Update: Pretty sure we're gonna go with a RailPass and just rough it, to maximize how much we can see! We're young enough.
Plan is to leave Chicago in January, and spend about 2 weeks away from home. Ideally 11 days, but if needed, 18 is possible.
Initial thoughts are to take the California zephyr west at least as far as Sacramento. As west is the best direction to go, I've read.
After that it gets muddy.
We want to see some Sequoias, so an overnight stop somewhere in Sacramento or LA would be necessary I think.
We also want to see the Grand canyon, which seems doable on the southwest chief, but...
We've got family in NM, so it'd be nice to see them, the sunset limited gets us closest, but doesn't run daily and also isn't the sunset chief. I see there's a bus connection from Flagstaff to Tucson, maybe we could catch the sunset limited if we timed it out right? Seems scary, trying to time anything... I haven't looked closely at the time tables to see how tight that would be. Maybe we could rent a car? Or time it so we show up a day early for the sunset limited east bound?
Also we wanted to end up in new Orleans at some point, so that's another vote for the sunset limited.
As a stretch goal, we could take the crescent up to Connecticut, we have friends there, and then take one of the several trains that go there, back to Chicago. Lakeshore limited? This probably isn't going to happen and isn't important. I'd rather emphasize staying a night or two on each of our west coast stops, than trying to cram as much riding as possible in and get to the east coast.
Additionally, we're not opposed to going north on the coast starlight to Seattle and taking empire builder home, never been out that way, just not sure how much it has to offer in the winter. Especially compared to redwoods, maybe the canyon, and family.
Anywho these are the rough plans! Please let me know what everyone thinks!
Original post:
We've never been on a trip before, we booked a roomette to Tucson once before, but missed our train because an employee looked at our ticket and told us to sit and wait for him to call us. He never did and our train left, then he was very rude, convinced us to cancel our ticket (which was the wrong advice). It's a long story, needless to say, we got our money back, plus repayment for last minute flights (we needed to be in Tucson), plus this voucher for another trip.
The trip can be any time of the year next year, not February, March or April. Assuming summer is best?
The plan is to ride out west somewhere, California? And then rent a car to road trip home. It'll be the first and probably only time we can afford something like this, so we wanna make it count. It might make more sense to drive out and train back? But... I worry about missing the train... Again.. no no, we're leaving from Chicago.
I know some routes are better than others, and I know they change sometimes, what they're offering, what they used to offer, etc.
We'd like a roomette, and we wanna see the sights in one of those glass roof cars, and I know the food options vary too, so whatever the better of the food options would be ideal.
Bonus points if you have suggestions of things to check out on our way back east. We've never been out west before, besides Tuscon. Maybe see the Sequoias? Grand canyon? We like backpacking so the return trip will probably involve some car camping, or real camping, for the fun of it.
Thanks!
Okay I think you should take the coming-back weather into account, driving in your rental. In summer, the less desert driving the better, whereas it's easy in a train, so maybe the Southwest Chief that goes near the Grand Canyon. It ends in Los Angeles at Union Station, where you could catch the Coast Starlight and head north, or go Metro on the Expo Line to Santa Monica, to stick your toes in the Pacific and/or rent a car.
Then come back over the Rockies, or if you have time drive north along the coast first and come back across the top.
The Sequoia National Park (Kings Canyon visitor center) is about a 5 hour drive from Santa Monica if traffic cooperates, though it never does in LA. It's uniquely beautiful imho, worth it even though it's out of your way for the rest of your trip.
Thank you for all these wonderful suggestions!
Our plans were very fluid, and it seems we've settled on doing a rail pass, which means we have to use it within 4 months, which means February and March are out, which leaves only January in our schedule.
That also means we're probably going to take the train home as well.
We're still very interested in the Sequoias though! As well as the Grand canyon! So any insights you have would be extremely welcome!
More details in the op