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Having never ridden a train before, I was unaware of the unique opportunities so close by to our Central Florida and Davenport area.  We decided to board Amtrak at the Winter Haven station and take a weekend trip to West Palm Beach.   It was absolutely wonderful!  The ride was fun and quite comfortable, with roomy seating areas, dining and snack cars available, pillows provided, and courteous staff.

In just two and a half hours, we arrived in West Palm Beach station where there were shuttle buses and taxi cabs all waiting to take you to your destination.  Having selected a downtown hotel, we were within walking distance to everything and had no need for a rental car.  The hotel actually provided transportation to and from the Amtrak station.  We enjoyed walking along the intercoastal waterway and spending all day at City Place, where there is something for everyone:  a variety of restaurants, many upscale retail stores, a 20 screen movie theatre, live entertainment and comedy clubs . . .  so much to see and do.  On a warmer weekend, the beach  was also within walking distance, although a couple more miles of walking!  This was the perfect  kind of weekend getaway . . . . no stress of driving and complete relaxation.

The Amtrak rail system has stops throughout Central Florida, including Orlando and Tampa, and you can also take it north or south.  There are many vacation packages you can book to specific tourist destinations and the sleeper cars are quite nice for overnight travel.

Recently, it was announced that a High Speed Rail System would be constructed between Tampa and Orlando airport, hopefully to be completed within the next 5 years.   The second phase is projected to connect Orlando to Miami by 2017.  This will spark interest in a regional master plan that will include improvements to highways and buses, and create a strong coordinated transportation system that will take riders to their final destinations.  It is a tremendous boost to the future of Central Florida's economy.

Again, there is so much opportunity  in the Four Corners area of Central Florida and it will only get better in the future.  Living here or owning a home here is only half the fun!!