Autumn is a perfect time of year to travel. Temperatures are moderate, the crowds of summer vacationers have dissipated and the scenery in many parts of North America are bursting with vibrant colors. These annual displays of nature are the basis of many of Vacations By Rail’s popular autumn rail tours—where the only things more brilliant than the fall colors are the scenic train excursions that take travelers through the spectacular scenery.
One of the premier autumn travel destinations is New England, renowned for its spectacular red, orange and gold foliage on display. Fall foliage rail vacations visit popular New England sights like Boston, Mystic Seaport, the Breakers mansion, White Mountain National Forest and Cape Cod and include spectacular train excursions throughout the region including the Mt. Washington Cog Railway, the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway with some of the steepest railway tracks in existence, the Conway Scenic Railroad, the Cape Cod Central Railroad, and the Essex Steam Train, among others. Some tours, like the 8-day fall foliage favorite New England Rails and Sails, also include scenic lake and harbor cruises, which offer a unique perspective on the stunning colors.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
VIA Rail Canada offers a variety of extraordinary summer adventures.
Marvel at the thousands of beluga whales that swim up Churchill River in Northern Manitoba or watch the dramatic rise and fall of the mighty tides of the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick. VIA Rail’s summer packages allow travelers to truly discover Canada, filled with exciting adventures and limitless potential for unforgettable memories.
Please see below some spectacular trail tours offered by Via Rail Canada:
A Thousand Islands Cruises
From May through October, discover historic Kingston and the Thousand Islands. Located where Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and the Thousand Islands meet, historic Kingston exquisitely combines the allure of a small town with all the amenities and sophistication of an urban centre. This package includes: roundtrip rail on VIA Rail Canada from any city of choice; overnight accommodations in Kingston; a luncheon cruise along the Thousand Islands; and, a Kingston trolley tour. To book this package or for more information, please contact International Weekend Tours at (800) 422-2294 or visit VIA’s train package website at www.trainpackages.ca. Starting rate for this package is approx. USD$264 based on double occupancy.
A Churchill Summer Explorer
For a seven-day six-night tour offered in July or August, depart any Sunday or Tuesday from Winnipeg, Manitoba and travel by VIA Rail Canada to the shores of Hudson Bay and the Town of Churchill.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
The world’s most famous train, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, continues to evoke the style of the Golden Age of Travel with beautifully restored 1920s and 1930s carriages and itineraries that are more exciting than ever. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is the legendary train travelers imagine when they hear the evocative words “Orient-Express.”
Today the train still represents timeless elegance as it criss-crosses the frontiers of Europe from Paris and Venice to Prague, Krakow and Istanbul. Very much alive and well, with all of its history and glamour intact and uninterrupted, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is not to be confused with an unrelated overnight train that ceased operation in December 2009.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".
Rocky Mountaineer, recently recognized as the top train in the world by The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), is celebrating its recent distinction with an unbeatable offer to experience both of its highly regarded routes. Guests who book a Rocky Mountaineer rail journey or package from now until September 25, 2009, receive a free round-trip journey onboard the Whistler Mountaineer, which also made the Top Ten train list at number eight. In addition, travellers have a chance to bring home a few mementos of their trip with a $50 souvenir credit.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".