Auto-Train

"I just posted to the list about this and I love to share our experiences. I love love love love love the autotrain and will ONLY travel to Florida with kids on it. We have now taken the autotrain 3 times (2x with kids, 1x without) and it is the most civilized way to travel to Florida from our area.

First off, compared to driving or flying between here and Florida with kids, the autotrain is dead easy.

You arrive before 2pm, get a magnet number for your car, drive to the off loading area, take your overnight luggage out (whatever you can carry, we brought toys, DVDs, food, as well as clothing), they then take your car away to drive your car onto the train.

You wait for a bit for the train to board - there is a waiting area, a small playground, and a gift shop where you can buy magazines and snacks. No worse than waiting for a plane to board.

When the train boards, you get on the train and go to your suite. The porter comes and introduces him/herself and shows you the compartment (lights, radio, etc). Train leaves at 4pm.

If you get the family room (which is what we got) the bathroom is down the hall. There is a shower available too, which my husband used and said was quite decent. The seats turn into bunk beds (which my kids LOVED, it was better than a playground for them) - the lower bed was big enough for me to sleep on with my (then)18 month old and my (then) 3 1/2 year old slept on the mini bed at my feet, while my husband slept in the top bunk.

They also have a bar car with snacks, lots of free coffee, and free water in the rooms. Oh, and you get the paper in the morning, and two free meals for each passenger.

There are two seatings for dinner usually - when you check in you tell 'em which one you want. When dinner is called (I think one is at 6pm and the other at 8pm), you go to the dining car, and they seat you at a table. You have a choice of about 6 different three course meals - steak, veg lasagna, chicken fingers, etc. We are talking linen table cloths, but very kid friendly too - you eat while watching the countryside pass by. oh, and the wine/beer is free...

They also show all ages appropriate films in the bar car. While you are at your meal, the porter turns down your bed (turns the seats into beds, makes the beds, etc). And the next morning, when you are ready for breakfast, you tell the porter you are leaving, and when you return from the dining car (cereal, bagels, LOTS of coffee, juice, yogurt, etc), your beds have been made up.

Downsides (there are always downsides). When the train is on time, the trip lasts from 4pm to 9:30am, and then there is a bit of waiting around for your car. On our way back, ours was the third to LAST car off, which was a pain. It is all a matter of luck, however. Also, if the train is delayed (sometimes happens - it might sit for hours in the middle of the night), you could be late arriving.

And with all things, kids can go a bit stir crazy. The thing I like about the train was that they could move around. They had a blast walking the hallways when the train was moving, and going up and down the stairs (it is a two level train). And I found sleeping on the train very restful, but your mileage may vary.

My absolutely, no holds barred favorite part? You get off the train and you have YOUR car. With YOUR carseats in it and YOUR luggage. No renting a strange car. No figuring out whether a carseat is 60 years old or not or how the heck to put it into a strange car.

Whenever my older son sees the amtrak sign he says we have to go on the auto train to florida."