy go to the Dining Car!
This is one of my favorite things about train travel! The Dining Car. It might not be fancy but their is something about sitting down at a table while traveling that I love. We brought UNO and a plastic bag full of lunchy snacks to the dining car. We sat at a table and watched the world go by while we ate and played. It's kinda nice to talk with your people face to face, light pouring in on your table. Plus my kids love the change of scene, to stretch their legs, and push the buttons that open the doors between the cars (as long as their not fighting over them).
Ok that's all I've got! I loooove riding on trains. The scenery seems undiscovered. The quiet rocking of the train makes my kids sleepy. Also it seems romantic, tied into so many books we've read, Harry Potter, The Boxcar Children, The Railway Children, A Bear Called Paddington.
So many different kinds of people to see. There were friendly city people, people from other countries, suburbanites, and even a couple Amish families. It was fun asking people where they where from and watching them get on and off the train.
I think we all enjoyed it, learned a lot, and had fun making a train memory!
Happy Travels! May your bags be light and your kids not fight (too much).- Allison
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