Quick trip with kids

[smithtrain]

We're thinking of skipping the toys etc. this Christmas and getting the kids a short trip on the train instead. It will be their first trip. We never did go on the other trip we had hoped for. Our closest origination city is NOL. What are your suggestions for a short ride (can't afford sleepers for all 7 of us) and a one or two night stayover somewhere. I'm concerned about the logistics of car rental and hotels. Do major stations have rental car desks there? We're thinking of Houston, Memphis, Atlanta - something like that. We'd like to do the zoo or some other thing when we get there. My main question I guess is the ease of renting a car at the stations in these cities and the proximities of attractions/hotels.

 

[the_traveler]

I'm concerned about the logistics of car rental and hotels. Do major stations have rental car desks there? We're thinking of Houston, Memphis, Atlanta - something like that. We'd like to do the zoo or some other thing when we get there. My main question I guess is the ease of renting a car at the stations in these cities and the proximities of attractions/hotels.

I can't speak about Memphis, as I've never been to the station. But I have been to Atlanta and Houston. The station is in an inconvenient lace and the SL arrives at a somewhat inconvenient time. I don't recall if there's a car rental phone at the station. In Atlanta, there is (I believe) a car rental phone at the station, then you take a cab to the Hertz location at a hotel (when I used it) to get the car. But the times of the location did not match fully the times of the trains.

Personally, I would consider trying to get out to the airport to get a rental car. You have much more of a choice of companies and/or prices. I might also consider going a little further, such as to San Antonio, Chicago or Washington, DC. These can be reached within a day (or early the following morning) from NOL. And if you do go overnight, sleeping in coach for 1 night is not bad. (Don't confuse coach on a train with coach on a plane - you have MUCH more room and MUCH more comfort on a train!)

The big suggestion is that if you are considering this around Christmas, book ASAP (if not sooner)!

 

[Tony]

My main question I guess is the ease of renting a car at the stations in these cities and ...

You might want to read thru the thread Hertz Rental Counters @ Stations, Renting a car right at an Amtrak Station. It started out about just Hertz, but there is a lot of other non-Hertz specific info in there.

Let me say, there are car rental companies that will go the-extra-mile (pun?) to accommodate you. I had a rental company leave my car at a nearby hotel for an after hours pick up, and arranged at their own expense, a taxi to pick us up at the train station and bring us over to that hotel.

 

[Tony]

BTW, that same rental place, after apparently noting that I mention I had my family coming with me on the train, gave us a free upgrade to a stretch minivan.

 

[Crescent Mark]

Don't ever check luggage through Atlanta if you don't want to wait for 45 mins to an hour after the train LEAVES the station to retrieve it. Unbelievably slow, but otherwise the station is right downtown.....

Go New Orleans to Atlanta. It leaves in the morning and gets there in the evening. Get coach seats. Atlanta has an awesome zoo, one of my favorites ever because of the 3 pandas, all kinds of attractions and such. Cool parks to take your kids, nice museums and things like Turner Field (Braves game) or the World Of Coke.

DC is nice but busy....kinda too far maybe?

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Go to Chicago. Coach seats are quite acceptable for overnight travel. Also, the CONO has really inexpensive roomettes, so you could consider them for one leg of the trip. If you go to Chicago, you'll save money because you won't need to rent a car. Also you could try New York, with the same logic. If you go to Chicago, make sure you eat at Giordano's, the unofficial Official Amtrak Unlimited Chicago Pizza place.

Edit: Lowest bucket for travel on the CONO in roomettes with 7 people is 4 roomettes, 7 tickets. That comes to 1144 each way. And as I said, coach seats are perfectly acceptable. Lowest bucket for that would be 756.

Keep in mind that sleeper price going from Chicago to New Orleans, that includes, I believe, 3 meals for each passenger, or a total of 21 meals.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

We're thinking of skipping the toys etc. this Christmas and getting the kids a short trip on the train instead.

Won't make any rail recommendations - not my neck of the woods - but suggest not skipping the toys entirely. As a former - some would say current - kid, I know toys are important. Maybe some inexpensive, rail-related toys delivered while aboard the train.