Fun, Short Amtrak trip?

[Anonymous]

Looking to take our two toddler boys away for the weekend on an Amtrak trip. They love trains and there are some sales right now that would make it a fairly cheap long February weekend. We're looking to spend <3 hours on the train. Any ideas for a fun ride?

[Anonymous]

Hershey?

[Anonymous]

Philadelphia is under 3 hours from DC and 30th St Station is walkable to a lot. You’d need to catch a ride to the Please Touch Museum but the kids sound love it.

[Anonymous]

Harpers Ferry

[Anonymous]

Philadelphia is great for this - we have done exactly this.

[Anonymous]

Charlottesville

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Philadelphia is under 3 hours from DC and 30th St Station is walkable to a lot. You’d need to catch a ride to the Please Touch Museum but the kids sound love it.

the please touch museum is super fun for that age range, but it's an absolute petri dish. germ central. Not saying don't go, just saying...prepare yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually for everyone to get super sick after visiting.

My toddler liked the Academy of Natural Sciences (easy walk from 30th street if you have a stroller). It's a very sedate (think dioramas of animals, some dinosaurs, with a little hands-on nature center on the top floor). It's not impressive at all compared to the smithsonians, but it really mesmerized my kid.

come to think of it, 30th street station in general might be really fun, they can go up to the septa regional rail platform and see lots of trains, and they can ride back and forth from 30th street to suburban to jefferson stations downtown...)

[Anonymous]

Williamsburg

[Anonymous]

Richmond

[Anonymous]

Go to Baltimore and visit the Train Museum. You could also do Richmond and the Science or Children's museum

[Anonymous]

I’d say Richmond or Philly. Both direct trips with lots of options for train times. Fun things to do in both cities! And a bunch of bridges to go over on the way to Philly, if you sit on the right side, you might be able to see some big boats along the Delaware River also!

[Anonymous]

Roanoke VA. The Virginia Museum of Transportation is super fun for toddlers if they love trains.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Philadelphia is under 3 hours from DC and 30th St Station is walkable to a lot. You’d need to catch a ride to the Please Touch Museum but the kids sound love it.

the please touch museum is super fun for that age range, but it's an absolute petri dish. germ central. Not saying don't go, just saying...prepare yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually for everyone to get super sick after visiting.

My toddler liked the Academy of Natural Sciences (easy walk from 30th street if you have a stroller). It's a very sedate (think dioramas of animals, some dinosaurs, with a little hands-on nature center on the top floor). It's not impressive at all compared to the smithsonians, but it really mesmerized my kid.

come to think of it, 30th street station in general might be really fun, they can go up to the septa regional rail platform and see lots of trains, and they can ride back and forth from 30th street to suburban to jefferson stations downtown...)

Wow, tell us your a SAHM/nanny germaphobe family without telling us. We’ve visited the please touch multiple times with my (hearty daycare attending) kids and no one has gotten sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go to Baltimore and visit the Train Museum. You could also do Richmond and the Science or Children's museum

Agree on the Train Museum in Baltimore. I took my son at 5 and again at 10 and he loved it both times. Me too (mom).

[Anonymous]

The NEC (Amtraks Northeast Corridor - DC to Boston) has the most frequent service so it’s the most convenient. I have been on Amtrak many times but not outside the corridor. I often recommend it as a great way to get to NYC. Maybe l need to branch out so I’m also curious what others recommend.