Though the train is the California Zephyr, its journey begins in Chicago. Some 51 hours later, it arrives in San Francisco. En route, it crosses a wide stretch of the West, carrying its passengers to glimpse Denver, Salt Lake City and Sacramento. The train travels through the Rocky Mountains to the snowy Sierra Nevada. The route also follows the Truckee River near Lake Tahoe and takes you on a 6.2-mile underground journey through Colorado's Moffat Tunnel. The amazing and vast array of scenery won't be forgotten.
If your children love Harry Potter, imagine how much fun they'll have riding aboard the Harry Potter Train. Although this train won't travel to Hogwarts, it will traverse much of the same route the train in the films does. This Jacobite Steam Train is like the one provided for the films by West Coast Railway in the Scottish Highlands. The Harry Potter Train makes a round trip journey, departing from Fort William and servicing Mallaig. Besides seeing the beautiful Highlands, kids can say they've ridden the Harry Potter Train.
Another popular children's tale is "The Polar Express" in Sweden. What kid wouldn't love to visit the land of Santa's Workshop? This 17-hour journey carries passengers north of the Arctic Circle, taking them from Stockholm to Kiruna. Year round, this is a cold journey, so packing warm clothing is advised. On the way, visit the Ice Hotel, carved from blocks of ice taken from the Torne River.
