Holiday in the USA (not linked to current events)

[Markman]

ok - so it is crap everywhere with Covid and the scenes in America right now however one day I would like to visit that Country (when I retire if I have the money)

I would like to go by Train around the USA when I arrive (inc Sleepers) but I hate being part of a Tour and staying in fixed hotels and following someone with a brolly etc - it is a few years away but with a little time at the moment I started searching and all I can find are tour operators offering this. Anyone know of  a site that can help you plan your own route around the USA and how to book it? 

I want to see some of the well known places as well as visit Louisiana  - so it may be that it is just too big to cram 6 or 7 places in as I would spend all my time on the train between sites? I just don't know really - any thoughts?

[Eddie Hitler]

I have done similar but with driving and setting my own itinerary as I go depending upon weather and also how much I like each place.

I won't churn out my advice because it's not relevant if you're wedded to using the train but it does at least serve to bump the thread.

I would though note that outside of the big cities cruising at 60mph on the quiet interstates with a big automatic car or SUV is a pleasure; it's nothing like rush hour on the M5.

[miser]

I've done a couple of rail trips across the US, coast to coast. Booked all rail trips directly with Amtrak and then booked Hotels separately. Try looking at Seat61.com which is a train travel guide written by an enthusiast. The site gives a lot of detail on routes, how to book and what the experience is like. 

[BS2 Red]

miser's suggestion of Seat 61 is a good one.

https://www.seat61.com/UnitedStates.htm
 

There's a lot of information there.

[Harry]

Likewise I wouldn’t be able to advise on train travel, but like Eddie says above, the driving in the US is great. 
Did our honeymoon there, 10 days West, then 10 days East. A couple of days at a hotel and then drive a few hours to the next stop. 
Lovely long drive from Laguna Beach up to Yosemite. Then across the Tiogo Pass to Mammoth Lakes. Superb long drive back to LA with the Sierra Nevada on the right hand side for hours. 
Flight to New York. Drive to Cape Cod. Then a drive to Boston. Next into Vermont to stay at a lovely place called Grafton. Drive further north, near the Canadian border to stay at the Von Trapp lodge in Stowe (near Waterbury, where Ben & Jerry’s are based). Finally a long drive back to NY for flights home. 
 

No need to book anything official. Just sort it all out yourself, booking independently with the hotels (search on booking.com or likewise for best price hotels and then go to the hotels own website to book, rather than through the agent website). 
Much more fun doing it that way, as you’ll come across hotels much more to your liking, in areas you want to explore and you’ll have more knowledge when you get there as you’ve researched it a bit already. 
 

I’d definitely recommend booking it all independently.