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When our sons were little and enthralled with Thomas the Tank Engine, my wife and I took them to see and ride aboard the beloved children’s character at the North Carolina Transportation Museum. You would have thought Sam and Nick had won the Powerball. As the boys got a little older, The Polar Express replaced Thomas as the “it train,” and that’s the one kids everywhere want to ride during the holiday season.
Inspired by the 2004 film, a couple of Polar Express train rides are returning to North Carolina this month. WCNC-TV reports that the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer, just outside of Salisbury, will be offering rides November 11, 12, 18-20, 25-27; and December 2-4, 8-11, and 13-23. The 70-minute experience comes with a golden ticket, hot chocolate, cookies, and a silver sleigh bell. First class tickets include a keepsake ceramic mug. Other souvenirs are also available. Tickets for passengers 2 and older range from $34 to $90. Visit the museum website for more info. Oh, and they’re hiring castmembers! Check out the video below.
About an hour west of Asheville, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is also offering an official Polar Express event. The journey through the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina lasts 75 minutes and departs from the Bryson City depot at 45 Mitchell Street in Bryson City, NC. Rides are offered most days in November starting on November 10th. The trains run every day in December except Christmas Day (12/25). Great Smoky Mountains Railroad offers many different options with prices ranging from $29 to $69 per person. Click here for the details. Here’s a peek:
This morning I woke up at 6:30 a.m. and took the pups out to go potty. It was a bit chilly when I walked outside, and the feeling of fall was in the air. It’s not here yet, but it’s coming! Fall is my favorite time of the year and here in the South, you can experience the beauty of the season in many ways. If you’d like to see the gorgeous fall foliage, a train ride is a cool way to check it out.
Southern Living has the ’14 Best Train Rides for Spotting Fall Foliage’ and there are some spots that aren’t too far from us here in the Charlotte area. Driving up to the N.C. mountains to see the leaves changing colors is fun, but if you’re the driver, you can miss some of the beauty. Taking a train ride is a great way to experience the gorgeous fall colors.
Bryson City, N.C. is on the list and it’s not a far drive from us. You can hop aboard the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad and bask in the amazing colors of the mountains. You can see the vibrant foliage of Western North Carolina, and you can ride in their open-air gondola or dine in the first-class car. There are numerous packages to choose from, and there are different events to check out.
Now is the time to plan a fun trip to see the colors changing and you can pick a fun location from the list below. Pictures are a must on these rides!
The Fall Color Run is a three-hour trip which runs throughout November, with gorgeous views of streams and leaves.
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Check out the changing colors of the Chattahoochee National Forest and waters of the Toccoa River in your choice of open-air rail cars or climate-controlled ones. The 26-mile round trip makes a two-hour lunch/shopping/sightseeing stop before returning to Blue Ridge. The fall tours run from the end of September to the beginning of November.
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This seven-mile ride will take you through Kentucky’s Woodford County. And each October they have Pumpkin Patch trains that kids will love.
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This 40-mile trek will take you through Ozark Mountains and offer plenty of beauty. They offer numerous trips each day so you can find one that fits your schedule.
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Bring the whole family to experience the breathtaking views of the leaves in West Virginia.
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The conductor of the train will narrate this hour-long excursion as you view the wonders of Missouri and North Arkansas.
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We all know how beautiful N.C. is in the fall, and now you can experience it by train. Bryson City isn’t a far drive, so this is a great day trip.
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All aboard to see Chattanooga’s Lookout Mountain! The views get better and better the higher the train climbs. This is like going on a train rollercoaster
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Talk about dinner with a view! Enjoy amazing food while taking in the breathtaking views.
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You can pick between two excursions, a two-hour trip or an eight-hour trip and check out the sights and sounds of West Virginia.
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This ride is great for the kids as it’s only 55 minutes long.
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With the depot near the University of Tennessee, you can not only see the leaves change, but explore the campus too!
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Check out the scenery of the Alleghany Mountains and be on the lookout for Helmstetter’s Horseshoe Curve.
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This excursion isn’t close to us, but if you have some vacation time you may wanna check it out. They have an Autumn Leaf Special running in October and November.
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