Traveling from USNA to USMA

N

NCA

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2023
Messages
144
What is the best way to travel from USNA to USMA? My DS will have to travel alone for back-to-back NASS and SLE sessions.
 
NCA said:
What is the best way to travel from USNA to USMA? My DS will have to travel alone for back-to-back NASS and SLE sessions.
Click to expand...
First question. How is he getting to USNA? Next question. How is he getting home from USMA? (Don’t know where you live).
 
Iwutke said:
First question. How is he getting to USNA? Next question. How is he getting home from USMA? (Don’t know where you live).
Click to expand...
We live in northern CA. He would be traveling to USNA by plane and home from USMA by plane as well.
 
One of my student was fortunate enough to have his father meet him in a rental car at the end of NASS and then drove up to drop him at SLE. It allowed dad to 'see' the schools too. A more expensive solution than AMTRAK, but also a nice adventure together. By the way, that young man graduated from West Point last May. Congratulations to your son!
 
I would have him fly. No matter what mode of travel you decide pay special attention to the suggested arrival and departure times listed in the packets. It is harder finding flights arriving in their suggested time frames going from the west coast to the east coast. Don't know you son's age or if he is traveling alone but if he needs to stay overnight in a hotel while underage call the hotel in advance to make sure this will not be an issue. Some hotels have a policy about not accepting those under 18 or 21.

If he is traveling alone this is a good time to call those family/friends nearby the airport/bus or train station or closer to the destination. I was not comfortable sending my teenage daughter alone on a red eye flight or a overnight layover at the airport. We sent her to family about two hours by plane away from her final destination. She spent the night there and then continued on the next morning arriving in the suggested time frame. She would have been late for her program if we had tried getting her there without the layover with family.
 
Also pack an extra collapsible bag for acquired gear/swag your son will be coming home with.
 
ChatterMom2 said:
I would have him fly. No matter what mode of travel you decide pay special attention to the suggested arrival and departure times listed in the packets. It is harder finding flights arriving in their suggested time frames going from the west coast to the east coast. Don't know you son's age or if he is traveling alone but if he needs to stay overnight in a hotel while underage call the hotel in advance to make sure this will not be an issue. Some hotels have a policy about not accepting those under 18 or 21.

If he is traveling alone this is a good time to call those family/friends nearby the airport/bus or train station or closer to the destination. I was not comfortable sending my teenage daughter alone on a red eye flight or a overnight layover at the airport. We sent her to family about two hours by plane away from her final destination. She spent the night there and then continued on the next morning arriving in the suggested time frame. She would have been late for her program if we had tried getting her there without the layover with family.
Click to expand...
I literally just got off of the AMTRAK running the route from BWI to NYC. Pay a few bucks more for ACELA and it is about 2 and a half hours and will end up being faster than flying to NYC and the train to West Point.
.
As for the parental fear - back when #2 son was 17 - entering senior year, he had just sent in his app for USNA and as he was planning on being
a Navy pilot, he wanted to join me at the Tailhook convention in Reno which I was attending as part of my (civilian) job. I had to be out there early in the week and we didn't want him to miss much school so we decided that he'd fly out Thurs afternoon from the East Coast to Reno with a connection in Las Vegas and that wasn't too risky for him.
.
You know what they say about the best laid plans? Well his flight to Las Vegas got delayed by storms in flight and arrived after the last flight to Reno so he had to wait till the next morning IN LAS VEGAS. The airline did step up and got him a room in a hotel on the Strip so there my young and impressionable (lol) son was on the Las Vegas strip at 17 yrs old. Everything worked out fine and he is currently newly arrived in Japan with wife and kids for a year and a half of shore duty.
 
OldRetSWO said:
I literally just got off of the AMTRAK running the route from BWI to NYC. Pay a few bucks more for ACELA and it is about 2 and a half hours and will end up being faster than flying to NYC and the train to West Point.
.
As for the parental fear - back when #2 son was 17 - entering senior year, he had just sent in his app for USNA and as he was planning on being
a Navy pilot, he wanted to join me at the Tailhook convention in Reno which I was attending as part of my (civilian) job. I had to be out there early in the week and we didn't want him to miss much school so we decided that he'd fly out Thurs afternoon from the East Coast to Reno with a connection in Las Vegas and that wasn't too risky for him.
.
You know what they say about the best laid plans? Well his flight to Las Vegas got delayed by storms in flight and arrived after the last flight to Reno so he had to wait till the next morning IN LAS VEGAS. The airline did step up and got him a room in a hotel on the Strip so there my young and impressionable (lol) son was on the Las Vegas strip at 17 yrs old. Everything worked out fine and he is currently newly arrived in Japan with wife and kids for a year and a half of shore duty.
Click to expand...
Thank you. So that means:

USNA -> Uber/Taxi to BWI -> ACELA to NY Penn Station -> Walk to Grand Central Station -> Metro North to Garrison -> Uber/Taxi to USMA

Whew, that's a quite a journey for a 17yo by himself...
 
NCA said:
Thank you. So that means:

USNA -> Uber/Taxi to BWI -> ACELA to NY Penn Station -> Walk to Grand Central Station -> Metro North to Garrison -> Uber/Taxi to USMA

Whew, that's a quite a journey for a 17yo by himself...
Click to expand...
We're talking about less than a year before being allowed to vote, sign contracts, etc.
Every family (and kid) is different.
 
NCA said:
Thank you. So that means:

USNA -> Uber/Taxi to BWI -> ACELA to NY Penn Station -> Walk to Grand Central Station -> Metro North to Garrison -> Uber/Taxi to USMA

Whew, that's a quite a journey for a 17yo by himself...
Click to expand...
USNA have shuttle buses from/to BWI for NASS participants.
 
NCA said:
Thank you. So that means:

USNA -> Uber/Taxi to BWI -> ACELA to NY Penn Station -> Walk to Grand Central Station -> Metro North to Garrison -> Uber/Taxi to USMA

Whew, that's a quite a journey for a 17yo by himself...
Click to expand...
That is quite a journey! We are in Sacramento and my DD will do both SLE and NASS. She thinks she can travel alone but after I read this, I don’t know if it’s a good idea. She’s 16 yo.
 
Annettedinh said:
That is quite a journey! We are in Sacramento and my DD will do both SLE and NASS. She thinks she can travel alone but after I read this, I don’t know if it’s a good idea. She’s 16 yo.
Click to expand...
My DS traveled across the country from his tiny school of 97 classmates and rodeos to using Uber, Amtrak, Metro during FBLA national competitions, in San Antonio, Baltimore, and Boston, and NYC.

He was 16. He downloaded the ride apps and metro apps and got it done. My mama heart had to let go.

Common sense, traveling in pairs, a front cross chest bag, and awareness and confidence are key.
 
Also, there is a FB page for traveling military members. Family members share their need for transport or hosting and local families volunteer. I have hosted and had great experiences with these pages.
 
Annettedinh said:
That is quite a journey! We are in Sacramento and my DD will do both SLE and NASS. She thinks she can travel alone but after I read this, I don’t know if it’s a good idea. She’s 16 yo.
Click to expand...
Actually, I think WP may provide ride from and to EWR airport for SLE. If that’s the case, traveling from BWI to EWR should be straight forward.
 
Annettedinh said:
That is quite a journey! We are in Sacramento and my DD will do both SLE and NASS. She thinks she can travel alone but after I read this, I don’t know if it’s a good idea. She’s 16 yo.
Click to expand...
Last year my daughter traveled alone. Both USNA and USMA will provide transportation from the airport to the Academy and then back to the airport if your DD arrives/departs at the academies preferred airport during their preferred/suggested arrival/departure times. Check the info packet's travel section. It gets tricky sometimes if you can't find a flight that arrives early enough (when flying west coast to east coast) to get there during the suggested program check-in times to use the Academy's provided transportation. Sometimes you are looking at a overnight flight or overnight layover. If flying a day early then hotel accommodations and local transportation become a factor. Also traveling from NASS to SLE or SLE to NASS you are looking at a hotel an extra night or two depending on what the current dates are.
 
Heatherg21 said:
Also, there is a FB page for traveling military members. Family members share their need for transport or hosting and local families volunteer. I have hosted and had great experiences with these pages.
Click to expand...
Would you please share this FB page? Thank you!
 
ChatterMom2 said:
Last year my daughter traveled alone. Both USNA and USMA will provide transportation from the airport to the Academy and then back to the airport if your DD arrives/departs at the academies preferred airport during their preferred/suggested arrival/departure times. Check the info packet's travel section. It gets tricky sometimes if you can't find a flight that arrives early enough (when flying west coast to east coast) to get there during the suggested program check-in times to use the Academy's provided transportation. Sometimes you are looking at a overnight flight or overnight layover. If flying a day early then hotel accommodations and local transportation become a factor. Also traveling from NASS to SLE or SLE to NASS you are looking at a hotel an extra night or two depending on what the current dates are.
Click to expand...
This is very helpful. Thank you.
 
AcadAdmCoach said:
One of my student was fortunate enough to have his father meet him in a rental car at the end of NASS and then drove up to drop him at SLE. It allowed dad to 'see' the schools too. A more expensive solution than AMTRAK, but also a nice adventure together. By the way, that young man graduated from West Point last May. Congratulations to your son!
Click to expand...
I looked into this option for us. It looks like a 4ish hour drive between the two. Not an inexpensive option, involving flight, rental car, hotel room for a very short turnaround for my husband. But it seems possible if all the stars align.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top