Amtrak's Empire Builder five-day tour sets out from Chicago, Illinois where guests are invited to explore the city for a day. On the second day, travelers can board their sleeper car and enjoy meals included in the tour as they set out through the Wisconsin Dells and the skyline of St. Paul, Minnesota. As guests wake up, the train will be slicing through the grasslands of North Dakota and the scenery of Glacier National Park. Day four sees the midday arrival of the Empire Builder in Seattle, Washington. Travelers are invited to stay at a downtown hotel after they are finished exploring Seattle's Pike Place Market, the Space Needle and Pioneer Square. On the fifth day, vacationers must arrange for their own transportation home.
Amtrak
800-872-7245
amtrak.com
One of many private rail car services is Silver Iris, a company based in Katy, Texas. Travelers can charter a rail car accommodating guests in double bedrooms, single bedrooms and a dining/lounge area. Vacationers can plan their travel along any Amtrak route. Rates vary depending on length of trip and include nightly charges for the crew and supplies, parking, switches and per mile traveled. Cost also varies by number of guests, topping out at 10 to fit the crew comfortably.
Bing Golden Star Limited, LLC
P.O. Box 475
Katy, TX 77492
silveriris.net
Travelers seeking a taste of the west coast can hop on the Golden Gate Holiday package starting in Salt Lake City, Utah. Over nine days, guests visit several sites in Northern California. The first two days are spent in Salt Lake City. On the second night, the train makes its way across the Sierra Nevadas, past Sacramento to the small East Bay area town of Martinez. From there, guests drive to the Napa Valley. Day four finds travelers exploring Napa Valley and hopping on the Napa Valley Wine Train to take in the sights and sounds of wine country. Days five and six are spent in San Francisco and Sausalito. On day seven, you depart by train to Merced, where you will continue to Yosemite Valley for a tour of its natural wonders. A Bay cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge is planned for the eighth day. Guests complete their trip in San Francisco, where they are free to choose how they want to get home.
Vacations By Rail
877-929-7245
vacationsbyrail.com
For a trip on the eastern half of the nation, travelers may choose Fall Colors in the Smoky Mountains. The 10-day journey kicks of in Atlanta, Georgia. Travelers stay two nights exploring Atlanta, then head to Asheville, North Carolina. After exploring Asheville with a guided tour on the fourth day, guests wake up on day five to travel to Great Smoky National Park aboard the Great Smoky National Railroad. A scenic tour of the park is scheduled for day six. Nashville, Tennessee is day seven's destination. A short drive from Nashville is Memphis, where guests can visit Beale Street, the home of the blues, on the eighth day of the trip. That night, the tour departs for Chicago, Illinois in a 1949 Streamliner train. Guests arrive on day nine to explore Chicago. Day 10 concludes the tour, when guests must arrange for their trip home.
Vacations by Rail
877-929-7245
vacationsbyrail.com
