If you’ve ever driven through the West and wished you could focus less on the road and more on the natural landscape around you, then the Rocky Mountaineer is for you. This luxury train offers scenic journeys through landscapes in Western Canada and the American Southwest. With glass-domed coaches and hotel stays to break up the journey, each route is designed to ensure you get to experience a vast range of views along the way. Depending on the selected route, views include the Rocky Mountains, Colorado River, rock canyons, ranches, fjords, and desert landscapes. Trips are all-inclusive with meals, drinks, and hotels built into the experience. There are two tiers of travel: the GoldLeaf Service (offering a two-level glass-dome coach, gourmet meals served in a separate dining car, an outdoor viewing platform, and premium hotel accommodations) and the Silver Leaf Service (including a single-level domed coach, meals served at your seat, and upscale hotel accommodations). Trips range from two to three days onboard to extended circle routes that start and end in the same city. The Rocky Mountaineer is a great way to celebrate a special occasion or for anyone just wanting a relaxing way to take in nature.
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Since 1988, My Old Kentucky Dinner Train has been curating dinner and themed excursions on its classic R.J. Corman locomotives. The dinner excursions include a four-course meal with prime rib, salmon, and seasonal desserts. The lunch menu includes favorites such as chicken fried chicken, pot roast, and Tuscan pasta. If you want a more spirited journey, then you’ll want to book the bourbon excursion, in which a four-course dinner is paired with expert-led bourbon tastings. There are also murder mystery dinners and the popular North Pole Express during the holidays. The two-and-a-half-hour journey starts and ends in Bardstown and travels through the Bernheim Forest, past the Jim Beam distillery, Jesse James’ safe house, and across the Jackson Hollow Trestle.
Board the Napa Valley Wine Train for a luxurious, vintage-style journey through the vineyards of California’s primer wine region. The 36-mile trip begins in downtown Napa, travels to St. Helena, and then returns. There are 14 curated experiences that take place in one of the two 20th-century Pullman railcars. “Tasting on the Rails” is a seven-course lunch that is expertly paired with Napa AVA wines. The experiences include afternoon teas and murder mystery dinners. “The Legacy Experience” is a six-hour trip with a four-course meal, three tasting stops, and 11 different wines. The journey ends with dancing in the train’s open car. No matter which experience you select, it’s bound to be the highlight of any trip to the wine region.
