Texas Easter Week

[Scott O]

Just starting to plan a trip to Texas starting on Easter weekend. We have a week to travel.(myself and ten yr. old son). The plan is to get Explore America passes.I live very close to the Sturtevant WI station

So far I figured on Hiawatha to Chicago-Texas Eagle to San Antonio-Sunset Limited to New Orleans-City of New Orleans to Chicago-Hiawatha to home.

So far all I have roughed out is starting on Sat. and riding overnight to get off in Dallas Easter Sunday. Kind of figured to stay somewhere near the airport and take the TRE the next day and get back on at Fort Worth.

The two cities I for sure want to overnight at besides Dallas are Austin and San Antonio. Another thing we want to squeeze in is some swimming.

Any recommended hotels or stations to stop at? Thinking of maybe also staying overnight in New Orleans. The way I have it figured is we'll spend two overnights on the train. The first night out on the way down and the last night out on the way back.

Also a question about the Explore America passes,how do you get ticketed for each individual segment?

Thanks in advance.

Scott O

 

[Trogdor]

You seem to have the routes planned out well enough.

You will have to overnight in both San Antonio and New Orleans because the southbound Texas Eagle does not offer a same-day connection with the eastbound Sunset Limited. Also, the eastbound Sunset Limited does not connect with the City of New Orleans.

The "Explore America fares" are not actual passes. They are fares automatically calculated when an itinerary meets their conditions. Basically, they are a maximum fare you will pay if you travel enough on one itinerary. The fares apply to coach (rail) fare only. If you decide to upgrade to sleeping car accommodations, those will be extra. It may be possible for your rail fare to be lower than the Explore America fare, in which case you would be charged the lower fare.

I should also note that the Sunset Limited, which runs three days per week in each direction, is often extremely late. This is due to severe freight train congestion on the Union Pacific tracks over which it operates. It is not uncommon for the train to be five or more hours late at San Antonio. If you book this trip, definitely call Amtrak before heading to the station on the morning of departure to determine how late the train is, as you would be better off enjoying a morning in San Antonio than sitting in the station for a few hours.

I'm sure others can comment on what to see/do in specific cities along the way.

 

[saxman]

The stay in Dallas and Fort Worth sounds like a good plan. Plenty of hotels to chose from, then take the TRE to Fort Worth to catch the Eagle. Just to note, the TRE does not run on Sundays. But it looks like your arriving in Dallas on a Sunday so you should be fine. You can take the light rail from Dallas all over town too. It doesn't go to the airport yet. Upon your departure from Fort Worth, ride down to Austin. That is a nice ride. You'll get to Austin around 8pm. Since Austin is not very far from San Antonio, it may be worth it to drive or a take a bus there. You may certainly ride the train, but it leaves kinda late and gets to SA kinda late. But if you like trains as much as I do, you'd ride the train right? Spend a good time in SA. Walk the Riverwalk, and do all the things. A hotel in downtown is worth it.

That is just a general idea about Texas cities. If you have more specifics, I'd be glad to tell you. I'm from there, so I usually know whats going on.

Chris

 

[bkpeoples]

Scott --

Unless you're absolutely sold on Dallas, I'd ride on into to Fort Worth and overnight there. Downtown Dallas has very little in the way of sights and the lodging choices are all fairly expensive. Also, attractions for the short people are sadly lacking. There is the West End (one stop up from Union Station on the light rail) which is all chain restaurants in converted warehouse space and overpriced boutique-style shops (hand-made soap, Texasana, "antiques") in a multi-story shopping mall. You do have some options to get out of downtown on the light rail and buses (or cabs), but there isn't anywhere handy that is exceptional. The TV show aside, Dallas strives to look like every other city in the US with very little out of the ordinary.

To overnight by the airport would mean a cab ride from dowtown to any of a series of lodging chains, but no TRE on Sunday. The only hotel close to the TRE station is the new Marriott south of the airport for the TRE ride to Fort Worth on Monday.

If, however, you go on to Fort Worth, you have a wide variety of lodging choices, including some great restored older hotels and converted older buildings (the Blackstone Courtyard and the Clarion Inn are both reasonable, mid-range choices) within a 10 minute walk from the train station. There is a downtown hotel with a rooftop pool. It was a Ramada, but recently changed. I'll check on what it is and get back to you. Within a 20 square block area of downtown are: 2 movie theaters (18 screens); Barnes and Noble (and cafe); dozens of restaurants (chains, locally owned, fine-dining, fast food); a wide variety of boutique-type shops, art galleries, pool hall, commedy club. Downtown is mostly restored art-nuevo buildings and the town is proud of it's western, cattle-drive heritage. www.sundancesquare.com

A short bus or cab-ride north of downtown is the Fort Worth stockyards with restaurants, shops, a cattle-pen maze, and an amateur rodeo every weekend. www.fortworthstockyards.org

There is also a good cultural/museum district just west of downtown with an Imax theater and a children's museum, as well as some great art museums. I'm not sure what Easter Day hours would be, but most should be open the following Monday.

The Visitor's and Convention Bureau website lists many other attractions and has coupons and special offers. www.fortworth.com

If you want to ride the TRE, you could overnight in Fort Worth, then go by TRE to Dallas or even downtown Irving (more interesting city between Dallas and Fort Worth) for lunch on Monday and still be back plenty early for the Texas Eagle Departure for Austin Monday afternoon. I'm not sure how your son handles hospitals, but the TRE stops at the Dallas Medical District, across from the entrance to Children's Medical Center. It has a great model train running all over the lobby. The main dinning room is in a train theme also. I eat there sometimes when I'm in Dallas. The food is good, cheap, healthy and it's right on the TRE.

I'm sorry if I sound biased, but I am. I moved to Dallas in 1993 and worked downtown for six years. In 1999 I got smart and moved to a historic neighborhood just outside of downtown Fort Worth.

Any way, keep us posted on the planning. I take the Heartland Flyer to Oklahoma City about once a month and the Texas Eagle up and down to meetings in Little Rock, Waco, Austin and San Antonio. I'm planning the Fort Worth-San Antonio-New Orleans-Chicago-Fort Worth run for a week of vacation sometime next summer.

Take care,

Brendan Peoples

 

[Scott O]

Wow thanks for the quick replies everyone. I figured someone out there would be able to help me out.

If I did get the Explore America fare it seems to me that they advertise unlimited travel within a region over a period of 45 days? Maybe I'm misunderstanding what they're saying. I was hoping I could also take a few side trips in the 45 day period.

I really enjoy riding the train and have been Sturtevant to Chicago to Jackson MS. Then Bus to Tuscaloosa (Meridian would've been a better choice in hindsight) then to Atlanta. Return trip was up to Charlottesville VA to Chicago then Metra up into Wisconsin.

Among other trips I have also rode back from DC through Harpers Ferry and really enjoyed that.

What I have learned is that we can handle one overnight easily enough but at about the 24 hour mark get really antsy to get off the train. That's how we selected Dallas. Seeing that I'd have to taxi to airport area I think I will overnight in Fort Worth even if it does put me over the 24 hr mark.

The bus from Austin to San Antonio may be a good idea. Is Greyhound our only choice? The train that's always late (Sunset?) may actually be a good thing. I'd rather catch it closer to noon than 6am anyways.

Any suggestions for our overnight in New Orleans? We won't get there until late and have to leave early afternoon. Is the station in an undesirable area?