Planning Trips, Part 3, choosing destinations.

Choosing destinations can be complicated or can be simple. One way to visualize this destination question is like a dog bone. Our trip has a long shaft, our route to our destination, with a number of attractions at the destinations, like the bulb at the end of a dog bone.  Consider a trip to Florida from Cary, NC. First, we have a limit of trains, to the one, the Silver Star. It does go to Tampa before heading for Miami. I was examining Tampa as a destination, there are limits on train watching. There is an airport monorail, which would make it worthwhile, only if driving through or past. I did that a few years ago, so no use doing it again. Instead, I looked at Orlando and Jacksonville as good destinations. Orlando has SunRail Commuter rail that might be interesting and Jacksonville has a monorail public transit.

Choices need to be made! Looking at the schedules, it looked good to take the Star to Orlando, watch the SunRail and take the Meteor northbound to Jacksonville and the Star Northbound back to Cary, NC. Day 1 would be boarding the Star at 9:23 pm and arrive in Orlando at 10:06, day 2. Watching SunRail and whatever til 1:35 pm, when I board the Silver Meteor, Arriving in Jacksonville at 4:47 pm. In Jacksonville, after watching the monorail, at 11:03 pm, I board the Silver Star for Cary, NC with arrival 8:08 am on day 3. I would not even need to take an extra day off. Here, we have two destination in one trip, as well. Orlando and Jacksonville become that large bulb at one end of the bone. Some trips might have a bulb at each in with a central shaft, sort of a "T" bone. Another, would be two bones together. In addition to an ultimate destination, we set intermediate destination, perhaps alternative transfer points.