Weekend Train Trips for Women Who Still Want to Go Places

Maybe I Can Go Anyway

I’m single, I don’t have a huge circle of friends, and I still want to go places.

That combination can make planning a little getaway feel more complicated than it should.

I don’t really want to drive six or eight hours alone.

I also don’t want to spend so much money flying somewhere that I arrive and immediately start wondering whether dinner is financially irresponsible.

I want a change of scenery.

A decent meal.

Something interesting to see.

Maybe a hotel room where nobody needs anything from me.

Then a coworker told me about a train trip she took with her husband.

She loved it.

She talked about sitting back, using her devices, getting something to eat, watching everything outside the window and even dozing off when she felt like it.

They enjoyed the trip enough that they already wanted to do it again.

The part that stuck with me wasn’t even where they went.

It was how they got there.

Nobody needed her to watch for an exit.

She wasn’t fighting traffic.

She wasn’t arriving exhausted because she had spent the previous six hours staring at the highway.

The ride was part of the trip.

And I started thinking.

Wait a minute.

Maybe this is something I could actually do.

Maybe I could go alone. Maybe one of my children would come. Maybe a friend would want to go.

And maybe, if nobody is available, I can go anyway. 

I Don’t Want My Life Waiting Around for Someone Else’s Schedule

I think this is one of those strange parts of being single that people don’t talk about much.

There are things I would genuinely rather do with someone.

I’m not going to pretend I never want company just so I can prove how independent I am.

Sometimes I want somebody sitting across from me at dinner.

Sometimes I want someone next to me saying, “Did you see that?”

But wanting company and requiring company are two different things.

I don’t want to look up five years from now and realize there were places I could have gone, things I could have seen and weekends I could have enjoyed, but I stayed home because nobody else happened to be free.

I may feel a little awkward eating alone.

I can survive awkward.

And honestly, picking a restaurant without asking four people where they want to eat has its advantages.

The Money Part Matters Too

I’m also not interested in pretending every getaway is affordable just because somebody on the internet calls it a budget trip.

My bank account gets a vote.

That is why train travel started making even more sense to me.

I don’t necessarily need a huge vacation.

I might just need two nights somewhere different.

When I looked into these trips, I included coach train tickets, two hotel nights, casual food, local transportation and a few things to do.

The prices below are planning ranges, not live quotes.

Train tickets and hotel rooms change depending on the dates, how early I book and what is happening in town that weekend.

I would always price the whole trip before buying the first ticket.

Because a $70 train ticket isn't a bargain if the only available hotel room is $450 a night. 

One Thing I Would Know Before Getting on the Train

My coworker mentioned WiFi, so of course I checked that too.

Amtrak does offer free basic WiFi on certain trains, including the Missouri River Runner, Empire Service, Northeast Regional, Amtrak Cascades and Pacific Surfliner.

It isn't available on every route, and Amtrak says the service is intended for regular web browsing, not heavy streaming.

So I would download whatever I wanted to watch before leaving.

And when I say I could sleep on the train, I mean doze off in a reclining coach seat.

I am not climbing into a fluffy hotel bed while rolling through Missouri unless I pay for an actual sleeping accommodation on a route that offers one.

Expectations matter.

1. Kansas City to St. Louis for a Manageable Weekend Getaway

Kansas City to St. Louis is one of the shorter city to city train trips I found that could work well for someone wanting to try a weekend getaway without committing to an extremely long ride.

The Missouri River Runner connects Kansas City and St. Louis, and I would plan on roughly six hours each way.

That feels manageable for a weekend trip.

Long enough to feel like I went somewhere.

Short enough that I am not questioning all my life choices somewhere around hour fourteen.

I would budget around $75 to $170 for the round trip train ticket.

For a downtown hotel, I would plan roughly $170 to $270 per night, depending on my dates.

I would compare hotels near the Arch and look closely at anything offering breakfast or other included food because every meal I don't have to buy stretches my trip money a little further.

Once I arrive, I could walk around the Gateway Arch grounds, buy a tram ticket if I wanted, spend some time in Forest Park, visit a museum or wander around without turning the weekend into a military operation.

I don't need to see twelve things before Sunday.

I just want to enjoy being there.

For food, I would allow around $12 to $20 for a casual lunch and $18 to $28 for dinner, depending on where I go.

For everything together, I would plan about $570 to $990 traveling alone, or around $400 to $720 each if two adults share a room. 

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What I Would Think About Traveling Alone

Before leaving home, I would know exactly how I am getting from Gateway Station to my hotel.

I would keep enough money in my budget for a taxi or rideshare, especially at night.

And I wouldn't choose a hotel based only on price.

I would look at the actual location and how I would get back there after dinner.

Saving twenty dollars isn't much of a victory if I spend the entire evening uncomfortable about getting back.

2. Kansas City to Chicago for a Bigger City Weekend

Kansas City to Chicago is another option for women who don't mind spending a little more time on the train in exchange for a much bigger city to explore.

The Southwest Chief runs directly between Kansas City and Chicago.

I would allow around eight hours each way and check the exact schedule before planning the hotel.

One thing I would know beforehand is that the Southwest Chief is not currently on Amtrak’s list of trains with WiFi.

So this is definitely a download my entertainment before leaving situation.

I would budget around $150 to $300 round trip for coach travel and roughly $200 to $350 per hotel room per night.

Once there, Chicago gives me plenty to do without paying for everything.

I could walk the Riverwalk, visit Millennium Park, see the Bean, wander Navy Pier and then choose one attraction I really want to spend money on, maybe an architecture cruise or the Art Institute.

I’m interested in enjoying Chicago.

I’m not interested in coming home with proof that I speed walked through eleven attractions.

For meals, I would budget around $12 to $20 for lunch and $20 to $30 for dinner, with extra room if I wanted one nicer meal.

My overall two night planning range would be around $755 to $1,355 traveling alone, or about $555 to $1,005 each if two adults split the hotel room. 

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What I Would Think About Traveling Alone

Chicago is busy, which can actually be comforting in some areas, but busy also means crowds.

I would already know how I am getting from Union Station to my hotel.

I would keep my bag closed, keep my phone charged and have money set aside for a direct ride back to the hotel if I didn't feel comfortable walking somewhere late.

I don't need to prove anything by walking six blocks at midnight.

3. Washington DC to Richmond When I Want an Easy City Escape

Washington DC to Richmond is another option for women looking for a shorter train getaway in a different part of the country.

Amtrak serves two Richmond stations, and this is exactly why I would pay attention when booking.

If I wanted to arrive downtown, I would look for Richmond Main Street Station, rather than assuming both Richmond stations put me in the same place.

Amtrak describes Main Street Station as being in the heart of the city, while Staples Mill Road requires additional transportation into central Richmond.

I would give myself a planning budget of roughly $550 to $970 traveling alone, or around $380 to $690 each if two adults share a room.

I could walk around Shockoe Slip, explore the Canal Walk, visit a museum, find somewhere good to eat and have a weekend that feels like a getaway without needing an attraction scheduled every hour.

This is the kind of trip where hotel location could save me both money and aggravation.

4. Seattle to Portland When I Want Food, Walking and No Big Agenda

Portland sounds like one of those weekends where wandering is the activity.

Amtrak Cascades currently has multiple daily options between Seattle and Portland, which gives me more flexibility than a route with only one departure each day.

I could browse Powell’s City of Books, walk along the waterfront, look around the Pearl District, eat something from a food cart and visit Washington Park.

And yes, Amtrak currently lists WiFi on Cascades trains.

For two nights, I would budget somewhere around $540 to $950 alone, or roughly $370 to $680 each when sharing a room.

This is the kind of weekend I like because I don't need a packed itinerary.

Sometimes I want to see a new city without turning relaxation into another job.

5. New York City to Hudson When I Want to Slow Down

Hudson would be a completely different kind of getaway.

Amtrak's Empire Service connects New York City with Hudson and other cities along the Hudson River corridor, with several daily trains shown on the current timetable.

This wouldn't be my weekend for rushing.

I would stay near Warren Street, walk through shops and galleries, find a bakery, wander near the river and spend an unreasonable amount of time looking at something old that I absolutely don't need for my house.

Hudson is also my reminder that small town does not automatically mean cheap.

I would plan roughly $730 to $1,250 traveling alone, or about $480 to $850 each if sharing a room.

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 What I Would Think About Traveling Alone

I would stay near the places I actually plan to visit.

And if I wanted to go somewhere outside town, I would arrange transportation ahead of time instead of assuming I could open an app at 9:30 at night and instantly get a ride.

6. Los Angeles to Santa Barbara When I Want Water and I'm Willing to Spend More

This is my pretty trip.

The Pacific Surfliner runs between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, putting travelers near the waterfront and lower State Street.

The train ride itself is part of what makes this one appealing to me.

I could sit down and watch Southern California go by instead of driving through it.

Once there, I could walk Stearns Wharf, spend time near the beach, explore downtown and wander through the Funk Zone.

For two nights, I would budget roughly $810 to $1,380 alone, or around $510 to $880 each when sharing a room.

This isn't the bargain trip.

I am keeping it on the list anyway.

Not everything I want has to fall into the cheapest category.

Sometimes I just need to know what it would cost so I can decide whether I want to save for it.

I Would Still Take Safety Seriously

Traveling alone doesn't mean I have to be afraid of everybody.

It also doesn't mean I leave my common sense at home because I am trying to prove I am independent.

Amtrak recommends arriving at least 30 minutes before departure, keeping identification and tickets with me and following crew instructions.

If something suspicious happens, Amtrak Police can be reached at 800 331 0008, by texting 27311, or through 911 in an emergency.

I would share my itinerary with someone I trust.

I would keep my phone charged.

I would know where I am staying before I arrive.

And I wouldn't tell every friendly stranger that I am traveling alone and nobody expects me home until Monday.

Friendly and foolish are two very different things. 

I Can Start Smaller

The more I looked into this, the more I realized the getaway itself doesn't have to be huge.

If two nights are too expensive, I can look at one night.

If one destination costs more than I want to spend right now, I can choose another route or wait for a better fare.

If I don't feel ready to spend a whole weekend alone, I can take a day trip first.

I don't want a weekend away to make the rest of the month harder.

That defeats the purpose.

But I also don't want every trip in my life to exist in the imaginary category of “someday when everything lines up.”

My coworker gave me an idea I hadn't seriously considered before.

I still want to see places.

I would love company sometimes.

Maybe one of my children comes with me. Maybe a friend says yes.

And maybe there will be times when the seat beside me stays empty.

I am starting to think that doesn't have to cancel the whole plan.

Maybe my first trip won't be some huge bucket list vacation.

Maybe it will be a small bag, a train ticket, two nights somewhere different and a restaurant I've never tried.

Maybe I will sit by the window with my headphones on and watch towns go by that I've never seen before.

No highway.

No airport.

No waiting for someone else to decide whether I get to have the experience.

Sometimes I don't need the trip of a lifetime.

I just need to remember that my life is still allowed to have trips in it.

#EvolvingWomanhood

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Disclaimer: Before booking your next trip, confirm current train prices, hotel rates, food costs, local transportation, and availability. Prices and accommodations can change at any time.