Looking to get the most out of your summer day trip? You’re in luck – there are many scenic train rides across New England that allow people to combine activities such as road-tripping, hiking, biking, having a picnic, shopping, or sightseeing in a single day. Traveling on these trains is certainly an adventure; not only will riders see historical sites that are only accessible by train, they will also undoubtedly feel like they have been sent back in time riding on trains that are over a century old.
The Conway Scenic Railroad offers several different travel options that provide some of the most dramatic, natural scenery on the east coast. All trains begin at 38 Norcross Cir, North Conway, NH. On the Valley Train, patrons will enjoy an old-fashioned railroading experience as they journey on historic rail routes in century-old train cars. The trains depart from the train station in North Conway Village to either Conway or Bartlett and back again. Children under 4 ride free in Coach or the Valley Trains, and well-behaved dogs are also welcome at Conway Scenic Railroad. Dining on the trains is also a feature of these railroad lines. Travelers will board either the Chocorua train on the Valley Trains, or the Hattie Evans train on the Notch Train. It is truly a First-Class dining experience, with affable and prompt service. The Notch train provides breathtaking views of past sheer bluffs, steep ravines, cascading brooks and streams, panoramic mountain vistas, across Frankenstein Trestle and Willey Brook Bridge – enroute to Crawford and Fabyan stations.
The Essex Steam Train and Riverboat is a 2½-hour journey that begins at the historic Essex Station on One Railroad Avenue in Essex, Connecticut. It was built in 1892 for a 12-mile, narrated round-trip into the heart of the untainted Connecticut River Valley, dubbed “one of the last great places on earth” by the Nature Conservancy. The steam locomotive sweeps across the New England towns of Deep River and Chester at 20 mph. The picturesque countryside includes pristine meadows, a quaint farm, a millpond with waterfall, trestles, bridges over rivers and creeks, and the undeveloped Selden Neck State Park, accessible only by boat. The train travels near the tidal wetlands of Pratt Cove and Chester Creek including bountiful, natural habitats for birds. Ducks, Swans, Greenland Geese, Blue Heron, Egrets, and Red-winged Blackbirds are typically spotted along the ride. In February and March, the exalted Bald Eagle captures everyone’s eyes when it migrates south to the Connecticut River Valley from Canada and Maine. The Becky Thatcher riverboat is a 1¼- hour adventure along the Connecticut River. Just as impressive as the deep water, coves, inlets, marshes, wildlife, and rocky shoreline are the historic sites including Gillette Castle, Goodspeed Opera House, and the Haddam Swing Bridge.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GreenwoodNursing
