Trip Planner 2017-18 Trip Planner For Group Leaders | Page 42

Experience Sightseeing Compiled by Gabe Webb SEE DENALI AND SEWARD WITH ALASKA RAILROAD Alaska Railroad For more than 90 years, Alaska Railroad has connected travelers with the state’s most popular destinations, including Anchorage, Seward and Denali National Park. The company’s group packages include experiences ranging from sightseeing day trips to 10-day tours. “We take a lot of pride in sharing this great land with our passengers,” says Heather Dudick, sales executive. “Our trains tie together south-central and interior Alaska, and we traverse some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.” 2017 marks the centennial of Denali National Park and Preserve, one of Alaska Railroad’s most popular destinations. The Denali Star train stops at the park twice daily in the summer. ”Denali is a destination you’ll want to include when planning your Alaska tours,” Dudick says. ”For the best availability, we recommend booking in the winter prior to summer travel.” Alaska Railroad offers onboard features such as glass-dome railcars and personal insights provided by Alaskan staff members. Dudick also points to the partnerships her company maintains. ”We work with lodging and tour partners all along the Railbelt, so that when our passengers arrive at their destination and step off the train, we’re helping them experience the best of Alaska,” she says. To get more information contact Dudick at [email protected] or visit alaskarailroad.com. GET OUT OF YOUR DREAMS, AND INTO A RAILCAR Passengers aboard sightseeing railroads can take in beautiful scenery—everything from the fall foliage of the U.S. Northeast to sweeping landscapes out west—from the comfort of their seats aboard vintage train cars. Here are four rail companies that offer sightseeing trips in a range of styles and locales: Conway Scenic Railroad Founded in 1898 as a freight and passenger service, White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad is now one of the top tourist excursions in Alaska. Along with taking in gorgeous scenery, passengers also gain insight into the history of southeast Alaska, where prospectors flocked during the Klondike Gold Rush. An excursion to Lake Bennett takes groups to the new Bennett Station Interpretive Center and includes information about the gold rush and the railroad. The company’s half- and full-day tours can complement Alaska cruise experiences. wpyr.com. 40 NTA Trip Planner for Group Leaders The Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway, New Hampshire, offers tours ranging from 55 minutes to more than five hours. “Groups often take our most popular excursion, which runs through Crawford Notch, one-way to Crawford Station, then they continue on to the Mount Washington Cog Railway for an afternoon ride to the summit of Mt. Washington, the highest mountain in the Northeast,” says Conway Scenic’s Susan Logan. “Another option is lunch at the famous Mt. Washington Hotel, one of the few surviving ‘grand hotels’ in New England.” From mid-April through December, the Conway Scenic Railroad can take groups to a trackside cider mill in nearby Glen, where passengers enjoy cider doughnuts and hot mulled cider (or coffee) before they go to their next destination. conwayscenic.com and thecog.com Railcar Montana is a fully refurbished Streamliner railcar built in 1946. The private railcar, which is based in southern California, is attached to regularly scheduled Amtrak trains, so guests can travel with added flair. “Tour operators can bring passengers to or from a primary destination,” says Arlene Post, one of company’s owners. “For example, they’ll board in Los Angeles and rail travel to New Orleans, overnight on the railcar for multiple nights to savor the Crescent City, then return back to L.A.” The Montana can accommodate six overnight passengers in three bedrooms, and the car has room for 26 travelers on day excursions. A large, open lounge provides space for on-board extras, such as beer tastings en route to Portland, Oregon, or Cajun cuisine on the way to New Orleans. railcarmontana.com