Photo-worthy experiences aboard vintage railways brim with promise for group travel planners. But the cherry on top is when dining is on the menu.
For fans of train excursions and great cuisine, here are five scenic railroads around the country that offer tasty experiences. Bon appetit!
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad
Chamas, New Mexico
In the southern Rocky Mountains crossing the state lines from Chama, New Mexico, to Antonito, Colorado, is the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad.
“It is the longest and highest narrow-gauge railroad in America,” said Abi Martinez, the line’s marketing manager.
The railway crosses over the 10,015-foot-high Cumbres Pass, the highest operational mountain pass by rail. Along the way, riders will experience tunnels, open mountains, gorges, rivers and the high mountain desert which train organizers like to call “the Authentic West.”
“What makes it special for me is it’s like a time capsule,” Martinez said. “In contrast to the busy modern world, it’s going back to the 1880s to how people traveled. As you sit and look out at the rugged terrain, you imagine what the people building this railroad must have first thought when they tried to put in the rails that we are riding on today.”
The train runs from May to October. Depending on the time of year, riders take in a different visual feast of the Rockies and could also spot deer, elk, antelope, bear and more.
Excursions vary from the full 64-mile All Aboard Excursion to Half Limited Trips or Express Trips. (The All Aboard Excursion requires a bus ride there or back.) Each includes a lunch at Osier Station, one of the stops on the railway and the line’s natural midway point. Plan to dedicate three hours to an entire day for excursions.
The dining experience at Osier Station includes a full lunch catered by an on-staff chef from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Offerings include regional specialties from northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. A freshly prepared, hot lunch may include enchiladas, grilled chicken, barbeque pork, salads, Colorado cinnamon peaches and vegetarian options on the menu.
Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
Blue Ridge, Georgia
At the heart of downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia sits the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway’s historic depot. Passengers catch the train in this picturesque Southern mountain town and head north to the twin towns of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, then return via the same route.
At the foot of the Appalachian Mountains and nestled in the Chattahoochee National Forest, Blue Ridge is known for its natural outdoor beauty. In springtime, riders are treated to wild azalea blooms. Summers are verdant wonders, and in the fall riders are drawn to the area’s changing autumn colors.
While there are concession cars and small snacks offered to Premiere Class riders, “the real dining experience is in the excursions to the little towns where there is dining to be had,” said Jode Mull, the director of tourism services for Blue Ridge Georgia.
Upon arrival to McCaysville and Copperhill, groups taking the standard train experience have two lunchtime hours to eat, drink and be merry. “There’s lots of shopping and little restaurants,” Mull said. “The Toccoa River flows right through the middle of town, so if you brought a lunch or want to pick something up you can have lunch there.”
Groups can dine together on porches overlooking the river at Burra Burra Riverside Dining and the Twisted Tomato. Alternatively, pick up treats at the Rum Cake Lady Cuban Cafe and picnic at Copperhill Brewery, which provides the beverages.
Skunk Train
Fort Bragg, California
Don’t worry, the Skunk Train in Fort Bragg, California, doesn’t emit any questionable odors. In its 1800s heyday, the train delivered timber, and over time, the strange smell of the lumber would catch the attention of the townspeople, who began calling the locomotive “the Skunk Train.”
Today, trains depart from Fort Bragg or Willits, and riders will cross trestles, witness expansive valleys and be immersed in the beauty of old-growth redwoods. Train rides last from 75 minutes to two hours and some include a small box lunch.
On Fridays and Saturdays however, the 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. trains take passengers to a swanky, bistro-light-studded and fire-pit-surrounded speakeasy in the middle of the forest: The Glen Blair Bar.
“The bar is where most of the experience is,” Best said. “We have local whisky, gin and canned cocktails, and we have our own skunk beers and skunk wine.”
Planners itching for a custom event can partner with the Skunk Train to plan decorations, themes and catering.
My Old Kentucky Dinner Train
Bardstown, Kentucky
In the heart of Kentucky’s bourbon country is a five-star dining experience that’s not to be missed: My Old Kentucky Dinner Train. Visitors begin at the restored depot, find their seats in vintage dining cars and then are treated to cutting-edge, award-winning meals.
“It’s this wild back-and-forth of history and current modern times,” said Lauren Carrico, group sales liaison for the dinner train. “When I speak with passengers, this is always a bucket-list item for them.”
During the prix fixe meal, passengers ride a loop from the outskirts of downtown Bardstown — a charming main street town — through the Kentucky countryside to the Bernheim Forest and back. Along the way, diners will spot places treasured in the bourbon industry, including the Jim Beam Distillery. Reservations are required and are recommended at least three months in advance.
R.J. Corman, a modern railway magnate whose desire for a restaurant led to the opening of My Old Kentucky Dinner Train, was a larger-than-life character.
“He wanted everything to have a ‘wow’ factor,” Carrico said. “He wanted five-star everything.”
That personality lives on everywhere, especially on the menu, which features prime rib, chicken fricassee or creamy mushroom pork chop as entrees. Expect menus to change seasonally and to make dining selections at the time of booking unless groups are 25 or larger. Bigger groups book with the group liaison, determine a seating chart ahead of time and have a little more time to place final menu selections.
French Lick Scenic Railway
French Lick, Indiana
In French Lick, Indiana, the French Lick Scenic Railway showcases the best of the southern Indiana countryside.
“Our scenery is very different,” said Kayla Best, sales manager for the railway. “We are surrounded by the Hoosier National Forest, so you’ll see a lot of trees. We pass lakes, a waterfall that used to be a grist mill, and the biggest highlight of the trip is the second-longest train tunnel in Indiana — Burton Tunnel — built in 1907.”
The railroad offers a variety of themed experiences, including the Wild West Express, the Royalty Express and a paleontology adventure.
“Groups like having something scenic and different,” Best said. “We’ll put them on the train to eat their box lunch around noon; they can eat and go to the gift shop, then take the trip itself and be done in about an hour and 40 minutes.”
For the French Lick Scenic Railway, the most interesting dining experiences take place on themed rides, like the chocolate, wine, bourbon, tequila and beer tasting trains.
“Our tasting trains specifically have alcohol pairings and a small food item with each,” Best said. “For example, three different chocolate liquor drinks and three desserts that go with it. A blueberry lemon petit four, an icing chocolate truffle and a play on a chocolate silk pie; they’re all completely plated and served, and each trip is a different theme.”
Tasting trains can seat 168 guests.
