(MONEY Magazine) – Record numbers of Americans are expected to hit the road this summer for family vacations. Before you join the masses en route to the Grand Canyon or Disney World, consider making the journey the fun part--by taking a train trip. No traffic jams or fights over directions. Even better: Amtrak is offering 25% off adult rail fares if you buy via www.amtrak.com by June 15. (Use the discount code H315 when booking online.)

Prices below are average, discounted one-way rail fares for two people, which for over-night trips include a standard railcar room and three meals a day. (Deluxe rooms come with a bath.) You can also buy multiple tickets to break up a long route into shorter trips, disembarking along the way to explore the sights and sleep in local hotels. Timing routes can get tricky, so consider travel agents that specialize in Amtrak or private tour trains, such as Accentontravelusa.com (800-347-0645) and, for trips of seven days or more, the Society of International Railway Travelers (800-478-4881; www.irtsociety.com).

VROOMS WITH A VIEW

The three-day journey on the California Zephyr between Chicago and San Francisco is among Amtrak's most famous. The one-way discounted price for two: $532; deluxe-room price: $931. You'll chug through the Colorado Rockies and the Utah and Nevada deserts, so Denver, Salt Lake City and Reno are natural stopovers. The 36-hour shore-hugging trek on Amtrak's Coast Starlight runs from Seattle to Los Angeles and passes everything from snow-capped Mount Rainier to California surfers. Price: $385; deluxe: $754. In the Northeast, Amtrak's 10-hour ride from New York City to Montreal on the Adirondack takes you through the Hudson River Valley and a 50-mile stretch of Lake Champlain. Once in Montreal, hop on Via Rail's (Canada's answer to Amtrak) overnight Ocean line to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Prices: $130, New York to Montreal; $437, Montreal to Halifax on Via Rail (888-842-7245; www.viarail.ca).

Higher-end private tours add fine food and hotels to the itinerary. Book by June to snare a spot on the Society of International Railway Travelers' fall foliage trip through New England and Quebec, Oct. 16 to 23 on the American Orient Express. The $3,190 per-person price includes overnights on the train and in hotels. Rail fans rate Royal Canadian Pacific (877-665-3044; www.cprtours.com) tops in food, service and accommodations. Maybe price too: A six-day circle from Calgary to British Columbia and back will cost you $5,100 each.