Stroll-friendly stop on the San Joaquin?
May 15, 2012, 1:11 pm
#1
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Stroll-friendly stop on the San Joaquin?
I want to take my nephew on his first train ride and am I'm looking for a station < 2 hrs from Hanford that has a safe, easily walkable area we can hang out while waiting for our return trip.
Thoughts on Madera, Merced or Wasco?
Thoughts on Madera, Merced or Wasco?
May 15, 2012, 3:56 pm
#3
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Sacramento?
Oh wait you said < 2 hours.
I agree with a short round-trip plan. One of my son's favorite "field trips" one rainy day when we JUST HAD TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE was riding from Davis to Berkeley, getting off the train & having an ice cream, then turning around and coming home. We got a "booth" with the table and when he wasn't looking out the windows he had plenty of room to color.
Oh wait you said < 2 hours.
I agree with a short round-trip plan. One of my son's favorite "field trips" one rainy day when we JUST HAD TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE was riding from Davis to Berkeley, getting off the train & having an ice cream, then turning around and coming home. We got a "booth" with the table and when he wasn't looking out the windows he had plenty of room to color.
May 15, 2012, 4:05 pm
#4
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Sacramento?
Oh wait you said < 2 hours.
I agree with a short round-trip plan. One of my son's favorite "field trips" one rainy day when we JUST HAD TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE was riding from Davis to Berkeley, getting off the train & having an ice cream, then turning around and coming home. We got a "booth" with the table and when he wasn't looking out the windows he had plenty of room to color.
Oh wait you said < 2 hours.
I agree with a short round-trip plan. One of my son's favorite "field trips" one rainy day when we JUST HAD TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE was riding from Davis to Berkeley, getting off the train & having an ice cream, then turning around and coming home. We got a "booth" with the table and when he wasn't looking out the windows he had plenty of room to color.
IIRC, we would have a 2-3 hour layover on a Saturday.
May 15, 2012, 7:36 pm
#5
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Someone said Sacramento... if you can somehow stretch it to four hours each way you can get to Sacramento at around 12:30pm and leave around 5:00pm. Perfect for a visit to Old Town and the California State Railroad Museum, these are both connected to the Amtrak station via a special walkway at the West end of the platform. If you go on the weekend there are also open museum trains that run down the riverbank and back... if you are going to do that get your tickets as soon as you get in to town in case they sell out later.
May 15, 2012, 11:21 pm
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Someone said Sacramento... if you can somehow stretch it to four hours each way you can get to Sacramento at around 12:30pm and leave around 5:00pm. Perfect for a visit to Old Town and the California State Railroad Museum, these are both connected to the Amtrak station via a special walkway at the West end of the platform. If you go on the weekend there are also open museum trains that run down the riverbank and back... if you are going to do that get your tickets as soon as you get in to town in case they sell out later.
May 15, 2012, 11:34 pm
#7
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The station in Merced is 3-4 blocks from Bear Creek and Applegate Park in one direction, and from downtown in the other. Not terribly exciting, but there would be a few things to do around there. I haven't dropped by the station, but one of the offices I do consulting in is near there, and I have driven through the area often.
Looks like there is a Zoo at Applegate Park, too, so that might be fun depending on your nephew's age.
Looks like there is a Zoo at Applegate Park, too, so that might be fun depending on your nephew's age.
Last edited by Doc Savage; May 15, 2012 at 11:41 pm
May 16, 2012, 1:23 am
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May 16, 2012, 11:36 am
#9
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Would you consider Bakersfield? Station is fairly nice and close to downtown. Plus it would minimize your layover as your train will do a turnaround there.
There is a water park just up the tracks and to your left.
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=60...=h&mra=ls&z=17
There is a water park just up the tracks and to your left.
http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=60...=h&mra=ls&z=17
May 16, 2012, 12:16 pm
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May 18, 2012, 3:08 pm
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The Lodi station is an easy walk to Downtown Lodi which is actually quite pleasant. I bet he'd love a milkshake at Moo Moo's Burger Barn.