All Aboard the Wine Train

The Napa Valley Wine Train is a classic experience that most wine lovers hope to enjoy someday, but the experience isn’t exclusive to Napa—just hop in the car, and let one of these nearby wine trains transform your regular weekend into something special.

Villa Milagro Vineyards Winery Train

Phillipsburg, New Jersey

Take a narrated journey along the beautiful Delaware River in New Jersey’s only operating steam locomotive to the Villa Milagro Vineyards, where you get a guided tour of the gorgeous 104-acre vineyard and winery, followed by a wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres. On the return trip, the train stops by the Ol' Susquehanna Mine, where you can detrain and spend as long as you want, possibly enjoying your wine with a picnic, before catching a later train back to the station. Tickets are $35 each.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad Wine Dinner

Canon City, Colorado

First Class Dinner trains are available every Saturday, but as a special event, The Royal Gorge Route Railroad hosts an annual Wine Dinner. The cost is higher than other wine trains on the list ($199 for Dining Car tickets, and $219 for Dinner Dome tickets), but what you get is well worth the price. First there’s the ride itself, which Teddy Roosevelt once described as “the trip that bankrupts the English language. Then, during this three-hour train ride along the beautiful Arkansas River and the Royal Gorge’s granite cliffs, you enjoy a five-course, locally-sourced, chef-prepared dinner, expertly paired with five award-winning wines from around the world. 

Ozan Vineyard and Winery Train Excursions

Calera, Alabama

Make your reservations early, if you want to join one of the Ozan Vineyard and Winery’s train excursions. The experience begins at the winery where you’ll most likely meet the owner Burt Patrick, who will guide you through a tasting, followed by an elegant picnic lunch or cheese plate (depending on the excursion you choose). After a tour through the vines, you’ll arrive at a train platform, where a locomotive from the Railroad Museum will pick you up and take you for a historic ride, complete with volunteer guides wearing period train conductor suits and pocket watches. Tickets are between $34 and $38.

Tennessee Central Excursion Train

Nashville, Tennessee

The Tennessee Central Excursion Train offers a range of good time themes for this scenic 168-mile round trip—from staged train robberies to on-board murder mysteries, to visits from the Easter Bunny and Santa. Their DelMonaco Winery Trip excursion begins at 8 a.m. when you board a restored, air-conditioned, stainless steel passenger train in downtown Nashville. There are games and food, as well as a wine tasting on board the train. At the winery, you get a tour, live music, and a scavenger hunt through the vineyard. This is an all-day event, seeing you back to the station by six that evening. Tickets start at $65.  

The Strasburg Rail Road Wine and Cheese Train

Ronks, Pennsylvania

Dating back to 1832, Strasburg Rail Road is the oldest operating railroad in the United States. The Wine and Cheese Train will take you on a 45-minute, round-trip, steam locomotive ride through 1,000 acres of Amish farmland. While you relax in first-class seats on the Lounge or Parlor Cars of the train, you’ll enjoy complimentary wine, cheese, and crackers, while listening to fascinating audio commentary about the area and the railroad. Pre-purchase tickets for $36—seating is limited, and the trains regularly sell out. 

Adirondack Scenic Railroad Beer and Wine Train

Utica, New York 

Sit back, relax, and take in the beautiful scenery of upstate New York on the Adirondack Scenic Railroad Beer and Wine Train. Music and light snacks (cheese and crackers, chips and dip) are provided to everyone, and First Class passengers also get table service with two hot appetizers. Bottles of wine, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks are available to purchase, and First Class passengers have the option of buying wine by the glass. Coach tickets are $25, and First Class tickets are $45. Designated drivers ride for $10 off the ticket price; their wristbands show they can’t purchase beer or wine, but they do get free soda and snacks.

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad “Grape Escape”

Peninsula, Ohio

Running through spectacular Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Northeast Ohio, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad offers two-hour “Grape Escape” wine-tasting excursions year-round. Watch 33,000 acres of stunning scenery glide by, while you enjoy chef-prepared hors d’oeuvres and sample five of the season’s best wines. Tickets start at $60.

Let us know if you have jumped aboard any of these wine trains and share experience with us.