Now we’ll see what we can do about getting\u00a0 you out from behind the wheel of your car. Heaven knows that the last\u00a0 thing you need for “vacation” is a roadtrip with your kids. Obviously,\u00a0 this idea will involve some driving, but not near as much as last time,\u00a0 and involve another, more unique form of transportation – riding the\u00a0 rails.<\/p>\n
We’ve always subscribed to a system of travel that includes\u00a0 education – it makes the experience that much richer. Before our last\u00a0 little loop, we watched a Netflix video<\/a> on erosion. We took the kids to the library and checked out books on\u00a0 dinosaurs, and our Easter gifts were themed for the journey – an\u00a0 archaeologist kit, a “build your own volcano,” and a butterfly net. For my own purposes, I watched “127 Hours.” Nothing makes a trip more\u00a0 rewarding than being able to anticipate things you’ve read about.<\/p>\n Now, I’d urge you to start playing “Ticket to Ride” on family\u00a0 nights, DVR “Thomas the Train,” and go out and pick up a copy of Steven\u00a0 Ambrose’s “Nothing Like it in the World: The Men who Built the\u00a0 Transcontinental Railroad.” (Amazon.com has it for a penny before shipping<\/a>) Between 1863 and 1869, the United States transitioned its focus from\u00a0 preserving North\/South unity to establishing East\/West unity. People\u00a0 knew that such a connection would unbridle economic growth on an\u00a0 inimaginable scale – and that’s exactly what it did. In order to make it happen, two companies set out to build. The Central Pacific Railroad\u00a0 started from California headed East, and the Union Pacific worked its\u00a0 way West from Nebraska. In a monumental effort that put progress at a\u00a0 greater premium than cost and even life, they sometimes laid as many as\u00a0 8-10 miles of rail per day (most days I don’t even walk a quarter of\u00a0 that).<\/p>\n Interesting, but why do I have you reading all that? Because as\u00a0 those two teams worked Now, to complete this train-travel-trifecta, make a visit to the Union\u00a0 Pacific Depot We hope you’ve enjoyed the second in our series of Utah budget family vacations. If you’re a cost-conscientious world wanderluster in need of travel tips<\/a>, please bookmark our site and visit us often. If we’ve inspired you further and you’re curious about using travel points to book with Amtrak<\/a>, check in on this other post and wanderlust with us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This is our second guest post in our series on Budget Utah Travel Excursions – something fairly localized, but you may be able to do something similar wherever you live. Round two, everyone. We’re glad you enjoyed our first post … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/worldwanderlusting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Reenactors.jpg\" "\\"Reenactors\\"")
<\/a>(and competed), the inevitable point of\u00a0 connection became the state of Utah. With Mormon pioneers contracted\u00a0 for labor grading and tunneling through Weber River Canyon, the eventual junction became Promontory Point, and on May 10th, 1869, they drove\u00a0 four golden spikes in a ceremony that was broadcast via telegraph – the\u00a0 click of the pounding of the spike being the message in itself. East\/West journeys were reduced from six months of toil and danger to\u00a0 one week of relative comfort.\u00a0 If the thought of seeing this in reality is intriguing, wait till I tell you that they reenact it every Saturday starting the first of May. <\/a>It’s $7 a vehicle, or free if you picked up the NPS Annual Pass on our last little jaunt.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/worldwanderlusting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/header1.jpg\" "\\"header1\\"")
<\/a>Now, it just wouldn’t be right to get this enthusiastic about trains and then not take the opportunity to get aboard. Luckily, Heber Valley Railroad <\/a>has 16 distinct excursions, one of which is bound to fit your family. For\u00a0 the little ones, you could opt for the “Day out with Thomas.” If your\u00a0 kids are a little older, maybe you’d want to do the “Reins and Trains,”\u00a0 which also includes a horseback ride. These trips aren’t exactly a\u00a0 bargain but every once in a while, they offer gift certificates for 50%\u00a0 off.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/worldwanderlusting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/800px-Union-pacific-passenger-terminal-salt-lake-city-utah-usa-300x199.jpg\" "\\"800px-Union-pacific-passenger-terminal-salt-lake-city-utah-usa\\"")
<\/a>Building at Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City. Chances are that you’ve seen the historic building on your trips to the Gateway before City Creek turned it into a ghost town, but now that you’re a train aficionado you’ll\u00a0 have a greater appreciation for the history contained within this building. All of the sudden, the ceiling mural depicting the driving of the Golden Spike has much more meaning to you.<\/p>\n