Everything I Learned Taking a 4-Year-Old and 2-Year-Old on the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service
After our amazing first trip on the new Amtrak Mardi Gras Service from New Orleans to Mobile (you can read all about that adventure here!), several friends asked me: “Okay but WHAT did you pack?” and “How did you keep them entertained?”
Fair questions. So here’s everything I learned about train travel with toddlers. What worked, what I wish I’d done differently, and what I’m bringing next time.
The Packing List That Actually Mattered
Snacks (The Most Important Category)
Even though there’s a café car, you NEED backup snacks. Here’s what worked:
- Cheese puffs
- String cheese
- Fruit pouches
- Fruit snacks (I brought 10 for a 3-hour trip, no regrets)
- Cereal
- Emergency lollipops hidden for desperate moments
Why This Mattered: Snacks aren’t just about hunger. They’re about having something to DO. “Want a snack?” buys you 10 minutes of peace.
Next Time: More variety. By the end, Eloise was over the cheese puffs. I’ll add cookies, cute up grapes, and squeeze yogurts with an ice pack.
Entertainment Arsenal
What Worked:
- Coloring books and crayons: This is probably what they spent most of their time doing. During our stop in Mobile, the Visit Mobile welcome center even gave us Amtrak Mini-Conductor coloring books that the girls loved.
- Sticker books: GOLD. Absolute gold. 30 minutes of quiet, focused entertainment. Just had to stop them from sticking them all over the train.
- Small new, never seen before toys: These can be the cheapest silliest, tiniest toys, but the excitement of opening them and them being new and revealed throughout the trip was brilliant.
- Tablets with downloaded content: Downloaded Paw Patrol and Bluey episodes. The Wi-Fi worked great, but downloads meant no buffering.
- Camera: Okay best thing I did was bring an old digital camera of mine. My kids are big into taking pictures right now, but them holding my $1400 phone is mildly terrifying. The loved the ability to have their “own” camera and took hundreds of pictures throughout our journey.
What I Wish I’d Brought:
- Kid headphones (we were those rude people, I’m sorry!!)
- More sticker books
- TWO cameras so they didn’t fight over the one.
What I Didn’t Need:
- Half the toys I stressed about. The train itself is entertaining.
- Playdough. Very entertaining… absolute mess.
The Practical Essentials
- Wet wipes: For EVERYTHING. Went through half a pack.
- Hand sanitizer: Post-bathroom, pre-snacks, after touching everything.
- Light jackets: The AC is strong (which is nice, but you need layers).
- Small blanket: For comfort and impromptu naps.
- Change of clothes: One full outfit per kid in a ziplock.
- Diapers/pull-ups: If needed, bring extras.
- Small first aid kit: Band-aids, children’s Tylenol, basics.
- Phone charger and battery pack: Photo-taking drains batteries fast.
The Bag Situation
I brought three bags, which was honestly fine:
- Crossbody: My phone, wallet, keys, quick-access bribes
- Husbands Backpack: Kid stuff (activities, tablets, all the snacks)
- Diaper Bag: Diapers, wipes, band aids, extra binkies, necessities
The train has plenty of storage. If by myself I’d try combining into two bags, but three worked. It would have also been great to not deal with the stroller on board, but my kids are small enough that we still needed it when exploring the towns.
How I Actually Kept Them Entertained
The Café Car Strategy: We made THREE trips to the café car. Not because we were hungry, but because walking there, picking snacks, and eating them = 15 minutes of entertainment each time.
Window Narration Game: “What do you see?” “What color is that building?” “How many boats can you count?” Turned the scenery into engagement. A lot of I Spy with two little kids who don’t quite understand the game yet.
Strategic Toy Reveals: Don’t show everything at once.
Give Them “Jobs”: Kids love responsibilities.
- “Count how many people are in our car”
- “Tell me when you see water” (my two year old just started being able to say water and was so excited to scream “MOOOO WATER!”)
- “Draw what you see outside”
Screen Time Without Guilt: When Eloise got fussy on the way home, Paw Patrol saved us and everyone seated nearby. No shame, that’s what screens are for when traveling.
Timing is Everything
Morning Departure: Perfect. Girls were fresh and excited. Got to Mobile ready to explore around mid-day.
Evening Return: Both girls were tired. If they werent so excited about the train I really think they would have fallen asleep. We brought PJs for them to change into so the Causeway drive back they could doze off and we could carry them to bed.
Quick Survival Tips
Before Boarding:
- Let them burn energy if possible
- Bathroom run first
- Set expectations: “We’ll ride the train for a bit, then explore Mobile!”
During the Ride:
- Rotate activities every 20-30 minutes
- Make café car trips events
- Engage with scenery
- Stay flexible
Return Trip:
- Expect tired, overwhelmed kids out of their normal routines
- Keep activities in reserve
- Don’t stress about resulting to screentime
Is All This Prep Worth It?
YES. Absolutely.
Even with the packing, train travel is STILL easier than:
- Long car rides with kids strapped in car seats (especially when potty training)
- Flying (TSA, cramped seats, altitude crying)
- Staying home doing the same things every weekend
The train gives them freedom to move, built-in entertainment, and a real adventure. Sandy still talks about “our train day” constantly.
Plus, you only have to figure this out once. The second trip is way easier.
You’ve Got This
Traveling with toddlers will never be zen and peaceful. There will be spills and meltdowns and moments of doubt.
But the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service makes it as easy as possible. Pack smart, keep expectations realistic, bring extra snacks and embrace the chaos.
You’re teaching your kids about adventure and exploration. That’s worth a little extra packing.
