The Matouk Family’s Amtrak Adventure

Looking for a great family vacation idea? Look no further. George Matouk of Matouk Linens tells you why you should consider Amtrak  for your next great family adventure. George teamed up with Traditional Home during his travels on the Empire Builder showcasing the many ways you can personalize your very own family bedroom on board while enjoying some quality time with his wife and three daughters. Read on to discover the perks of Amtrak, family style:

Amtrak: How did you decide to take a train trip as a family vacation?
George: We are a train family.  We discovered cross country Amtrak trips while on the Northeast Corridor by taking the family round trip twice from Providence to Washington, D.C.  At the end of every trip, the entire family wanted to stay on the train and ridelonger.  So after the last trip, my wife Mindy and I decided that it was time to take things to a new level.

Why did you choose the Empire Builder?
We chose the Empire Builder because we wanted to take a classic route to the Northwest, an area we have always wanted to explore as a family.  We were up for a big train adventure, but we also wanted it to deliver us to someplace we had never been before.

What were some surprising perks about the train?
Without a doubt, the biggest surprise was the excellent quality of the food in the dining car.  I would never imagined that I would be looking forward to steak or salmon dinner every night, but our chef just kept nailing it.  Even the kids were eating steak and salmon.  And I have to give a shout out to David, our dining steward, and to Robin and Camilla, our great servers.  They were a great team and they made us feel welcome at every meal.

Why should parents consider Amtrak as their next family adventure?
I have told all of my friends to take the train.  It was a terrific experience.  A lot of our friends thought we were a little crazy for doing this, but a surprising number said “I’ve always wanted to do that with my kids!”

For a full break down of what you can expect in a family bedroom, check out this post. Stay tuned for a second post from the Matouk girls’ perspective for more family trip planning inspiration.