April 2025
Did you know that you and your vehicle can take a train ride from Florida to Virginia? I mentioned previously that I meet a lot of interesting people in activities I participate in throughout my travels using meetup.com. One such interaction led me to investigate the possibility of taking a train trip with Angeline – my vehicle in tow. Amtrak has a service “Auto Train” that will take you from just north of Orlando to outside of DC in Lorton Virginia. I was able to experience getting a roomette and Angeline passage for just shy of $300. They offer deals from time to time for discounts on seats and room options for slow times and it was a great option for me and my flexible travel schedule to experience something new.
Here I am in Virginia Beach where I spent 3 wonderful weeks, 2 at a 3 bedroom condo just blocks from the beach. It may have been a little breezy but the most important thing for me is the sunshine and magnificent sunsets. This was prior to spring break so I got it for 199.00 per week as it was categorized as excess inventory through my vacation plan. Since I am flexible with my travels I am able to take advantage of deals such as this and those “God winks” keep coming my way. I am open and accept the beauty of where ever I may land and have been able to enjoy what ever comes my way. These opportunities came about through the use of planwithtan.com or travel advantage network. It works for me because I have flexibility to work anywhere in the US and I take advantage of places during the off-season. Beautiful stays, generally in condo’s that offer all amenities and within short drives to scenic parks, beaches, food and avoiding the crowds.
The day I boarded the Auto Train in Sanford, FL (Orlando) I checked in for the train during my lunch hour and since there was WiFi available at the train station in Sanford I was able to finish my workday there and on the train. The Wifi on the train didn’t provide the best signal so I would suggest if you need to do something that will require video, reschedule it or if your phone’s hotspot provides a better signal use it. There are limited outlets at the Sanford train station so make sure all of your devices are charged and ready to go until you can charge them on the train.
I chose a roomette with this trip since it was something that I had not done before. I had taken Amtrak previously and the coach seats are really comfortable but since I had planned to work and needed a little privacy to complete some meetings I opted for the roomette. I was a little cramped, only because of bringing too much on the train with me. I offer this advice only bring some toiletries and a change of clothes and what you need for work. Leave everything else in the vehicle. It is only a 17 hour trip. The train doesn’t get anywhere fast so I would not suggest taking it if you have to be somewhere at a certain time. I am very flexible with my travels which is why this option to take me from the south to the north worked out well. Travel time from Lorton to Virginia Beach was about 3 hours, so I chose to take half day PTO to complete my travel and will find a Panera or Starbucks to complete the day of work before checking into the condo. In a pinch Angeline – my vehicle is equipped with WiFi so I can always pull off at a rest stop or find a park and work from there.
You may be asking yourself why Virginia Beach and my answer is why not. I love the water and greenery. If I can get both I will take it but will be happy with either. I did spend a week in Ocean City, Maryland after leaving the beach. Although it was a bit chilly in April, being close to the water made up for that along with a scenic drive. Be wary of the tolls in Virginia, they can get a bit pricy but I tend to stick to toll roads for my travels for safety purposes. Total mileage traveled for April on the train (900 miles) driving (587 miles).
I generally don’t take a lot of pictures on my journeys as I am experiencing the world around me in a more purposeful way. Here is an album that shares some of the aspects of my leaving St. Johns and Virginia Beach.
Leave a Reply