5 great Amtrak Superliner trips for families

Most kids love train rides, making an Amtrak trip a great option for a family vacation. Not only is the experience fun, but there are also amazing sights and educational opportunities along the way.

If you’re looking for family train trip ideas, the Superliner Amtrak routes are especially great options because they have family bedrooms, which have four beds (two adult-sized and two child-sized). Plus, family bedrooms have windows on both sides of the train and all meals are included in the ticket price, so you don’t have to worry about packing meals.

There are currently 11 Amtrak Superliner routes that you can choose from. Here are our top recommendations for families based on route length and kid-friendly destinations along the way.

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Auto Train

For a vacation with your family and your car, book tickets on the Auto Train. It’s a great way to avoid a long road trip if the two stations on the route are convenient for you: Lorton, VA and Sanford, FL. Trains at both stations depart early evening and arrive the next day in mid-morning after a 17-hour trip.

If you’re heading south to Florida, the Sanford Amtrak station is an hour or less drive from Disney World, Universal Studios Florida, New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beach.

In the opposite direction, if you are traveling north to Virginia, and you can drive to destinations including Mt. Vernon, Alexandria, Washington D.C. and Shenandoah National Park after you arrive.

Capitol Limited

Less than 18 hours of travel time if no delays, the Capitol Limited is another short Superliner route that’s great for families. The best scenery is the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern half of the route (plan to ride in the summer for the most scenery, especially when traveling westbound). Plus, if you live in the Midwest, you can travel to Washington D.C. to explore the monuments and museums. In the opposite direction, a trip to Chicago is full of kid-friendly things to do.

If you don’t want to travel the entire route, Harpers Ferry and Cumberland, Maryland are two stops to plan a trip around. Both have great hiking trails and historic sites, and the train trip is especially short from Washington D.C., making it a good option for toddlers and younger children. Plan to stay at least one night in these cities.

Empire Builder

Summer is the perfect time to ride the Empire Builder while the kids are out of school and there’s lots of daylight for viewing the scenery. It is one of Amtrak’s longer routes with a travel time of 46 hours — you’ll spend two nights on the train and see the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest forests and rivers. However, there are several options for shorter (but still epic) family trips.

In the Rocky Mountains, Whitefish and Glacier National Park are both exciting destinations with outdoor activities and options to tour the national park. For the shortest train trip, start on the West Coast in cities including Portland and Seattle.

Wisconsin Dells is also a great destination full of fun for kids and adults all year round. There are many indoor and outdoor water parks, amusement parks, boat rides and other activities. Travel time from Chicago is about 3.5 hours and four hours from Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Southwest Chief

For a trip through the desert and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, book tickets on the Southwest Chief. You’ll spend two nights on the train if you travel the entire route between Los Angeles and Chicago. Older kids might enjoy the Old West history along the way, including a stop in Dodge City, which features a recreated 1870s cowboy town.

Plus, trains stop at Flagstaff, which is the gateway to the Grand Canyon National Park. You can book a day tour or rent a car and drive there and to other area attractions. Another potential stop is in Albuquerque, especially for the International Balloon Fiesta in October.

Tip: The Sunset Limited is another desert train option with departures from cities including New Orleans, Houston and Los Angeles. San Antonio is an especially fun kid destination on the route with Fiesta Texas Six Flags, SeaWorld and Natural Bridge Caverns.

California Zephyr

The California Zephyr is one of the most popular and scenic Amtrak routes. Trains travel through two mountain ranges, over the Mississippi River and along the Colorado River. Summer is a popular time to ride when there is a lot of daylight for viewing scenery and exploring stops along the route. However, a winter break trip can be great fun, especially for skiing, snowboarding, sledding and snow tubing in Winter Park or at Lake Tahoe (via car rental in Reno).

Total travel time is over 50 hours, but you can ride the western half of the route for a shorter ride and great scenery. Northern California to Reno is a 7-hour day trip, and Northern California to Fraser-Winter Park Station is just one night on the train. Starting the trip in Denver or Omaha and traveling west will also shorten travel time.