They chugga travelers from point A to point B with celerity and “green” grace, and this Saturday, May 8, marks the 3rd annual National Train Day. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation together with Amtrak wants the country to get all aboard this weekend. So to celebrate the locomotives and galvanize riders, they are pulling out all the stops from celebrities to special getaway packages in more than 50 cities, including Philadelphia, New York, and Washington D.C.
If you’d rather not leave town this weekend, attend the NYC Kick-off event at Penn Station on Friday 12-2pm, where actor Taye Diggs will trigger the 3D “trainscape” installation, comprised of edible artwork and moving model trains. Or consider spending a few days in Philly with a $300 package that includes accommodations at the Holiday Inn Historic District, free admission to the Independence Seaport Museum, and round-trip fare from NYC—look for the historical baseball exhibit at the 30th Street Station when you arrive.
For $440, ride the rails to D.C., where the package includes two nights at Liaison Capitol Hill hotel, round-trip fare plus tax, and admission to the Newseum or National Museum of Crime & Punishment. Check out a culinary demo with Chef Michel Richard at Union Station, and if there’s time, enjoy discounts at the National Aquarium.
For more information about National Train Day events, discounted adventures way off Manhattan, and how to use your Amtrak Rewards to earn triple points on May 8, visit nationaltrainday.com.
Photo: Courtesy of Amtrak
The co-founder and editor-at-large at offMetro, Lauren is a sustainable travel specialist and freelance journalist with frequent bylines in National Geographic, Bicycling Magazine and Shape. Follow Lauren’s adventures at @laurenmati.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram