Amtrak Guest Rewards - Need 450 AGR points for Select Status/Have $53 Amtrak Credit

I'm 350 points away from making Amtrak Select Status this year, and I have $53 Amtrak credit from an unused ticket. I'm based in New York. I'm trying to figure out how to make status. I'm not looking for the cheapest way exactly.... I'd like to find an inexpensive day trip or two from NYP that would earn me points and also be enjoyable. Any ideas?

(the 450 in the subject line is incorrect. I need 350 points. I'm not sure how to edit the title).

If you can get to Philly, each trip on the Keystone Harrisburg Line (PHL-Ardmore or PHL-Paoli) costs 6.50$ and nets you 100 qualification/reward points plus the bonus reward points. PHL-Ardmore is a 15 minute ride and PHL-Paoli is 25 minutes.

Ardmore has a great upscale shopping district/area right next to the station, which is an easy way to spend a day. Alteratively, Lancaster/Harrisburg (~25$ o/w) are both great places for you (and family, if applicable) to spend the day. Nice historical sites if you're interested in that stuff.

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From NYP, the cheapest option is probably a roundtrip to CRT, with a free stopover in each direction at YNY. You'll earn 100 AGR points for each segment, but the roundtrip will probably take the better part of a day, since you will have a layover of at least one hour in each direction at YNY.

Because YNY does not have as much service as some other stations on the Albany route, you might also consider a NYP-POU roundtrip, with a stopover at CRT in each direction.

@guv1976 - Out of curiousity, is there anything to do in Poughkeepsie? Like for tourist types?

Another option is a daytrip up the Hartford/Springfield line. With 14-day advance purchase, you should be pretty close to the voucher value. Just make sure you get a connection to a shuttle train at New Haven (or force one) in both directions for the 400 points.

Or for a little more in cost, visit one of the towns along the Shore Line to Boston: New London, Mystic, and Providence itself are worthwhile destinations. Again, you'll need to force two stops along the way. I personally like to go nonstop in one direction (rest/relax leg) and hop on-off the other (sightseeing leg). The order is up to you.

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@guv1976 - Out of curiousity, is there anything to do in Poughkeepsie? Like for tourist types?

I really can't say. When I've made en-route stops at POU or CRT, I just walked to nearby restaurants to get something to eat before my connecting train arrived.

I think the CRT trip with the Yonkers stopover might be the way to go. How does the free stopover work?

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I think the CRT trip with the Yonkers stopover might be the way to go. How does the free stopover work?

You use the multi-city option on amtrak.com (or call Amtrak) to book each leg. Note that each train must have the lowest fare bucket available in order to get the lowest fare for the NYP-CRT one-way.

There is also a discount available on NYS routes, but I'm not sure if the discount would still apply to a stopover itinerary. Go to http://www.iloveny.com, and click on "Deals" to explore this option.

Since you have travel credit, you'll unfortunately need to complete the transaction over the phone or in person. Easiest way is to do a test booking on the website using the multi-city option, then request those exact trains over the phone and verify the quoted price. Mention you have travel credit.

Another approach is to book exactly what you want on the website with your credit card, and change the form of payment at the ticket window. They should refund your card and apply the travel credit.