All aboard for an unforgettable—and unusual—leaf peeping experience this fall! Rest those gams, sit back and relax as you watch the season’s colors roll by out a train window. There are plenty of local places to fawn over the tawny autumn tones on foot or by bike. But if you’d rather sip a cider and munch seasonal snacks from the comfort of an open-air (or climate-controlled) train car, here are six roundtrip rides within a four-hour drive of Arlington.
Colebrookdale Railroad
Drive about three hours north to hop on a two-hour Autumn Splendor trip (brunch, lunch, dinner and wine-tasting options available) or the meal-free, 90-minute Fall Foliage ride. Both weave through Pennsylvania’s Secret Valley northwest of Philadelphia. There’s also the Autumn Cider and Donuts Express, a one-hour jaunt during which everyone gets a doughnut from nearby Frecon Farms and a drink. Check the website for dates and prices. // 64 S. Washington St., Boyertown, Pennsylvania
Lehigh Gorge Scenic Highway
This relatively short train ride—70 minutes round trip—starts in Jim Thorpe and takes the Reading and Northern mainline, passing Glen Onoko and following the Lehigh River through Lehigh Gorge State Park. Opt for an open-air car with unobstructed views, standard coach or first-class seating, Crown-Class seating with reclining chairs, or dome car seating with panoramic windows. Note that bike trips are available, too. // 1 Susquehanna St., Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Mountain Rail West Virginia
Choose from five rides that range from two to five and a half hours on steam or diesel powered trains. The shortest departs from the Cass Whittaker Station and travels 8 miles roundtrip. It navigates two switchbacks and follows the line built in 1901 to haul lumber to the mill in Cass. The newest—and one of the longest—excursions is on the Greenbrier Express and includes lunch. Guests can disembark the train to grab a bite in Durbin, but during the ride through Monongahela National Forest, keep your eye out for deer, river otters and black bears. Tickets start at $61. // 315 Railroad Ave., Elkins, West Virginia
Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad
Marvel at the colors of the season in Trough Canyon—named by one George Washington in 1798—where you might spy some bald eagles enjoying their natural habitat. The fall foliage trips run in October and November and offer meal service that varies from box lunches to five-course feasts. Tickets start at $40. Another option is the Green Spring Special, a 90-minute trip that ambles toward the West Virginia/Maryland state line. Tickets start at $30. // 149 Eagle Drive, Romney, West Virginia
Virginia Scenic Railway
Take in the scenery along I-81 as you drive southwest to catch a train at the Amtrak station in Staunton. The tourist train company offers two round-trip excursions with meals and a beverage served in a complimentary souvenir glass. The menu includes a pulled-pork barbecue sandwich, salad with smoked turkey and three choices of cake. The Alleghany Special trip traverses the farmland of the Shenandoah Valley, surrounded by the Blue Ridge and Alleghany ranges. The Blue Ridge Flyer ride passes through the communities of Staunton, Fishersville and Waynesboro, and climbs 1,000 feet to the mile-long Blue Ridge Tunnel. Both cost $120 per person and depart every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. // 12 Middlebrook Ave., Staunton, Virginia
Walkersville Southern Railroad
Take a trip back in time when you travel in vintage 1920s passenger cars or on an open flatcar over track that the Pennsylvania Railroad built in 1872 during Walkersville Southern Railroad’s 70-minute train ride through Maryland farm country. Want something more dramatic? Take a mystery ride on Sept. 21 or Oct. 19. Presented in partnership with the Way Off Broadway theater company, these rides include a comedic murder mystery, albeit less opportunity for leaf peeping because they leave the station at 6 p.m. Prices start at $16. // 4 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Walkersville, Maryland