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tonys96

tonys96

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So the g/f and I have decided to not go to WAS as the last "zone" trip, but to go to NYP instead. However, we are also adding NOL as the other endpoint. We will either start in NOL or start in NYP, flying to/from one of these. We will only have one week this summer, so we will do a couple days in NYC and a couple in NOLA, and the Crescent between.....flying to/from Dallas before and after.

Questions are:

1. Which direction should we take the Crescent to get best scenery/experience?

2. Hotel recommendations in NOLA?

3. Hotel recommendations in NYC?

G/f did her doctoral dissertation on post Katrina communications problems in NOLA, and this will be her first visit back since then, and her first ever visit as a "fun" trip, so we will do a bit of night life and a lot of historical/local flavor exploring. Would want a decent hotel within reasonable distance of Amtrak station, and in NYC, we will do the touristy stuff (Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, Broadway show, etc) and just walk and look......

Thanks to all in advance for your suggestions and input. Happy 2016!
 
Nice plan Tony!

I suggest that you start in NOL( fly SWA) and take the Crescent to NYP ( Leaves @ 7am/Arrives @ 145pm). This gives you Daylight across the Causeway and most of the way to Atlanta, with three meals in the Diner, overnight through the Carolinas and Daylight through Virginia, up the NEC thru WAS, PHL etc. with Breakfast and Lunch on the way.( total of 5 meals in the Diner)

I really like the Plas D'Armes Hotel, a very Romantic, 200 year old building with a great Courtyard. The upstairs rooms are the best.

It's behind the Cathedral and Jackson Square,only a couple of blocks from everything in downtown NOL, but far enough away from Bourbon Street to avoid the noise. Google it up.

Plenty of flights from the New York Airports to DFW or Love!

Il leave the NY Hotels to those more current with the Apple!
 
You have to eat when you are in NOLA ,,,,

# 1 Commanders Palace

#2 NOLA (actually the name of a restaurant)

We also almost always take a ride on the General Jackson when we are town

I also highly recommend the WWII museum,,,

enjoy the big easy,, my favorite destination
 
I'll second Andersone's recommendations. NOL is our favorite city and has been since a stop on our honeymoon 40+ years ago. We fully intend to have our 50th celebration at Commander's Palace. While most every New Olreans restaurant has good food, the service at Commander's is what sets it apart. We like lunch there so you can walk off the great meal through the Garden district - might even tie it into a guided walking tour. And of course the way to get there is on the St. Charles streetcar. Another restaurant we discovered recenty that was much less formal (dress up a bit at Commander's - jackets in the evening) is Superior Seafood also in the Garden district - great food and drinks. A usually quick and relaxed restaurant we like in the Quarter is the Gumbo Shop which is stritctly local food. Irene's italian restaurant is also a nice change from cajun. And while very touristy, Sunday brunch at the Court of the Two Sisters is almost required. But be sure and make reservations at the higher end restaurants. If you want to splurge a bit, the Omni Royal Orleans hotel is wonderful. But watch out for the antique shops on nearby Royal St. - great stuff and way to easy to spend money.

I certainly wouldn't worry about having a hotel near the station. Every thing is pretty close together and if you're catching the Crescent at 7 am, traffic won't be an issue. Taxi last we checked was a flat $11 from the station to our hotels in the Quarter and Warehouse District but Uber a couple months ago was less than $6 with no tip.

Finally, our favorite time in NOL is anytime other than the summer. It's just too hot and steamy to spend the day out walking. And New Orleans is very much a walkable city.
 
I took the Crescent last summer, NOL to ALX and thought the views were beautiful - not like the CZ but I think the the South is lovely in its own right. I got my best photos from the Causeway, each side looking like a completely different lake. If the train's not late going South (#20) then you would still see the Causeway in daylight. If you didn't want to stay far from the station, there's a Hyatt within walking distance and a Holiday Inn & HIE at most a half mile from the station. If you would rather get the flavor of NOL then Mr Dylan's suggestion of the Plas D'Armes Hotel is an excellent idea, close to what the city is all about.
 
OP,

Having made this trip a number of times, I'd actually recommend going southbound, assuming that you're doing the trip in the summer as indicated above. Reasons are:

1) More leisurely departure time from NYP - nothing puts the kibosh on a whole day than having to get up at 5:30 to start it, at least for me.

2) DC in the evening seems more scenic than in the morning - can't really explain why, something to do with the lighting. Plan on eating dinner the first seating after leaving DC, make your way to the diner as soon as HEP is restored from the engine change, and enjoy the sights out of both sides of the car.

3) Alabama scenery seems better between Anniston and Birmingham going this way.

4) Day 2 ends with sun going down over Lake Ponchatrain, with a civilized (on-time) arrival into NOL that allows you to eat dinner in town after you arrive (extra NOL dinner).
 
Tony: If you can get a better fare to / from EWR you might want to stay in Newark. A lot depends on how much time you want to stay at a hotel. There is a hotel a couple blocks of Newark Penn station. Clean but very small room. Much better price than New York city and is called the Robert Treat ( last time stayed there ) No transportation at that time but who knows now ??????????
 
While in NOLA, do not, I repeat, do NOT miss out on the Muffaletta sandwich, order a small, at the best site in town (virtually every restaurant has them, but Central Grocery is considered thee best, kind of like the reputation that the beef dip sandwich fame that Philippe The Original in LA has)

Lodging in either can be pricey, duh, but I've stayed a couple of times at the Astor Crowne in NOLA, right at entrance to Quarter, on Canal Street.

As for "scenery" on the Crescent? Meh, like the NY-to-Florida trains, it ain't nothing like the trains departing West outa Chicago. It has it's random moments, but really, pretty run of the mill.......

Now if you are a rail fan, and just like riding trains, it will be fine, OTOH, the NY-Florida scenery is just sooooooooooooo "uber-meh". Sure you get your city vista, and occasional bridge crossing, and then pines, and more pines, and if you like pines, more of said conifers. Running "down the street" in Ashland, VA is about as exciting as it gets. (it's actually separated from street, but straddles the North-South thoroughfare in town.

Longleaf-Pine-Forest.jpg
 
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rrdude said:
As for "scenery" on the Crescent? Meh, like the NY-to-Florida trains, it ain't nothing like the trains departing West outa Chicago. It has it's random moments, but really, pretty run of the mill.......
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The Crescent's not AS bad as the Silvers... the stretch from Anniston to Birmingham particularly is pretty hilly and valed.
 
Actually if rivers, marshes, lakes and waterfowl interest you, the Silvers aren't that bad in Florida either. They pretty much follow the St. Johns River flood plains all the way from JAX to Sanford or close to it crossing it a couple of times on the way.
 
I liked Le Pavillon: http://www.lepavillon.com

It's close to the train station (about a half-mile), the streetcar lines, and the French Quarter. You can take a streetcar to the Garden District pretty easily too.

I will definitely stay there again the next time I'm in New Orleans. The staff treated me like royalty, the rooftop pool and hot tub are open until 1 or 2 a.m, and they have a Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich buffet around 10 p.m. every night. That was kind of fun. :)

The prices can be kind of up there, but I traveled in July and paid about $80/night. Summer might be the low season? It was definitely really, really hot and humid. I'll go in January next time. ;)
 
Tennessee Traveler said:
andersone said:
We also almost always take a ride on the General Jackson when we are town
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While I agree the General Jackson is a great river boat ride, you'll have to come to my town NASHVILLE to ride it. There are two river boats with day cruises in New Orleans and they are good too.
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Tell Amtrak to get a train to Nashville and I'm there. I once had to travel from Philadelphia by bus. Not fun.
 
When we went to New Orleans a few years ago, we stayed at the Drurry Inn and Suites. Yes, it was a chain, but really nice. In addition to breakfast, they also gave snacks in the evening which included 3 alcoholic drinks per person. It was not far from the station.

As far as direction, I am not sure it really matters too much in the summer.
 
Wells Viaduct just south of Toccoa, Ga. is noteworthy, but it requires a southbound ride -- either a train running late or a train in the summer. The foothills in southern Virginia are nice if the northbound is running late.
 
xyzzy said:
Wells Viaduct just south of Toccoa, Ga. is noteworthy, but it requires a southbound ride -- either a train running late or a train in the summer. The foothills in southern Virginia are nice if the northbound is running late.
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This is really the only part I enjoy northbound more than southbound, Breakfast in the Virginia countryside, seeing all the early morning extreme commuters heading toward DC from "Horse country", reaching the VRE terminus, etc.
 
I prefer the north to south route as I dont get up at 5:30 for a train. Ive done the trip three times and arrived on time or close too it. Quick taxi to hotel and dinner in the city. Commanders Palace is a great restaurant but its expensive. Many first class places to eat that dont break the bank.

Lots of great hotels as mentioned. If you stay near Bourbon Street and dont wish the noise ask for an inner room facing the pool/courtyard. Bourbon Orleans is a good hotel for that scenario. Place d'Armes is nice and I like Hotel Monteleone which is historic and has a Carousel Bar.

New Orleans is a city full of nightlife/music and full of historical and local flavors. It is a favorite of mine. Enjoy it.
 
xyzzy said:
Wells Viaduct just south of Toccoa, Ga. is noteworthy, but it requires a southbound ride -- either a train running late or a train in the summer. The foothills in southern Virginia are nice if the northbound is running late.
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For a truly bizarre experience, I was once on a southbound that was severely impacted by flooding & downed trees in Virginia. Went to sleep just pass Manassas at 10:30 PM, woke up the next morning just north of Danville. :eek: Carolinas in the daylight, then night again by Atlanta. Didn't get to NOL until O dark thirty, about 9-10 hours late.
 
Tisha did her doctoral dissertation on the communications failures immediately after Katrina, and how long it continued to fail......she was there for a month immediately after the storm, so seeing NOLA now will be a completely different experience for her. And she has never been to NYC, and even more importantly......she has never ridden Amtrak.......so this will all be an experience for her! Thanks for suggestions so far......anyone got NYC suggestions?
 
when we were there in 2013 I was appalled at how little had been done in the neighborhoods,,, you could tell who the have nots were

I also forgot to mention Willa Mae's Scotch house, the best fried chicken I have ever had we plan to go back in the spring of 17 got to do Iowa Pacific before I die
 
NYC: 1)The Staten Island Ferry/ ( Free!) goes right past the Statue of Liberty without the Crowds and Expense of a tour.

2)Central Park: (Free!)

3)Ellis Island

4)United Nations

5)Coney Island/ Brooklyn ( via Subway)

6)Yankee Stadium Tour ( cheaper than a game!)

7)The Famous Museums( many)

8)Carnegie Hall Concert

9)Grand Central Terminal with Oyster Meal

10) Katzs' Deli

11)The Freedom Tower

12)Empire State Building

13)New York Stock Exchange/ Wall Street

14)Rockefeller Plaza

15)Fifth Avenue/St. Patrick's Cathedral

16)NY Public Library

And thousands more!!!
 
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One thing everyone needs to go when going to New York City is to go to Time Square. It really is a truly unique experience that I can't describe. Find a place to just watch the hustle and bustle, the tourists, and the unique sounds and smells. After seeing it when it is full, plan on going early morning before it gets crazy again.
 
NYC for a *railfan*:

(1) IRT stations from the initial contract

(2) Grand Central Station

(3) BRT stations from the early contracts

(4) NYC Subway Museum

(5) Dual Contracts stations

(6) Dyre Avenue Line stations

(7) Hoboken (surface & PATH & HBLR)

.....

:)
 
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