The most scenic train tours in the country

It might seem old-fashioned but there’s still a certain romance to train tours. Although train travel might not help you reach your destination on time, it helps you make the most out of your journey. The comfy seats, scenic landscapes, and the chance to stretch your legs hold a certain adventure and charm.

So, why not try something different and choose a train tour for your next vacation. Here’s a list of some of the most interesting train tours across the country.

Napa Valley Wine Tour
The Napa Valley Wine Tour offers you a journey through the northeastern part of the Bay Area. The picturesque route was originally laid out in 1864 and features a 36 mile, three-hour-long journey. The rail line goes from Napa to St. Helena, and even moves north to Calistoga, a resort town. If you board the train at Mckinstry Street Station, you get to view the industrial section of the Napa Valley. This train tour gives you the option of getting off along the route to stay at one of the hotels in wine country.

California Zephyr
Established in 1949, the California Zephyr tours through the heart of the country in a 51-hour journey. The rail route starts in Chicago and ends in Oakland, California, near the San Francisco Bay. It pays homage to the pioneers who founded the West. The train tour makes pit stops at the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. It trails along the Colorado River, provides an up-close view of the red rocks in Utah, and settles into the San Francisco Bay, with the majestic Golden Gate Bridge in the background. Since this journey is long, the California Zephyr has sleeping cars, dining cars, a lounge, cafe cars, and bedroom suites that can fit up to six people.

Grand Canyon Railway
This railway, established in 1901, gives you a hassle-free tour of one of the most magnificent landmarks in the country, the Grand Canyon. Covering a total distance of 130 miles on a round trip, the train tour departs from Williams, Arizona, and moves through the pine forests in the north before settling into the expansive desert plateaus. The trip allows you to witness Native American reservations, the peaks of San Francisco, and the southern rim of the Grand Canyon. Inside the train, you are entertained by old western music and the folklore narrated by the crew.

White Pass And Yukon Route Railroad
When it comes to train tours, this one is on the more adventurous side. The White Pass and Yukon Railway takes you on a 120 miles round trip from Skagway, Alaska, to Carcross, Canada. The rail route follows the same path the stampeders took during the Klondike Gold Rush between 1897 and 1899. Featuring a narrow-gauge railway that travels on intimidatingly sheer cliff-drops, the journey takes you 3000 ft up, past mountain lakes, waterfalls, and glaciers. The regular train tour takes the miners’ supply path and ends at Carcross, Yukon. You, however, can choose to go past the Bridal Veil Falls and Dead Horse Gulch to stop at the White Pass Summit.

Great Smoky Mountain Railroad
As it is difficult to take in the beauty of the entire Great Smoky Mountains at one go, this railroad offers two train tours. First, there is the Tuckasegee River Excursion that covers a distance of 32 miles. It takes you through lush valleys, historic bridges, and the set of the movie Fugitive. This train journey stops for an hour and a half in the charming town of Dillsboro. Next, the Nantahala Gorge Excursion covers a 44-mile journey through Tennessee, the Nantahala rivers, and Fontana Lake, before finally finishing in the Nantahala Gorge and moving back to Bryson. The train tour offers boxed lunches, private attendants, an open-air gondola, and a chance to witness the country’s great wilderness.

Colorado Rail Adventure
One of the most scenic train tours, the Colorado Rail Adventure takes you on a journey through the Colorado Rockies. Featuring five railroad journeys — the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, Georgetown Loop Railroad, Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, and the Royal Gorge Route Railroad — this train route takes you on summits as high as 14,000 feet. Furthermore, the Colorado Rail Adventure includes visits to the Garden of the Gods, the Great Sand Dunes National Park, and the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.

Strasburg Railroad
Strasburg Railroad is among the oldest and the quickest of train tours. It covers a distance of nine miles and takes you through Amish Country in the heart of Pennsylvania. Originally used to move goods from the industrial areas to the coast, the Strasburg Railroad was converted to a passenger train in the 1960s. Though the route is brief, this train journey that ends in Plymouth, is an excellent, family-friendly trip.

Amtrak Empire Builder
Retracing the steps of the Lewis and Clark expedition, this 46-hour ride covers 2,206 miles. The train tour takes you to the beautiful Great Plains located at Glacier National Park in Whitefish, Montana; it explores a seven-mile-long tunnel through the Cascade mountains. It might not be the shortest of train tours, but it is definitely worth it.

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