 |
|||
MENUONLINE TRAVEL RESOURCESBook Your Hotel, Airfare & Car Rental Online - Check prices, find last minute bargains and more.
|
|
|
|
We review al of the top American tourist railways and excursion trips. There is a great scenic train tour leaving in just about every region of the United States. Some last under a couple of hours. Some are seven day excursions. It's a great way to see the country off the beaten path.
Alaska Rail Tours
When one thinks of Alaska, the idea of outdoor adventure and wildlife comes to mind. Many people today tour the state by cruise ship or car, but to really see the back country and view the sites in comfort and style, the Alaska railroad is the best mode of transportation. The railway offers tour packages that cover the different tastes of travelers and adventurers. The tours are reasonably priced and, at the same time, offer five star services. The days of high prices and long rail rides with little amenities are over. Rail has become an adventure, especially in the beautiful, awe inspiring wilderness of Alaska.
Selecting and reserving a tour from Alaska Railroad is as easy as doing the same for a cruise ship or other preplanned getaway. The choices are numerous and the railroad even allows you to select specific destinations and activities on your vacation. The price of the rail tours depend upon the season of the year you wish to travel. The value fares run through the last part of May and the first two weeks of September only. The time in between is considered the peak season and is almost twice as expensive. As you plan your vacation, remember that the rail rates are one way. So if you have a hotel in Fairbanks or Anchorage, you need to plan carefully to return after the day’s excursion or book lodging in that days destination.
Grandluxe Rail Journeys (formally The American Orient Express)
If you are looking for a great way to see the American Southwest, try the Grandluxe Rail Journeys, formally The American Orient Express. Their Southwest tours are not only exciting and adventurous, but easy on the traveler as you sit in luxury accommodations aboard a train built to allow spectacular views through glass domed, air conditioned tour cars. All the beauty that was once confined to your automobile is now broadened as you travel through the desert on rails that few motorists have ever seen.
The Grandluxe Rail Journeys offer many packages that will either spark the interest of the casual passenger or spur the inspiration of the seasoned traveler. Most meals are provided in the five star dining car presented by world renown chefs. The train has an itinerary that begins in Santa Fe and makes stops in Scottsdale, the Grand Canyon National Park, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Taking seven days to make the journey, each traveler will find time to explore each stop, shop, or go on prearranged excursions to see the local attractions.
Reno Nevada Fun Train
Traveling on the Reno Nevada Fun Train is adult decadence at its finest. The fun train steams round trip through Emeryville, Martinez, Sacramento, and Reno. You can be picked up at any of these locations though you are responsible for fares to these departure towns. Meals are provided on Friday evening and brunch on Sunday morning. Otherwise you are free to bring your own food and beverages on the train. If you wish to purchase food during your journey there is a Café\Bar car that offers light snacks and adult beverages. There is also a Piano Lounge with top notch
entertainment. If you are traveling for the scenery, there is a Dome Car where you can see panoramic views of the Nevada desert as you travel from town to town. If the themed cars are not appealing to you, the passenger cars offer a more quiet and private ride.
The Fun Train offers a package with two night’s accommodations at some of Reno’s finest hotel. You can stay at the Eldorado, Harrah’s East or West Tower, Circus Circus Mini Suite, or Eldorado’s Players Spa. Each hotel has a casino within the building or on the grounds close by. Most offer five star service and present top restaurants as well. You are in Reno so the traditional buffets and free shrimp cocktails are still available. Most casinos offer free meals or cocktails while you are gambling. The tour also offers free ground transportation to your hotel. These transports are only to and from the train station.
Amtrak’s California Zephyr and The Montana Empire Builder
The thing to do during the winter is to take a train tour of the National Parks of the Rockies. The train tour of the Rockies is offered by Amtrak and begins in Chicago, Illinois. Two trains, the Amtrak’s California Zephyr and the Montana Empire Builder will take you through some of the most majestic scenery of the Rocky Mountain area. Packed full of activities and excursions the train trip will take you through Yellowstone National Park, Teton National Park, the lower half of Glacier National Park, and many mountain towns of historical significance.
The fare includes rail fare round-trip from and to Chicago. The fare also includes lodging for 10 days as you travel across the great West. Any excursions or sightseeing adventures that you wish to go on will also be paid for through the one-time fare. This all-inclusive train tour will include all your mails and all transportation to and from your activities. Of all the all-inclusive vacations out there seeing the Rocky Mountains by rail is one of the most adventurous and rewarding of them all.
The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad
The Appalachian Mountains have bee a vacation destination for decades. The majestic beauty of the lower part of the Appalachians, the Great Smoky Mountains, has been viewed by millions of visitors. The roads around the mountains offer spectacular views, but to visit the back country via rail is an experience of a lifetime. The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad offers five tours that will spark interest in any traveler. Each tour is
unique and is planed with a specific route that will detail scenery and wildlife in a way that many visitors by car have not seen. The tours last from one half to four and a half hours depending on the duration you wish to be on the train. Each tour route is individualized, showcasing spectacular scenery and emphasizing the best of the Great Smoky Mountains.
The Tuckasegee River Excursion is a 34 mile round trip between the city of Dillsboro and Bryson City, North Carolina. The train will roll along the banks of this river for the duration of four hours. Along the way the passengers will ride in the dark as the train rolls through the 836 foot Cowee tunnel. The train will arrive in Bryson City and will have a one half hour layover. Here the passengers can depart the train and visit the many shops, restaurants, and museums the city has to offer. The train follows the same route back to Hillsboro, but going the opposite direction gives the visitors a chance to see the scenery in a new light.
Another popular tour is the Nantahala Gorge Excursion. Completely different than the river trip, this train tour goes for four and a half hours from Bryson City to Nantahala River Gorge. On the way to the gorge you will cross Fontana Lake. The train will rush a long 100 foot-high trestle bridge that will thrill both old and young alike. The train travels along the river and through the gorge where the passenger can view the steep rock rolls and craggy landscape. There is a one hour lay over at the Nantahala River where passengers can disembark and tour the local shops and museums.
The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad offers themed tours as well. The Polar Express is a popular Christmas run where the passengers drink hot cider and chocolate while singing Christmas carols. The train’s staff is decorated in holiday attire and a good time is had by all. Another themed tour is the Dinner Murder Mystery Excursion. The passengers will have their meal on the train and try to figure out a whodunit mystery with actors and the other passengers. The most elegant outing for the railroad is the Gourmet Dinner Train. You are asked to wear dressy casual and deviance from that attire will leave you sitting at the station. It is an adult only run
with a gourmet four course meal and alcohol is available.
More American Rail Tours
