Silver Meteor With Kids: A Trip Plan for Every Stop
This is the grandparents train. Half the families in the sleeper cars are going to see someone in Florida, and the last page of our book, with Rally pressed to the window and his grand-paw-rents on the platform, happens at Orlando about twice a week. The Meteor is one night, which is the right amount of night with a small child: dinner in the dining car leaving Washington, sleep through the Carolinas, wake up at Savannah, and then the whole of Florida in daylight. Below is every one of the 33 stops, the six you should think about getting off at, and the dozen you will sleep through.
By Kelsey Lizee Cecil. Times are approximate from the fall 2026 timetable; checked against Amtrak and each attraction in October 2026. Hours change; read the "know before you go" notes.If you only have one day
- With a toddler: DeLand to Winter Park.Forty-eight minutes at lunchtime, a platform in a park at the far end, and SunRail or a cab back. No night, no fuss. Jump to DeLand.
- Ages 4 to 8: Jacksonville to Orlando.Board at 9:49am, the St. Johns River, Palatka's depot, DeLand, Winter Park, and the grandparents at 1:04pm. Three and a half hours, no night aboard. Jump to Orlando.
- The big one: Washington to Miami in a Bedroom Suite.Watch the engine change, dinner as the train goes under Capitol Hill, wake up at Savannah, and 12 hours of Florida with a beach at the end. Jump to Washington.
Read this before you go
Three things to know. First, between Newark and Washington the southbound Meteor only picks up and the northbound only drops off, and the same rule runs from West Palm Beach to Miami, so you cannot use it for short hops at either end; the Northeast Regional and Tri-Rail do that. Second, there is no Family Bedroom on this single-level train. A Bedroom Suite, two Bedrooms with the wall opened, sleeps four with a private toilet, and two Roomettes across the hall work for a family that does not mind a door between them. Third, the Meteor runs late, especially northbound; keep the arrival-day plan loose. Alerts are on the Silver Service page on Amtrak (opens in a new tab).
Tickets, rooms, what to pack for one night, the dining car with a four-year-old and how to handle the 2am bathroom run are all in our Silver Meteor parent guide. This page is the fun part: where to get off and what to do when you do.
Amtrak is replacing the switches in the tunnel south of Washington Union Station, and from Friday night October 16 until Monday morning October 26 the Silver Meteor runs in two pieces, New York to Washington and Jacksonville to Miami, with nothing in between. Richmond, Charleston and Savannah have no Meteor that week. Through trips return October 26. The Auto Train is not affected. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL about sleeper bookings.
Stop 1 of 33NYPTrain 97 leaves about 2:30pm; Train 98 arrives about 10:50am
New York Moynihan Train Hall
The Meteor leaves New York after lunch, which is the kindest departure time on any overnight train: a slow morning, a sandwich in the hall, and the first afternoon runs down the Northeast Corridor in daylight. Moynihan Train Hall is the old Farley post office with a glass roof 92 feet up, and the boarding gates are on one level, which matters with a stroller. The Northeast Regional covers these same first six stops many times a day, so I keep the New York to Washington notes short here.
Stand under the skylight and count the beams, then watch the departure board flip to your gate. Families with small kids are often called first; wait near the gate.
Right off the platform
- at stopMoynihan Train Hall: restrooms, a food hall, a staffed counter, checked baggage and the Metropolitan Lounge for sleeper passengers.
- 5 minThe High Line's northern end at 34th Street, a flat walk with the trains below.
- 10 minMadison Square Garden's block and the Empire State Building, for the look up.
- 15 minHudson Yards' Vessel plaza and the shops' restrooms.
A few hours here
- A food hall lunch in the hall (45 minutes).
- The High Line's north end (30 minutes).
- Board by 2:10pm with the night bag on your shoulder.
Stay the night
New York is its own trip. For the day before the train, see the Northeast Regional plan; this page starts where the city ends.
Snack stop: The Moynihan food hall; buy fruit and crackers for the night before you board.
Out the window: Dark under the Hudson for a few minutes, then the Meadowlands and Newark.
Southbound, the Meteor only picks up between Newark and Washington, so you cannot ride it for a short hop in the corridor. The Northeast Regional does that; see /trips/northeast-regional.
Stop 2 of 33NWKSouthbound about 2:55pm (pickup only); northbound about 10:30am (drop-off only)our honest take: ride on
Newark Penn Station
Twenty minutes out, pickup only. A boarding point for New Jersey families and nothing to get off for on this train. The Northeast Regional plan covers Newark; see /trips/northeast-regional.
PATH trains on the next platform.
Right off the platform
- at stopA big station with PATH, NJ Transit and the light rail.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: The Passaic River, then New Jersey's back yards.
Stop 3 of 33TRESouthbound about 3:35pm (pickup only); northbound about 9:55am (drop-off only)our honest take: ride on
Trenton
The Delaware River crossing comes right after Trenton, with the Trenton Makes bridge sign upstream on the right. Pickup only southbound; the Northeast Regional does Trenton by day. See /trips/northeast-regional.
The river bridge and the sign.
Right off the platform
- at stopA corridor station shared with NJ Transit and SEPTA.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: The Delaware River on the right, then the Pennsylvania side.
Stop 4 of 33PHLSouthbound about 4:05pm (pickup only); northbound about 9:20am (drop-off only)
Philadelphia 30th Street Station
The best boarding station on the corridor: a 1933 hall with ceilings you can get lost in, a food court, and the Franklin Institute and Please Touch Museum a cab away. Southbound the Meteor only picks up here, so for a Philadelphia family this is where the trip starts. The full Philadelphia plan is on the Northeast Regional page: /trips/northeast-regional.
The big arrivals board and the winged bronze statue in the hall, then your gate.
Right off the platform
- at stop30th Street Station: a food court, restrooms, a staffed counter and checked baggage.
- 10 minThe Schuylkill River Trail and its boardwalk.
- at stopThe Franklin Institute and the Please Touch Museum, by cab, for the day before.
A few hours here
- Board here at 4:15pm with dinner already in the bag.
Stay the night
See the Northeast Regional plan for a Philadelphia day.
Snack stop: The station food court.
Out the window: The Schuylkill, then the refineries and the Delaware marshes toward Wilmington.
Stop 5 of 33WILSouthbound about 4:40pm (pickup only); northbound about 8:50am (drop-off only)our honest take: ride on
Wilmington
A pickup stop in Delaware with a riverwalk and a children's museum ten minutes from the platform, covered on the Northeast Regional page: /trips/northeast-regional.
The Christina River from the platform.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1908 station with a waiting room and a staffed counter.
- 10 minThe Delaware Children's Museum on the riverwalk (admission).
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip, on this train.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: Marshes, the Susquehanna crossing at Perryville (a long bridge, right side), then Baltimore's tunnels.
Stop 6 of 33BALSouthbound about 5:40pm (pickup only); northbound about 7:55am (drop-off only)
Baltimore Penn Station
The Inner Harbor's aquarium and the B&O Railroad Museum are among the best kid places on the whole corridor, but on the Meteor Baltimore is a dinnertime pickup. Board here if you live nearby; otherwise see /trips/northeast-regional for the Baltimore day.
The light rail pulling in beside the station, and the first dining car call about now.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1911 station with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage, with the light rail outside.
- at stopThe B&O Railroad Museum and the National Aquarium, by light rail or cab, for the day before.
A few hours here
- Board here at 5:38pm; dinner in the dining car from 5pm.
Stay the night
See the Northeast Regional plan.
Snack stop: Cafes near the station; the dining car opens at 5pm.
Out the window: The B&P tunnel right out of the station, then suburbs to Washington.
Stop 7 of 33WASSouthbound arrives about 6:25pm, leaves 7:25pm; northbound arrives about 6:25am (drop-off only)
Washington Union Station
The Meteor sits in Washington for about an hour southbound while the electric engine comes off and a diesel goes on, and that engine change is a thing to watch from the platform end. Union Station itself is a reason to arrive a day early: the main hall with its gold ceiling, the National Postal Museum directly across the street (free, with real mail cars to walk through), and the Mall a 15-minute walk down to the carousel and the Natural History Museum. Many families start the Meteor here instead of New York.
Walk to the front of the train on the platform and watch the diesel couple on. Then dinner in the dining car as the train goes into the First Street Tunnel under Capitol Hill.
Right off the platform
- at stopUnion Station: the main hall, restrooms, a food court, a staffed counter, checked baggage and the Metropolitan Lounge for sleeper passengers.
- 2 minThe National Postal Museum across Massachusetts Avenue, free, with a railway mail car and a stagecoach.
- 10 minThe Capitol grounds and the reflecting pool.
- 15 minThe National Mall: the carousel, the Natural History Museum's elephant and the Air and Space Museum, all free.
- at stopThe National Zoo, by Metro Red Line, free.
A few hours here
- Southbound: an hour in Union Station is enough for the Postal Museum and a sandwich; ask the car attendant before you leave the platform.
Stay the night
Two nights in Washington before the train: the Mall's museums one day, the zoo the next, and the 7:25pm Meteor with dinner aboard.
Snack stop: Union Station's food court; the dining car serves dinner until 9pm.
Out the window: The tunnel under Capitol Hill, the Potomac on the long bridge, then Alexandria at dusk.
Southbound this is the last pickup-only stop; from Alexandria south you can ride any distance. Union Station has checked baggage and a lounge for sleeper passengers.
Stop 8 of 33ALXSouthbound about 7:45pm; northbound about 5:55am (drop-off only)
Alexandria
Old Town Alexandria's brick streets, the Torpedo Factory art center and the Potomac waterfront are a mile from the station on the free King Street trolley, and the Metro is next door. On the Meteor it is dusk going south and before dawn coming north, so Alexandria is a place to start the trip from rather than visit on it. Virginia families: this is a quieter boarding point than Union Station, with easy parking.
The George Washington Masonic Memorial on its hill right across from the platform, lit at night.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1905 station with a waiting room, next to the King Street Metro.
- at stopThe free King Street Trolley to the waterfront, the Torpedo Factory and the ice cream shops.
- 20 minFounders Park on the Potomac, with the Mount Vernon Trail.
A few hours here
- Board here southbound at 7:45pm if Old Town is home base.
Stay the night
A day in Old Town before the train: the Torpedo Factory, the waterfront, the trolley, and the 7:45pm Meteor.
Snack stop: King Street's bakeries and ice cream, by trolley.
Out the window: Dark; the VRE yards, then Quantico's Marine base.
No checked baggage at Alexandria.
Stop 9 of 33FBGSouthbound about 8:35pm; northbound about 4:50amour honest take: ride on
Fredericksburg
A 1910 brick depot at the south end of a walkable old downtown, a block from the Rappahannock River and a new riverfront park with a splash pad. All of it is worth a day, but not from the Meteor, which passes at 8:35pm going south and before 5am coming north. The Northeast Regional and the VRE stop here by day.
The lit storefronts of Caroline Street from the window as the train slows.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1910 depot, now a restaurant, with platforms above the street and VRE commuter trains.
- 5 minRiverfront Park on the Rappahannock, with a playground and a splash pad in summer.
- 5 minCaroline Street's shops and the Fredericksburg Area Museum.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip on this train; come by Northeast Regional.
Snack stop: None at the station at these hours.
Out the window: Dark both ways.
Stop 10 of 33RVRSouthbound about 9:40pm; northbound about 3:45am
Richmond Staples Mill Road
Richmond's Amtrak station is a 1975 building in the suburbs, seven miles from downtown, and the Meteor is here at bedtime southbound and 3:45am northbound. So the city is not on this itinerary unless the grandparents live there. If they do, Richmond is good with kids: the Science Museum of Virginia is in the old Broad Street Station with a real locomotive outside, the Children's Museum of Richmond is next door to it, and Maymont has a farm with goats.
For families getting off: the steam engine and the planetarium at the Science Museum in the old train station, the next morning.
Right off the platform
- at stopA staffed station with a waiting room and checked baggage, open overnight around the trains.
- at stopThe Science Museum of Virginia and the Children's Museum of Richmond, side by side, by cab (admission).
- at stopMaymont's farm and gardens, by cab, free.
- at stopBelle Isle's footbridge and the James River rocks, by cab.
A few hours here
- Southbound: arrive 9:40pm, a cab to a hotel, the Science Museum in the morning.
Stay the night
A Richmond night: the two museums in the old station, Belle Isle in the afternoon, then the Palmetto on south by day (see /trips/palmetto) or the next night's Meteor.
Snack stop: Nothing near the station at night; the dining car is closing.
Out the window: Dark.
Staples Mill has checked baggage and parking. The Palmetto and Carolinian stop here in daylight, which is the better way to see Richmond from a train.
Stop 11 of 33PTBSouthbound about 10:25pm; northbound about 2:55amour honest take: ride on
Petersburg
The station is in Ettrick, across the Appomattox River from Petersburg's old town, which has a Civil War battlefield and a good toy soldier shop. Pajamas on, southbound.
None at these hours.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot with a waiting room, by Virginia State University.
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark.
Stop 12 of 33RMTSouthbound about 11:55pm; northbound about 1:30amour honest take: ride on
Rocky Mount
An 1893 brick station downtown, with an old railroad business car parked beside it and a children's museum at the Imperial Centre a mile away. Midnight both ways on the Meteor. The Palmetto and Carolinian come through by day.
None.
Right off the platform
- at stopA restored downtown station with a waiting room and a bus terminal.
- 20 minThe Imperial Centre's Children's Museum and Science Center (admission; daytime).
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip on this train.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark.
Stop 13 of 33FAYSouthbound about 1:20am; northbound about 11:50pmour honest take: ride on
Fayetteville
A 1911 depot with a barn-shaped roof, next door to the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, which is free and has a real parachute drop to stand under. A good stop by day on the Palmetto; a 1am stop on the Meteor.
None.
Right off the platform
- at stopA restored depot with a waiting room and checked baggage, open around the night trains.
- 2 minThe Airborne and Special Operations Museum, free (daytime).
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip on this train; see /trips/palmetto.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark.
Stop 14 of 33FLOSouthbound about 3:10am; northbound about 10:25pmour honest take: ride on
Florence
A crew stop where the train sits a few minutes, which you may notice as the car goes still. Florence has a railroad museum in an old depot and a rail trail, none of it at 3am.
None.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1996 station with a waiting room and checked baggage.
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip on this train.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark.
Stop 15 of 33KTRSouthbound about 3:55am; northbound about 9:30pmour honest take: ride on
Kingstree
A small Lowcountry town of live oaks. Deep night southbound.
None.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform and shelter.
A few hours here
- Sleep.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Dark.
Stop 16 of 33CHSSouthbound about 4:50am; northbound about 8:30pm
Charleston North Charleston
Charleston is one of the best cities in the South for a family (the aquarium with its sea turtle hospital, the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry, Fort Sumter by boat), and the Meteor stops ten miles from all of it at ten to five in the morning. I will not pretend that works. The station is a 2018 transit center in North Charleston; downtown is a 20-minute cab. If Charleston is the destination, book the Palmetto, which arrives at 9:15am northbound and 10:21pm southbound, and read that page: /trips/palmetto.
Northbound at 8:30pm: the Lowcountry marsh going purple out the window before Yemassee.
Right off the platform
- at stopNorth Charleston Intermodal Center: a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage, open around the trains, with CARTA buses.
- at stopDowntown Charleston by cab, 20 minutes: the South Carolina Aquarium, the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry and the Fort Sumter boat.
- at stopRiverfront Park in North Charleston, by cab, with a playground on the Cooper River.
A few hours here
- Southbound: not at 4:50am. Northbound: board here at 8:30pm after a Charleston day and sleep to Washington.
Stay the night
Two nights in Charleston by Palmetto, then the northbound Meteor at 8:30pm as the overnight home.
Snack stop: None at the station; downtown has everything.
Out the window: Dark southbound. Northbound, marsh and tidal creeks in the last light.
The station is staffed in two windows, early morning and evening, around the trains. Cabs meet the trains; book a ride for the 4:50am arrival ahead of time.
Stop 17 of 33YEMSouthbound about 5:50am; northbound about 7:35pmour honest take: ride on
Yemassee
The stop for Beaufort and Hilton Head, 30 and 50 minutes away by car, beside a 1955 depot in a town known for its shrimp festival. First light southbound; coffee is on in the cafe.
The marsh at dawn, if someone is awake.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small depot and platform.
- at stopBeaufort's waterfront park and Hunting Island's beach and lighthouse, by car.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard, unless a car is meeting you for Beaufort.
Stay the night
A Beaufort or Hilton Head week by car from here.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: Tidal marsh and the Savannah River bridge, right side, before the stop.
Stop 18 of 33SAVSouthbound about 6:45am; northbound about 6:40pm
Savannah
This is where the kids wake up, and it is a good place to get off the train. Savannah's squares are the easiest city in America to walk with a small child: 22 little parks a block apart, Forsyth Park's fountain and playground at the end, and the river's cobblestones below. The Georgia State Railroad Museum has a working turntable and short train rides on some days, and the Savannah Children's Museum is next door, outdoors, in the ruins of a railroad shop. The station is four miles out in an industrial area, so a cab is the first step.
A train ride at the Railroad Museum's roundhouse, then the children's museum's giant slide and water table next door (admission; check ride days).
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1962 station with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage, open all day and night. Cabs meet the trains.
- at stopThe Georgia State Railroad Museum and the Savannah Children's Museum at Tricentennial Park, by cab, 15 minutes (admission).
- at stopForsyth Park's fountain, playground and Saturday farmers market, by cab.
- at stopRiver Street's candy shops, the ferry across to Hutchinson Island (free), and the ships going by.
- at stopTybee Island's beach and lighthouse, 30 minutes by car.
A few hours here
- Southbound: get off at 6:49am, breakfast on Broughton Street, the Railroad Museum and children's museum (3 hours), Forsyth Park, and a Savannah night.
Stay the night
Two nights: the museums and the squares the first day, Tybee's beach the second, and then the Meteor on to Florida at 6:49am or home at 6:45pm. The Palmetto (see /trips/palmetto) also starts here at 7:35am for a daylight ride north.
Snack stop: Leopold's ice cream on Broughton Street and the candy shops on River Street.
Out the window: Southbound, pine flatwoods and the Georgia coast's rivers; the Altamaha crossing before Jesup.
The station is staffed around the clock and has checked baggage. Do not try to walk downtown; there are no sidewalks. The Railroad Museum's train rides run on a seasonal schedule; check before promising one.
Stop 19 of 33JSPSouthbound about 7:45am; northbound about 5:30pmour honest take: ride on
Jesup
A 1903 Atlantic Coast Line depot, restored well enough to win the town an award, and the stop for the Okefenokee Swamp, an hour away by car. Breakfast in the dining car.
The depot's long roof from the window, and pancakes.
Right off the platform
- at stopA restored 1903 depot with a waiting room.
- at stopOkefenokee Swamp Park at Waycross, by car, with boat tours and alligators.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip, unless a car is meeting you for the swamp.
Snack stop: Breakfast on the train, 6:30 to 9:30am.
Out the window: Pines, pulp mills, then the St. Marys River into Florida.
Stop 20 of 33JAXSouthbound arrives about 9:25am, leaves 9:50am; northbound arrives about 3:50pm, leaves 4:10pm
Jacksonville
A 25-minute stop at a 1974 station on the northwest edge of the city, nowhere near anything, which is a shame because Jacksonville has a zoo with a splash park, a hands-on science museum on the river, and 20 miles of beach. The stop is long enough to stand on the platform in the sun and refill water bottles. Jacksonville is also the sensible place to start a Florida-only Meteor ride: no night aboard, and Orlando by 1pm.
For families starting here: the Jacksonville Zoo's Play Park splash ground the day before, then the 9:49am train south with a whole day of Florida windows ahead.
Right off the platform
- at stopA staffed station with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage.
- at stopThe Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, by cab, 15 minutes, with a kids' splash park and a train ride (admission).
- at stopMOSH, the Museum of Science and History, on the Southbank Riverwalk by cab (admission; check hours, the museum has been planning a move).
- at stopJacksonville Beach and the Neptune Beach town center, 30 minutes by car.
A few hours here
- Southbound: stretch on the platform during the stop; the stop is long but the station is isolated.
Stay the night
A Jacksonville start: fly in, the zoo and the beach, then the Meteor south at 9:49am for Winter Park at 12:41pm or Orlando at 1:04pm with no night aboard.
Snack stop: Vending machines at the station; the dining car serves breakfast until 9:30am and lunch from 11:30am.
Out the window: The St. Johns River crossing just south of the stop, then pine flats and the first palms.
Jacksonville has checked baggage and cabs meet the trains. Book a ride ahead of time; the station is isolated.
Stop 21 of 33PAKSouthbound about 10:55am; northbound about 2:30pmour honest take: ride on
Palatka
A 1909 brick depot on the St. Johns River with a railroad museum inside it, run by volunteers with a model layout, and Ravine Gardens State Park a mile away with suspension bridges over a deep ravine. All worth an hour if you are driving Florida. From the train, a nice depot to look at.
The model railroad in the depot, if a volunteer is there (check days).
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1909 depot and the David Browning Railroad Museum inside it (free; limited days).
- 10 minThe St. Johns riverfront and downtown Palatka's murals.
- 20 minRavine Gardens State Park's bridges and azaleas (park fee).
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip, on this train.
Snack stop: A cafe or two downtown.
Out the window: The St. Johns River, wide as a lake, then orange groves and cattle toward DeLand.
Stop 22 of 33DLDSouthbound about 11:55am; northbound about 1:40pm
DeLand
DeLand is the sleeper of this route. Since August 2024 the 1918 depot has also been the north end of SunRail, Orlando's commuter train, which means you can get off the Meteor here at noon, do something, and ride a SunRail train on to Winter Park or Orlando without waiting for tomorrow's Meteor. The depot is two miles west of DeLand's old downtown, which has a children's museum and a candy shop. Blue Spring State Park, where hundreds of manatees gather in the cold months, is a 15-minute drive.
DeLand to Winter Park on the Meteor is 48 minutes, our pick for a first ride with a toddler. Or, in winter, the manatees at Blue Spring, by car, before the train.
Right off the platform
- at stopA restored 1918 depot with a waiting room and a staffed counter, shared with SunRail (weekdays).
- at stopDowntown DeLand's Woodland Boulevard, by cab or Votran bus, with the Museum of Art and a children's museum.
- at stopBlue Spring State Park's manatees and boardwalk, by car, November to March (park fee).
- at stopStetson University's campus and the DeLand Naval Air Station Museum, by cab.
A few hours here
- Southbound: board here at 11:53am for Winter Park by 12:41pm, lunch on Park Avenue, and SunRail or a cab back.
Stay the night
A DeLand day: Blue Spring in the morning by car, downtown lunch, the Meteor or SunRail south in the afternoon.
Snack stop: Downtown DeLand's cafes and a candy shop; nothing at the depot.
Out the window: Pine and oak hammock, then the St. Johns valley and the first glimpses of Orlando's suburbs.
SunRail runs weekdays only. The Meteor stop is short; be on the platform early.
Stop 23 of 33WPKSouthbound about 12:40pm; northbound about 12:50pm
Winter Park
The best stop in Florida for a family off a train, and it is not close. The platform is in Central Park, a long green lawn with oaks and a fountain, and Park Avenue's ice cream, toy store and bookshop are across the grass. The Morse Museum's Tiffany glass chapel is a five-minute walk, the Scenic Boat Tour through the lakes and canals leaves from a dock ten minutes away, and the Winter Park farmers market fills the old 1913 depot beside the platform on Saturday mornings. Both trains stop at lunchtime. Everything is flat and stroller-easy.
The Scenic Boat Tour: an hour on an open pontoon boat through three lakes and two narrow canals under the oaks, with herons and the occasional alligator. Kids of every age sit still for it.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 2014 Craftsman depot with a waiting room, a staffed counter, checked baggage and SunRail, in Central Park.
- 2 minCentral Park's lawn, fountain and the rose garden; Park Avenue's shops and ice cream across it.
- 5 minThe Morse Museum's Tiffany chapel and lamps (admission; kids free; check days).
- 10 minThe Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour on Lake Osceola, hourly (fare).
- 2 minThe Winter Park Farmers' Market in the old depot, Saturday mornings.
- 15 minRollins College's lakefront and the Cornell Fine Arts Museum, free.
A few hours here
- Southbound: get off at 12:41pm, lunch on Park Avenue, the boat tour at 2pm, ice cream, and SunRail to Orlando or a Winter Park night.
Stay the night
Two nights in Winter Park as the base for Orlando: the boat tour and Park Avenue one day, the Orlando Science Center by SunRail the next, and the theme parks from here by car if you must.
Snack stop: Park Avenue has an ice cream shop, a bakery and a chocolate shop within three minutes of the platform.
Out the window: Lakes on both sides, big houses, then the Orlando skyline in 20 minutes.
The Meteor stop is two minutes; have bags at the door. Winter Park has checked baggage. The boat tour runs daily except in bad weather; check the schedule.
Stop 24 of 33ORLSouthbound arrives about 1:05pm, leaves 1:20pm; northbound arrives about 12:20pm, leaves 12:35pm
Orlando
The stop everybody is riding for, at a 1926 Mission Revival station with two little domes, a block from the Orlando Health hospital campus and a 25-minute drive from the theme parks. Downtown Orlando, Lake Eola and the Science Center are a short cab or SunRail ride north. The grandparents waiting on the platform here is the scene from the end of the book, and I have watched it happen three times from the dining car.
Read the last page of the book as the train slows past the hospital towers, then look for who is waiting on the platform.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1926 depot with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage, with SunRail and Lynx buses on a plaza beside it.
- at stopThe Orlando Science Center in Loch Haven Park, by cab or SunRail to Florida Hospital, with a dinosaur hall and a toddler floor (admission).
- at stopLake Eola Park downtown, by cab, with swan boats and a playground.
- at stopWalt Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld, by car or rideshare, 25 to 35 minutes.
- at stopLeu Gardens' lawns and a kids' garden, by cab (admission).
A few hours here
- Arrive 1:04pm, a cab to the hotel, and a swim. The parks tomorrow.
Stay the night
This is the theme park trip. The overnight train down and a week at the parks, then the 12:36pm northbound home with the window seat on the right for the Florida afternoon.
Snack stop: A grocery store and cafes near the station on Orange Avenue; the dining car serves lunch until 2:30pm.
Out the window: Downtown's towers on the left leaving southbound, then the Kissimmee suburbs and cattle pasture.
Orlando has checked baggage and bag storage for a fee. Kissimmee, the next stop, is closer to Disney; Orlando is closer to Universal and downtown. The station has no elevator, but boarding is level.
Stop 25 of 33KISSouthbound about 1:40pm; northbound about 11:55am
Kissimmee
The closest Amtrak station to Walt Disney World, in a 1910 depot in downtown Kissimmee with a weather vane shaped like a steam engine on its cupola. The lakefront park on Lake Tohopekaliga is a ten-minute walk with a splash pad, a playground and alligators in the reeds. If Disney is the whole plan, get off here instead of Orlando: the drive is 20 minutes.
Look up at the cupola for the locomotive weather vane as the train stops, then the splash pad at Lakefront Park.
Right off the platform
- at stopA restored 1910 depot with a waiting room and a staffed counter, shared with SunRail, with a parking garage.
- 5 minDowntown Kissimmee's Broadway and the Monument of States, a tower of rocks from every state.
- 10 minKissimmee Lakefront Park: a splash pad, two playgrounds, a marina with airboat rides and gators (free).
- at stopWalt Disney World, by car or rideshare, about 20 minutes.
- at stopOld Town Kissimmee's amusement rides and Saturday car show, by cab.
A few hours here
- Southbound: get off at 1:41pm, the lakefront splash pad, dinner on Broadway, and the drive to the hotel.
Stay the night
The Disney week, starting here.
Snack stop: Downtown Broadway's cafes and a candy shop, five minutes away.
Out the window: Lake Toho on the left as the train leaves, then cattle country and the Haines City citrus.
No checked baggage at Kissimmee. SunRail also stops here on weekdays.
Stop 26 of 33WTHSouthbound about 2:30pm; northbound about 11:05am
Winter Haven
The stop for LEGOLAND Florida, which sits on the old Cypress Gardens site five miles away, by cab. LEGOLAND is built for ages 2 to 12 in a way the big parks are not: shorter lines, a water park, the old botanical gardens with their banyan tree, and a hotel at the gate. The station is a 1925 Mediterranean Revival depot on the edge of town; there is nothing to walk to, but the cab is short.
LEGOLAND's Driving School, where kids 6 to 13 drive a small electric car on a little road with traffic lights and get a license.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1925 depot with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage.
- at stopLEGOLAND Florida and its water park, by cab, 15 minutes (admission; check park days).
- at stopDowntown Winter Haven and Central Park, by cab, with a children's splash pad.
- at stopThe Chain of Lakes: 50 lakes joined by canals, best seen by a boat rental or a lakeside park by car.
A few hours here
- Southbound: arrive 2:33pm, cab to the LEGOLAND hotel, the water park until close.
Stay the night
Two nights at the LEGOLAND hotel from this station, then the Meteor on to the beaches at 2:33pm or back north at 11:08am.
Snack stop: Nothing at the station; the dining car serves lunch until 2:30pm, so eat before the stop.
Out the window: Citrus groves and lakes, then the long straight run through cattle country to Sebring.
Book a cab or rideshare ahead; the station is quiet between trains. Winter Haven has checked baggage.
Stop 27 of 33SBGSouthbound about 3:15pm; northbound about 10:25amour honest take: ride on
Sebring
A 1924 depot a mile from a downtown laid out in a circle, in a town built by a man who had just seen the old Egyptian city of Heliopolis. The 12 Hours of Sebring race is here in March, and Highlands Hammock State Park, with a boardwalk through a cypress swamp, is a 15-minute drive. From the train, pasture and lakes.
The Circle, if someone is meeting you with a car; otherwise the lakes out the window.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1924 depot with a waiting room and a staffed counter.
- 20 minDowntown Sebring's Circle, with a small park and shops.
- at stopHighlands Hammock State Park's boardwalk and the CCC museum, by car (park fee).
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip, unless this is where the grandparents are.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: Lake Jackson, then two hours of cattle, sugar cane and sawgrass with no stops until West Palm Beach.
There are no stops between Sebring and West Palm Beach, about two hours. A good nap window.
Stop 28 of 33WPBSouthbound about 5:10pm (drop-off only); northbound about 8:40am (pickup only)
West Palm Beach
The first beach stop, at a 1925 Spanish Revival depot shared with Tri-Rail, a 15-minute walk from downtown's Clematis Street and the waterfront. The South Florida Science Center and Aquarium and the Palm Beach Zoo sit together in Dreher Park ten minutes away by cab, and the ocean on Palm Beach island is across two bridges. From here south the Meteor is drop-off only, so a South Florida family cannot use it for short hops; Tri-Rail does that.
The Palm Beach Zoo's interactive fountain and the jaguars, then the aquarium next door, in the same park (admission).
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1925 Seaboard depot with a waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage, shared with Tri-Rail and Palm Tran buses.
- 15 minClematis Street and the downtown waterfront, with a splash fountain at the Great Lawn.
- at stopThe South Florida Science Center and Aquarium and the Palm Beach Zoo, side by side in Dreher Park, by cab (admission).
- at stopPalm Beach's Midtown Beach and the Lake Trail bike path, by cab, 15 minutes.
- at stopLion Country Safari, a drive-through park with giraffes, 30 minutes by car (admission).
A few hours here
- Southbound: arrive 5:10pm, dinner on Clematis Street, the beach in the morning.
Stay the night
Two nights in West Palm: the zoo and science center one day, the beach the next, and Tri-Rail down to Fort Lauderdale or Miami whenever you like.
Snack stop: Clematis Street's ice cream and cafes; the station has vending machines.
Out the window: Tri-Rail trains alongside, then the back yards of Palm Beach County to Delray.
West Palm Beach has checked baggage. Tri-Rail runs from this platform to the airport, Fort Lauderdale and Miami all day; Brightline's station is a separate building downtown.
Stop 29 of 33DLBSouthbound about 5:35pm (drop-off only); northbound about 8:15am (pickup only)our honest take: ride on
Delray Beach
A small station by the interstate, two miles from Atlantic Avenue and one of the nicest town beaches in Florida: wide sand, a lifeguard every block, and ice cream across the street. Get off here if the grandparents are in Delray; a cab to the beach is ten minutes.
Delray's public beach at the end of Atlantic Avenue, by cab.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small station with a shelter, shared with Tri-Rail.
- at stopAtlantic Avenue and Delray Municipal Beach, by cab, 10 minutes.
- at stopSandoway Discovery Center's shark feeding and touch tank, on the beach (admission).
A few hours here
- Stay aboard, unless Delray is home.
Stay the night
A Delray beach week from here.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: Interstate on the right, suburbs on the left.
Stop 30 of 33DFBSouthbound about 5:45pm (drop-off only); northbound about 8:05am (pickup only)our honest take: ride on
Deerfield Beach
A Tri-Rail station on Hillsboro Boulevard, three miles from a fishing pier and a quiet beach, with Quiet Waters Park a mile away for its cable wakeboarding and splash playground. A drop-off for locals.
The pier at Deerfield's beach, by cab.
Right off the platform
- at stopA station with a shelter and a waiting room, shared with Tri-Rail.
- at stopQuiet Waters Park's splash playground and lake, by cab (small fee).
- at stopDeerfield Beach's pier and beach, by cab, 10 minutes.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip, unless this is home.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: More suburbs; the Atlantic is three miles east and out of sight.
Stop 31 of 33FTLSouthbound about 6:05pm (drop-off only); northbound about 7:45am (pickup only)
Fort Lauderdale
The station is two miles west of downtown on Broward Boulevard, shared with Tri-Rail. Downtown has the Museum of Discovery and Science, with a hurricane simulator and an otter habitat, and the Riverwalk where the water taxi leaves for the beach. The beach itself, with its curvy white wall, is a 20-minute cab. A good alternative to Miami as the end of the trip if the grandparents are anywhere in Broward.
The water taxi from the Riverwalk down the New River past the big yachts to the beach, with a kid on the top deck.
Right off the platform
- at stopA station with a waiting room and a staffed counter, shared with Tri-Rail, with Broward County buses outside.
- at stopThe Museum of Discovery and Science and its big-screen theater, downtown by cab, 10 minutes (admission).
- at stopThe Riverwalk and the water taxi (fare) to Las Olas and the beach.
- at stopFort Lauderdale Beach and the Hugh Taylor Birch State Park next to it, by cab, 20 minutes.
- at stopEverglades airboat rides at Sawgrass, 30 minutes west by car.
A few hours here
- Southbound: arrive 6:06pm, a cab to a beach hotel, the science museum in the morning.
Stay the night
Three nights at the beach from here: the museum, the water taxi, the Everglades by car, and Tri-Rail or the Meteor on.
Snack stop: Nothing at the station; Las Olas Boulevard downtown has ice cream.
Out the window: The airport runways on the right just south of the station; planes landing low.
Fort Lauderdale has a staffed counter but check the Amtrak page for baggage. The Brightline station is downtown, separate from this one.
Stop 32 of 33HOLSouthbound about 6:20pm (drop-off only); northbound about 7:30am (pickup only)our honest take: ride on
Hollywood
A Tri-Rail station on Hollywood Boulevard three miles from the Broadwalk, a two-mile brick promenade along the beach with a playground, a splash pad at the bandshell and bikes to rent. ArtsPark at Young Circle, with a big playground, is halfway between. The last stop before Miami.
The Broadwalk at sunset, by cab.
Right off the platform
- at stopA station with a shelter, shared with Tri-Rail.
- at stopArtsPark at Young Circle, by cab, with a playground and a splash pad.
- at stopThe Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, by cab, 15 minutes.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
A Hollywood Beach week from here; the Broadwalk is one of the best beach walks in Florida with a stroller.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: Rail yards and warehouses as the train turns toward Hialeah.
Stop 33 of 33MIATrain 97 arrives about 7:00pm; Train 98 leaves about 7:05am
Miami
The end of the line, 28 hours from New York, at a 1978 station in Hialeah that is nobody's favorite building and that Amtrak decided in 2024 to keep using instead of moving to the airport. The Tri-Rail and Metrorail transfer station is a half-mile walk, and from there the Metrorail goes downtown. Miami itself is wonderful with kids: the Miami Children's Museum on Watson Island, the Frost Science museum's aquarium, Zoo Miami, and South Beach's sand. Book a ride for the arrival; this is not a station to linger in.
Who is waiting on the platform. Then, in the morning, the Frost Science museum's three-story aquarium and its roof deck over the bay.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1978 station with a big waiting room, a staffed counter and checked baggage. Cabs and rideshares meet the trains.
- 10 minThe Tri-Rail and Metrorail transfer station, a half-mile walk or a short cab, for trains downtown and to the airport.
- at stopThe Miami Children's Museum on Watson Island, by cab, with a cruise ship to climb through (admission).
- at stopThe Frost Museum of Science and its aquarium, downtown by Metrorail and a walk (admission).
- at stopZoo Miami, the biggest zoo in Florida, by cab or Metrorail and bus (admission).
- at stopSouth Beach and Lummus Park's playground, by cab, 25 minutes.
A few hours here
- Arrive 6:59pm, a cab to the hotel, and a swim.
Stay the night
A Miami week: the children's museum and Frost Science downtown, the zoo, South Beach, and a boat to Key Biscayne. Then the 7:05am northbound with a full day of Florida windows, or the Floridian (see /trips/floridian) at 11:05am if you are heading for Tampa or Chicago.
Snack stop: Nothing near the station; the hotel.
Out the window: Northbound in the early morning, the Hialeah rail yards and then the Atlantic suburbs toward Hollywood.
Miami has checked baggage. The northbound train leaves at 7:05am, so stay near the station or book a 6am ride. The transfer station walk is not pleasant with bags and small kids; take the cab.
Who is waiting on the platform
My mom never got to stand on a platform and wait for my kids. I think about that on this train more than on any other, because so many people on it are going to exactly that: a grandmother in a sun hat at Orlando or West Palm Beach, scanning the windows. The first time we rode the Meteor my daughter spotted a stranger's grandfather waving and waved back, hard, with both arms, and he waved back at her. That is the train. The book ends the same way, and I wrote it for the same reason.
Next in this series: the Floridian, the two-night train from Chicago that shares these Florida stops and adds Tampa; the Palmetto, the daytime train to Charleston and Savannah; the Auto Train, which brings your car along to Orlando; the Carolinian to Raleigh and Charlotte; and the Northeast Regional for the New York to Washington stops in daylight. Every route is on the Train Trips With Your Kids page.
Silver Meteor trips with kids: questions parents ask
How long is the Silver Meteor from New York to Miami?
About 28 hours and one night. Train 97 leaves New York at about 2:30pm and arrives in Miami at about 7pm the next day; Train 98 leaves Miami at 7:05am and reaches New York at about 10:50am the following morning. Orlando is at about 1pm southbound.
What is the best part of the Silver Meteor for kids?
The second day southbound, all of it in daylight: Savannah at 6:49am, the St. Johns River after Jacksonville, DeLand, Winter Park's park platform at lunchtime, Orlando, Kissimmee's lakefront, and the beach stops from West Palm Beach on. The Washington engine change on the first evening is the other one.
Which Silver Meteor stop is best for a night with kids?
Winter Park. The platform is in a park, Park Avenue's ice cream is across the lawn, the Scenic Boat Tour dock is ten minutes away, and both trains stop at lunchtime. Savannah, with its squares and the railroad museum, is the other one, though the station is a cab ride out.
Can we ride just part of the Silver Meteor with a toddler?
Yes. DeLand to Winter Park is 48 minutes at midday, and SunRail runs back on weekdays. Jacksonville to Orlando is three and a half hours with no night. Washington to Savannah is an overnight with a 6:49am arrival, which works for a child who sleeps well.
Does the Silver Meteor stop in Charleston or Tampa?
It stops at North Charleston, ten miles from downtown Charleston, at about 4:50am southbound and 8:30pm northbound, which is why we send Charleston families to the Palmetto. It does not go to Tampa; the Floridian does, with a loop from Lakeland.
Which Silver Meteor stops should we skip with kids?
The night stops: Fredericksburg, Richmond, Petersburg, Rocky Mount, Fayetteville, Florence, Kingstree and Yemassee southbound. Plus the small Florida platforms (Jesup, Palatka, Sebring, Delray, Deerfield, Hollywood) and the corridor stops you cannot get off at anyway. The trip is New York, Washington, Savannah, Jacksonville, DeLand, Winter Park, Orlando, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.
Sources and how I checked
- Amtrak Silver Service and Palmetto timetable, September 2026 revision (Trains 97 and 98), and Amtrak station pages
- Georgia State Railroad Museum and Savannah Children's Museum, Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, Morse Museum, Orlando Science Center, LEGOLAND Florida, South Florida Science Center, Museum of Discovery and Science, Frost Science: hours and admission as posted October 2026
- SunRail station pages for DeLand, Winter Park, Orlando and Kissimmee; Tri-Rail for the South Florida stations; Amtrak's Pause for Progress notice for the October 16 to 26, 2026 Washington work
- Great American Stations and Wikipedia station and route articles for addresses, station history and the Miami station decision, cross-checked with Amtrak
Hours, prices and bus routes change. I update this page when they do; if you spot something out of date, tell me.