Florida Short Trips

[Rail Freak]

Does anyone have a suggestion for me?

Would like to take a short trip from Tampa & back just to get the feel of what my 11 day trip will be like!!! When I say short trip, I mean with overnight in hotel before returning?

:unsure:

 

[p&sr]

Would like to take a short trip from Tampa & back just to get the feel of what my 11 day trip will be like!!!

Here's just the "ticket" for you:

Depart Tampa 10:40 AM on Amtrak Bus, arrive Orlando 1:00 PM.

Ride Train 98 from Orlando (1:57 PM) to Jacksonville (5:33 PM).

Overnight in Jacksonville.

Next morning, catch Train 91 at 7:15 AM, arrive Tampa 12:34 PM.

The section from DeLand to Jacksonville is very scenic, lots of thick subtropical vegetation (with Kudzu vine) and several outstanding views of open water along the St. Johns River. The station at Jacksonville is in the heart of town, so comfortable hotels should be available near-by.

 

[AlanB]

Would like to take a short trip from Tampa & back just to get the feel of what my 11 day trip will be like!!!

Here's just the "ticket" for you:

Depart Tampa 10:40 AM on Amtrak Bus, arrive Orlando 1:00 PM.

Ride Train 98 from Orlando (1:57 PM) to Jacksonville (5:33 PM).

Overnight in Jacksonville.

Next morning, catch Train 91 at 7:15 AM, arrive Tampa 12:34 PM.

The section from DeLand to Jacksonville is very scenic, lots of thick subtropical vegetation (with Kudzu vine) and several outstanding views of open water along the St. Johns River. The station at Jacksonville is in the heart of town, so comfortable hotels should be available near-by.

The station at JAX is not in the heart of town. It's easily 3 miles from downtown Jacksonville and the only transportation is either taxi or a long 20 to 25 minute bus ride. That's not saying that this is still a bad idea, but it's not like one steps off the train is is right downtown like you are in say Tampa, Orlando, DC, NY, Chicago or other major city.

 

[BobWeaver]

Does anyone have a suggestion for me?Would like to take a short trip from Tampa & back just to get the feel of what my 11 day trip will be like!!! When I say short trip, I mean with overnight in hotel before returning?

:unsure:

You can also ride Silver Star down to Miami and back the next day.

 

[Rail Freak]

Would like to take a short trip from Tampa & back just to get the feel of what my 11 day trip will be like!!!

Here's just the "ticket" for you:

Depart Tampa 10:40 AM on Amtrak Bus, arrive Orlando 1:00 PM.

Ride Train 98 from Orlando (1:57 PM) to Jacksonville (5:33 PM).

Overnight in Jacksonville.

Next morning, catch Train 91 at 7:15 AM, arrive Tampa 12:34 PM.

The section from DeLand to Jacksonville is very scenic, lots of thick subtropical vegetation (with Kudzu vine) and several outstanding views of open water along the St. Johns River. The station at Jacksonville is in the heart of town, so comfortable hotels should be available near-by.

The station at JAX is not in the heart of town. It's easily 3 miles from downtown Jacksonville and the only transportation is either taxi or a long 20 to 25 minute bus ride. That's not saying that this is still a bad idea, but it's not like one steps off the train is is right downtown like you are in say Tampa, Orlando, DC, NY, Chicago or other major city.

How about Savanah? :unsure:

Probably too early for me on return and too late on arrival into Savanah????

 

[p&sr]

The station at JAX is not in the heart of town. It's easily 3 miles from downtown Jacksonville...

It's not downtown, but it's not outside of town either. There are two motels within a couple blocks of the Station, and at least one of them has good reviews:

Monterey Eatery

5214 New Kings Rd

Sunshine Inn

5912 New Kings Rd

 

[Rail Freak]

The station at JAX is not in the heart of town. It's easily 3 miles from downtown Jacksonville...

It's not downtown, but it's not outside of town either. There are two motels within a couple blocks of the Station, and at least one of them has good reviews:

Monterey Eatery

5214 New Kings Rd

Sunshine Inn

5912 New Kings Rd

Which one,

Thanx

 

[p&sr]

How about Savanah? Probably too early for me on return and too late on arrival into Savanah????

Your choice. Most of the extra travel is likely to be in the dark both ways.

On the other hand, the Station there is open all night. So you could save hotel expenses if you don't mind being miserable, holed up in the Station instead. Just don't sleep through your Southbound Departure!

 

[p&sr]

It's not downtown, but it's not outside of town either. There are two motels within a couple blocks of the Station, and at least one of them has good reviews:

Which one, Thanx

Poking around briefly on the Internet, I found that one person liked the Monterey Eatery Motel. Apparently nobody on-line has ever stayed at the Sunshine Inn. Or if they liked it, they are keeping that as their own little secret!

 

[Rail Freak]

It's not downtown, but it's not outside of town either. There are two motels within a couple blocks of the Station, and at least one of them has good reviews:

Which one, Thanx

Poking around briefly on the Internet, I found that one person liked the Monterey Eatery Motel. Apparently nobody on-line has ever stayed at the Sunshine Inn. Or if they liked it, they are keeping that as their own little secret!

Maybe Okeechobee & do a little Bass Fishin!!!!

 

[AmtrakWPK]

Right now, Lake Okeechobee is on fire - there is a roughly 600 acre fire INSIDE the diked area, and they expect that to spread to at least three times that size. That is how low the water level is in Lake Okeechobee.

My suggestion would be take 91 down to Deerfield Beach, and take a municipal bus out to the beachside (less than 10 minutes, and the rail station is a stop on the bus line. We have twice stayed at the Comfort Inn Beachside, which is perhaps 100' from a bus stop, and is one block from the beach, and was affordable (I haven't checked them in the past year or two though. 954-428-0650 was their local phone number. We took either 91 or 97 (I don't remember which, might have been both since we've gone there at least twice from WPK). There are some nice local and not real expensive restaurants (a good variety) within walking distance of the Inn, and the beach a block to the East was quite nice. Also, of course, if you go down there, then you can also take a couple of Tri-Rail rides while you're there, since they also stop at the Deerfield Beach station.

BTW, we are taking 91-92 WPK-TPA-WPK tomorrow, National Train Day. Hope 91 is close to on-time so we don't miss too much of the festivities, and we will probably take the trolley over to Ybor City, since it is close by, and perhaps have lunch at the Columbia.

 

[Shotgun7]

Why get off in DFB when you can stay on just one more stop and get off right by downtown Ft. Lauderdale?? The Ft. Lauderdale station is about a half block away from the nearest BCT bus stop that runs clear out to the beach. Except this is the more popular beach with nicer hotels and more activities. Plus, the Bass Pro Shops is one stop north on Tri-Rail.

 

[Rail Freak]

Right now, Lake Okeechobee is on fire - there is a roughly 600 acre fire INSIDE the diked area, and they expect that to spread to at least three times that size. That is how low the water level is in Lake Okeechobee.

Must be hybernating and reading this forum, I haven't heard the Lake is on fire!

 

[tourlink99]

I'm going to go for a quickie ride on May 17-18 tpa-orl-jax-tpa. I'll spend a night in a Jax hotel. I want to use that Florida rail pass sitting in my desk draw.

 

[Rail Freak]

I want to use that Florida rail pass sitting in my desk draw.

Florida Pass?

 

[AmtrakWPK]

Florida Resident Annual Railpass. Currently $249. Sometimes they have put it on sale for $199 for a month or so each year.

With this Pass, (you MUST be a Florida Resident - some slight exceptions for military or students, I think, the rules are on the Amtrak site), you have unlimited travel on all Amtrak trains for all station stops in Florida for a full year. Go every day for a year if you want. To use it, you must show proper photo I.D. (rules on the site, again), and the Pass, and you fill out a passenger card the Conductor will give you, showing your name, Pass number, date, train number, and both origination and destination stations.

You do not and cannot reserve a seat with it - you just flash the Pass and your I.D. and get on the train. You are NOT guaranteed a seat (you might end up in the lounge car if the train is sold out), but you ARE guaranteed a ride. So far in the years we've had it and used it we did not ever end up without a seat. Wendy and I purchased the Pass for several years, but not in the last couple of years because since Sunset Limited no longer runs in Florida, they have effectively removed about a third or so of the available rail miles and stations available to visit, but they did NOT reduce the price of the Pass. Last year they didn't even lower it to $199 for the annual sale period. This year I don't know if we'll get it or not. Just remember that while it sounds like a great deal, it only IS a great deal if you USE IT a great deal.

 

[Rail Freak]

Florida Resident Annual Railpass. Currently $249. Sometimes they have put it on sale for $199 for a month or so each year.
With this Pass, (you MUST be a Florida Resident - some slight exceptions for military or students, I think, the rules are on the Amtrak site), you have unlimited travel on all Amtrak trains for all station stops in Florida for a full year. Go every day for a year if you want. To use it, you must show proper photo I.D. (rules on the site, again), and the Pass, and you fill out a passenger card the Conductor will give you, showing your name, Pass number, date, train number, and both origination and destination stations.

You do not and cannot reserve a seat with it - you just flash the Pass and your I.D. and get on the train. You are NOT guaranteed a seat (you might end up in the lounge car if the train is sold out), but you ARE guaranteed a ride. So far in the years we've had it and used it we did not ever end up without a seat. Wendy and I purchased the Pass for several years, but not in the last couple of years because since Sunset Limited no longer runs in Florida, they have effectively removed about a third or so of the available rail miles and stations available to visit, but they did NOT reduce the price of the Pass. Last year they didn't even lower it to $199 for the annual sale period. This year I don't know if we'll get it or not. Just remember that while it sounds like a great deal, it only IS a great deal if you USE IT a great deal.

Would this be good for bus service also (St Pete - Orlando)?

 

[AmtrakWPK]

The Pass includes use of the Amtrak bus that goes from Tampa down to Ft. Myers, stopping at St. Pete, Bradenton, Sarasota, Pt. Charlotte, and Ft. Myers, and between Orlando and Tampa (which you would need if you wanted to connect with 98 northbound from Orlando or 97 Southbound into Orlando). If you don't need to connect to 97/98, just take 91/92, which go all the way West into Tampa, and through the Orlando corridor (and all the way to Miami on the South end and New York on the North end). The Pass does NOT cover travel North of JAX, or, (when Sunset was running) West of Pensacola.

It says it does not cover buses other than the one down to Ft. Myers and over to Orlando, but I think they need to re-do that page regarding the Pass, because I suspect that other than no Sunset Limited, they have not updated it since the Palmetto was truncated to Savannah, since they mention upgrading to Business Class, which was only an option on the Palmetto (the Star and Meteor have coach and sleepers, no Business Class), and I see no rational reason to deny Passholders use of the bus that runs North through Wildwood, Ocala, Gainesville, to Jax, since that bus essentially replaced the Palmetto to retain those connecting cities both of which suggest they simply haven't realized that the Florida Pass page on the Amtrak site is erroneous on those issues...

Followup - I called and talked to an Agent at the main Amtrak number, and she looked up the Florida Railpass page and agreed with me that it probably hadn't been updated properly following the truncation of the Palmetto, and that the Pass should also include the bus that runs North out of Tampa to Wildwood, Ocala, etc. But she said I had to call back and talk to Customer Service about that. Maybe I'll just e-mail it to them, since that's an option.

BUT......

The most interesting thing I got from her was that she has recently been hearing rumors from upstairs that there is serious consideration developing at Amtrak to running a JAX-NOL train, NOT continuing the Sunset to Orlando, but running a completely separate train (dare we hope a daily?) from NOL-JAX, which would, depending on schedule, provide a (daily!?!?!?!?!) connection with the City of New Orleans and therefore effectively a through train from JAX to Chicago, and by connecting to Silver Service trains at JAX, a connection to trains to the rest of Florida to the South and West of JAX and North to SAV, CHS, etc. And of course three times a week the Southern Continental Route would also be back in business again with a connection to/from Sunset at NOL. This may be what we have been hoping/praying/yelling/emailing/telephoning/cajoling/arguing/writing/lobbying for ever since Katrina.

 

[AlanB]

BUT......
The most interesting thing I got from her was that she has recently been hearing rumors from upstairs that there is serious consideration developing at Amtrak to running a JAX-NOL train, NOT continuing the Sunset to Orlando, but running a completely separate train (dare we hope a daily?) from NOL-JAX, which would, depending on schedule, provide a (daily!?!?!?!?!) connection with the City of New Orleans and therefore effectively a through train from JAX to Chicago, and by connecting to Silver Service trains at JAX, a connection to trains to the rest of Florida to the South and West of JAX and North to SAV, CHS, etc. And of course three times a week the Southern Continental Route would also be back in business again with a connection to/from Sunset at NOL. This may be what we have been hoping/praying/yelling/emailing/telephoning/cajoling/arguing/writing/lobbying for ever since Katrina.

There has pretty much been serious consideration of this idea ever since Katrina. The hold up is that Amtrak wants the local states to chip and pay for the train. They are in effect holding the States of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi hostage.

 

[Rail Freak]

BUT......
The most interesting thing I got from her was that she has recently been hearing rumors from upstairs that there is serious consideration developing at Amtrak to running a JAX-NOL train, NOT continuing the Sunset to Orlando, but running a completely separate train (dare we hope a daily?) from NOL-JAX, which would, depending on schedule, provide a (daily!?!?!?!?!) connection with the City of New Orleans and therefore effectively a through train from JAX to Chicago, and by connecting to Silver Service trains at JAX, a connection to trains to the rest of Florida to the South and West of JAX and North to SAV, CHS, etc. And of course three times a week the Southern Continental Route would also be back in business again with a connection to/from Sunset at NOL. This may be what we have been hoping/praying/yelling/emailing/telephoning/cajoling/arguing/writing/lobbying for ever since Katrina.

There has pretty much been serious consideration of this idea ever since Katrina. The hold up is that Amtrak wants the local states to chip and pay for the train. They are in effect holding the States of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi hostage.

For the life of me, I can't find the Fla Pass page!

:angry:

 

[AmtrakWPK]

From the Amtrak Home Page,

Select "Hot Deals"

Then Select (left side vertical menu) Rail Passes

Then Select Florida Rail Pass

 

[Rail Freak]

From the Amtrak Home Page,
Select "Hot Deals"

Then Select (left side vertical menu) Rail Passes

Then Select Florida Rail Pass

Thanx a bunch. Hope to meet you and Wendy sometime. Looks as though I'm gonna get hooked on train travel!!!

 

[nasohr]

It's not downtown, but it's not outside of town either. There are two motels within a couple blocks of the Station, and at least one of them has good reviews:

Which one, Thanx

Poking around briefly on the Internet, I found that one person liked the Monterey Eatery Motel. Apparently nobody on-line has ever stayed at the Sunshine Inn. Or if they liked it, they are keeping that as their own little secret!

I live in Jacksonville and both of those motels are in one of the worst parts of town. Don't stay there. I would take a taxi Downtown and stay at a big name hotel there. I think that would be the cheapest way to go.

 

[p&sr]

I live in Jacksonville and both of those motels are in one of the worst parts of town. Don't stay there.

Thanks for the tip. It shows what can happen when you poke around blindly on the Internet.

When I took my teenage daughter to Europe, we found all our hotels there the same way... cheap and close to the Station. As I recall, every single one of them was in the "Red Light District"... and I Don't mean Train Signals.

Part of a general education, I suppose...

 

[Rail Freak]

From the Amtrak Home Page,
Select "Hot Deals"

Then Select (left side vertical menu) Rail Passes

Then Select Florida Rail Pass

More curious than cheep.

With a Florida pass, could I do a round trip bus trip from TPA to Sarasota every weekend? <_<