Catching Amtrak to your spring break destination is a no brainer. No taffic jams. No airport queues. With train travel, the R&R starts as soon as you’re on your way. Wide seats, plenty of legroom, plus onboard WiFi and power outlets are standard and bikes and pets are always welcome. And onboard cafes, restaurants, and bars offer a range of munchies, meals, and beverages.
Once you arrive, car-free rail and other transit options make local travel safe and easy — no parking hassles, GPS confusion, or designated drivers missing out on the fun. Check out our five Amtrak spring break choices. Or go with the Amtrak travel planner and find a spring break destination all your own.
Spring break good times roll by rail into New Orleans
Union Passenger Terminal
New Orleans, Louisiana
Mardi Gras not in the cards this year? No prob. New Orleans, Louisiana keeps the good times rolling no matter when your spring break falls. Jazz, and rhythm and blues hold sway accompanied by Cajun and Creole speciailties washed down with Hurricanes and Hand Grenades. Amtrak rolls with the good times, too: City of New Orleans from Chicago; Crescent from NYC and Atlanta; Sunset Limited from LA and Houston. From Amtrak’s Union Passenger Terminal, NORTA‘s Rampart-St.Claude Streetcar heads east intersecting with the Canal Streetcar line and continuing on past Louis Armstrong Park (site of spring 2019’s 50th annual NOLA Jazz Festival) through the French Quarter. A Jazzy Pass gets you unlimited streetcar and bus travel for just three bucks a day.
For more information visit the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau website.
Travel by train for a laid back Portland spring break
Union Station
Portland, Oregon
America’s greenest city is a natural spring break choice. If Forest Park, the country’s largest urban forest, is too confining, Mount Hood and the Pacific Coast are close at hand. Portland’s music scene is legendary as are its scores of microbreweries, Willamette vineyards, and cannabis dispensaries. Union Station keeps locals and visitors on track (its “Travel by Train” sign lights up the sky). Arrive by Amtrak Empire Builder from Chicago and Twin Cities; Coast Starlight from California; or Amtrak Cascades from Seattle and Vancouver BC. Once you’re in town, head for nearby MAX light rail Green Line and Yellow Line stations at NW 6th & Hoyt or NW 5th & Glisan or catch up with the Portland Streetcar at NW 8th & Lovejoy.
For more information visit the Travel Portland website.
Santa Monica is onboard for spring break sun ‘n fun
Union Station
Los Angeles, California
A primo mix of sun, surf, and shopping puts Santa Monica on any short list of spring break destinations. And Amtrak connects with LA’s Metro providing easy car-free access to all three. For starters, Amtrak’s Southwest Chief (from Chicago via Albuquerque), Texas Eagle (Chicago via Dallas), Sunset Limited (New Orleans), Coast Starlight (Pacific Northwest), and Pacific Surfliner (Southern California) all converge on downtown LA’s Union Station. From there, take Metro’s Red or Purple Line to 7th St/Metro Center and make an Expo Line connection for Santa Monica. From Metro’s Downtown Santa Monica station it’s just a short walk to Santa Monica State Beach; Santa Monica Pier attractions; and Third Street Promenade stores, restaurants, and bars. Big Blue Bus connections extend your reach across Santa Monica.
All aboard for Austin-bound spring-break express
Forget the beach. When Austin’s annual SXSW South by Southwest music festival makes it’s splash in March, the “Live Music Capital of the World” is awash with spring breakers. Downtown’s Sixth Street rocks the Texas capital year-round with tasty Tex-Mex, live music and bustling bars. And Amtrak’s Texas Eagle has at it every day with Austin connections from LA, Chicago, and dozens of places in between. Once you’re there, CapMetro bus and rail services will hook you up. From the Amtrak Station, CapMetro buses #4 and #22 (#21 return) connect with high-frequency buses #7, #801 and #803; with SXSW shuttles (JW Marriot at Congress); and with MetroRail’s Downtown station at the Convention Center.
For more information visit the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau website.
Miami Beach is on track for spring break surf ‘n sand
America’s numero uno seaside destination, Miami Beach is Florida’s spring break capital. On Miami Beach, the chic and hip head south. South Beach’s mash-up of sun and style finds beach partiers and volleyballers diving into SoBe’s Deco District, eyeballing Bass and Wolfsonian museum exhibits, and binging New World Symphony events. Breakers looking for a more laid back experience head north to Mid Beach and North Beach where basking and boardwalking give way to cocktails by the cabana.
Miami’s isolated Amtrak station is around an hour from the beach via Route L Metrobus. Better to ditch Amtrak at Hollywood and hop a Tri-Rail commuter train to Miami International Airport’s slick Intermodal Station where you can catch the Metrobus 150 Beach Airport Express for a 15-minute ride to the beach.
