A Mom’s Solo Weekend Getaway

We partnered with Britni, the stay-at-home mom behind Play. Party. Plan., on her girls’ weekend getaway to New York City. Read on to see Britni’s take on Business Class travel and tips for making the most out of a weekend getaway sans little ones.

Amtrak: Why do you think it is important for moms to plan mini-getaways for themselves?

Britni: One thing that a lot of people don’t realize until they have kids is that being a mom isn’t just a full-time job, it’s a 24/7, around the clock job, especially when your kids are young. You’re responsible for them every second of every day. When they’re hungry in the afternoon, you’re the one responsible for making them a snack and if they cry in the middle of the night, you’re the one who gets up and wipes away their tears. Even if you have someone else helping out at home, you’re still thinking about them around the clock.

Over the past three years, I’ve learned that taking mini-getaways allows me to be a better mom when I come back. Rather than becoming resentful that my “job,” never ends, taking small breaks allows me to take a step back, refresh, and rejuvenate. And when I return, I am able to be the mom I want to be – the mom that truly enjoys every snuggle, the mom who appreciates that my son likes to test limits, and the mom who will sit on the ground and play Hungry Hungry Hippos until my back hurts from sitting too long.

What did you think of Amtrak Business Class? What’s your favorite part of taking the train to NYC?

I had a fantastic experience riding Amtrak Business Class. From the benefits of being able to skip the huge line of passengers and board before others, to the complimentary bottle of water, I felt pampered and well taken care of. The benefits of business class were definitely worth the cost difference between coach and business.

I’ve lived in the Washington, DC area for almost two-thirds of my life and traveled from Washington, DC to NYC numerous times. I’ve driven, ridden a bus, and ridden Amtrak. I prefer taking the train for a number of different reasons but mostly because of the comfort and convenience. I typically work when I travel and the free Wi-Fi and outlets in each seat allow me to continue to do so without interruption. I can arrive at the train station just a few minutes before my train leaves, board the train, and continue working through the entire process.

You obviously have experience traveling with little ones. What benefits do you think train travel offers families traveling with young children?

In my opinion, train travel is the ideal method of traveling with young children for short distances. Flying typically requires you to be at the airport about two hours beforehand, and I know from my own experience that two hours of waiting for the flight tends to seem more like two days when you’re with young children. Taking a train means showing up just a few minutes before boarding, so there’s less time to entertain the children before the ride.

Once you’re on the train, young children can watch movies, play games, or do activities on a tablet with the free Wi-Fi, and you don’t even have to worry about your technology dying with the built-in outlets. Young children also love that they are free to get up and walk around (with parents of course) from the moment the train leaves to the moment the train arrives. And parents of young children love that everything from bathrooms to food is available on the train, so there’s no need for multiple rest stops from one location to one another.

There are so many other benefits of traveling by train with young children, and I’d highly recommend it for any short-distance trip such as traveling from Washington, DC to NYC.

 

Want to make your next getaway extra special? Let us recommend Amtrak Business class aboard the Northeast Regional. Every seat in Business class offers a little something extra. Extra legroom, extra Amtrak Guest Rewards Points, an extra dedicated car, extra flexibility with an easily refundable ticket for those last-minute itinerary changes. Head to amtrak.com and treat yourself to an extra special travel experience!