Itinerary Suggestion from Chicago Please for Dad & Daughter Trip

[neroden]

Thank you for all the great suggestions. We're flying to NYC, spending a couple nights, then taking the LSL back. #49 much better schedule than 48 imo...don't like getting on train so late. Much rather get on in the afternoon and arrive in evening.

That's a great choice. The only downside is that waiting in Penn Station NY is pretty miserable, whereas waiting in Chicago Union is OK. Just so you know.

I'm personally very fond of the views from the Empire State Building -- but for me the absolute can't-miss tourist attraction are the original IRT stations (now on the "numbered" subway lines in Manhattan) with their gorgeous tilework -- it's decrepit in many of them but still gorgeous. See as many as you like for the price of a subway ride!

 

[NW cannonball]

Hi was wondering if you fine folks might suggest a good rail itinerary from Chicago to somewhere one-way overnight trip. We would stay a night or two at the destination, then fly back. Me (dad) and my 3rd grader daughter. We've already done CHI-STL, CHI-DAL, CHI-WAS. Thanks!

So many good options from CHI. Lotsa good ideas posted. Consider the destination (so many possibilites) and what to do there.

Does your daughter like the train ride as much as her dad does? Mine did back when she was 3rd grade. (now, she's used trains on 3 continents, knows more cities than I do -- I'm so glad we took her on the train to wherever we could afford)

I hope that, after you take the young one to various cities, she will grow a clue about the wide wide world,

 

[Eric308]

Hi was wondering if you fine folks might suggest a good rail itinerary from Chicago to somewhere one-way overnight trip. We would stay a night or two at the destination, then fly back. Me (dad) and my 3rd grader daughter. We've already done CHI-STL, CHI-DAL, CHI-WAS. Thanks!

So many good options from CHI. Lotsa good ideas posted. Consider the destination (so many possibilites) and what to do there.

Does your daughter like the train ride as much as her dad does? Mine did back when she was 3rd grade. (now, she's used trains on 3 continents, knows more cities than I do -- I'm so glad we took her on the train to wherever we could afford)

I hope that, after you take the young one to various cities, she will grow a clue about the wide wide world,

NW cannonball....great post, and I can totally relate. Our daughter had traveled on the EB, CZ, and CONO before she was even in school. So far she has lived and taken trains in Spain, Italy, France, Morocco, Nicaragua, Chile, and Ecuador. She also knows the capital of Missouri and can find Iran on a world map.

 

[Lonestar648]

I have taken all five of my grandchildren on the TE CHI/SAS once they were 7 years old. 3 enjoyed the trip, 2 were bored. I took the three on CHI/SAS RT when they were nine and eleven. The oldest (16) is in love with traveling by rail, so we are heading out on a 6300 mile loop this summer, she is so excited, is already reading about everything we might see along the way. Our route is FTW/LAX/SEA, SEA/CHI, CHI/FTW.