Jim and I recently took an Amtrak vacation trip to DC and Pigeon Forge TN for our “Spring Break”. It turned out to be quite a nice experience. Amtrak set us up to leave from Boston, travel to DC and stay a couple of nights. Then we were provided a vehicle to drive to Pigeon Forge (about 8 hours) and stay a few more nights. One tour in DC and one tour in TN were also included. We were uncertain how this would go but it mostly went seamlessly. Amtrak did a nice job with our accommodations as well as travel arrangements.
One glitch we experienced involved the Boston parking garage where we left our car for the duration. Our return train was significantly delayed so we were put on an earlier train which was great. However, we arrived at South Station at 1:30 AM and the parking garage was closed until morning. South Station was also locked up tight until morning. The situation was complicated a bit by the fact that this was Marathon Monday morning so no hotels were available. We were able to get a Lyft to Gloucester without too much fuss so even that worked out. A note of advice to check parking garage hours if you find yourself in a similar situation. Overall, the Amtrak vacation experience was a positive one. I would not hesitate to try another adventure.
Here are some photos from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where we spent nearly all of our Tennessee time. It’s been on my bucket list for a while. We did not get to see a bear but we did get to see a few elk up close. For additional photos and story details, check out Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook (link here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063510494739) The DC portion of our trip will follow soon.
Good Morning Gloucester 