Colorado Train Tour

Day 1

Stops for rest and lunch will be made enroute to Altoona, PA, where we will visit the Railroaders Memorial Museum. The Railroaders Memorial Museum seeks to preserve the stories and contributions of Central Pennsylvanians who left an imprint on their communities, industry, and nation. Museum displays include a rich array of artifacts, immersive environments, and life-size dioramas of railroad workers performing various tasks typical of the Altoona Shops. Our overnight accommodations will be in Westlake, OH, this evening. Dinner will be on our own after checking-in to the hotel.

Breakfast Each Day

A continental or full breakfast will be included each day from Day 2 through Day 14, except for Day 6.

Day 2

This morning we will depart for the Illinois Railway Museum, the largest railroad museum in the United States. Stops for rest and lunch will be made enroute. Since it's the museum's showcase weekend, you will be able to see and ride some of the less frequently run equipment at Illinois Railway Museum as they honor the volunteers who make the museum work. After our visit, we continue to our lodging in Rockford, IL. Dinner will be included at a local restaurant.

Day 3

Today we continue our westward journey, stopping at the Amana Colonies for an included lunch and a short visit. The Amana Colonies offer visitors the opportunity to step back from today's busy pace, to relish in the comfort of locally crafted foods, furniture, art, and more. The Colonies offer a unique history and culture found nowhere else in the world. This evening's lodging will be in Lincoln, NE. Dinner will be on our own this evening.

Day 4

As we travel west with stops for rest and lunch, we will pass from Central to Mountain Time and enjoy the scenery as the terrain becomes more rugged. The grandeur of the Rocky Mountain skyline will lure us into Denver, CO where we will spend the night. There is a complimentary light dinner included at the hotel this evening, or you are free to get dinner on your own at a local restaurant.

Day 5

This morning we will visit the Colorado Railroad Museum, which was created to preserve an important part of Colorado history and the narrow-gauge railroads that were pioneered in the state. A stop for lunch on our own will be made enroute to the next attraction, the Georgetown Loop Experience. During our ride on the rails, we'll see spectacular views of the mountains accompanied by the incredible feeling of stepping back into another time when the railroad ruled, mining was a way of life, and outlaws littered the land. Continuing west, we'll arrive in Vail, CO, the location of this evening's lodging. Dinner will be at our leisure.

Day 6

This morning you are free to visit Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, an internationally acclaimed botanic garden known for its alpine horticulture, education, and conservation. A visit out west would not be complete without a visit to the Silver Dollar Saloon. This 139-year-old saloon, museum, and restaurant is located in Leadville, CO. After an included lunch, we will enjoy a scenic train ride through the San Isabel National Forest on the Leadville Railroad. We will then travel to Gunnison, CO, the location of our lodging for this evening. Dinner will be on our own tonight.

Day 7

Fall in Colorado brings the rich golden tones of the Aspen leaves contrasted against the green pines, rugged rocks, and wide-open blue skies. Lunch is on our own in Silverton before we board the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad as we savor the flavors of fall as we travel from Silverton to Durango. After arriving in Durango, we will check-in to our hotel and enjoy dinner on our own this evening.

Day 8

This morning we'll depart for Chama, NM. Upon arrival in Chama, we will climb aboard the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad for a 64-mile day trip you'll never forget. This National Historic Landmark is a coal-fired steam engine that carries passengers through steep mountain canyons, high deserts, and lush meadows as it zigzags between the Colorado and New Mexico border. Open your eyes to spectacular and rare Western scenery only viewed from the train's unique route. Ride in the Victorian elegance of the deluxe or parlor car as we experience a full day on the rails. A morning and afternoon snack is included aboard the train. The train will stop at Osier Station where we will have some time to enjoy lunch on our own. After disembarking the train in Antonito, we will travel to Alamosa, CO, the location of our lodging for this evening. Dinner will be at our leisure after checking-in to the hotel.

Day 9

After breakfast, we will check-out and depart for Canon City. Here we will experience America's most spectacular rail journey aboard the Royal Gorge Railroad. Come experience not just a memorable train ride through the Colorado Rockies, but also enjoy a class of service that combines great scenery and great service with delicious food prepared fresh right on
board the train for lunch. Later we will visit Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, home of America's highest suspension bridge. Our lodging for this evening will be located in Manitou Springs. Dinner is at our leisure this evening.

Day 10

We will enjoy a ride on The Broadmoor Manitou & Pike's Peak Cog railway, which climbs one of the most iconic mountains in the United States, Pikes Peak. Later we will visit the Garden of the Gods, offering iconic views, interactive museum exhibits, hiking, and shopping. This afternoon we begin our homeward journey with an overnight in Limon, CO. Dinner will be included at a local restaurant this evening.

Day 11

Today will be a full day of driving. Stops will be made for rest & lunch, as well as a visit to the Ellis County Historical Society. We'll continue on to Topeka, KS, the location our overnight accommodations. After checking-in to the hotel, we will enjoy an included dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 12

Today's highlight will be a visit to the National Museum of Transportation, one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the world. They have a collection of sole survivors and one-of-a-kind artifacts. Our lodging for this evening will be in Effingham, IL. Dinner will be included at a local restaurant tonight.

Day 13

We will depart for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This mid-day stop allows us to experience a bus ride around the famed 2.5-mile track and take a historical journey through the decades at the Racing Capital of the World at the Hall of Fame Museum. Lunch will be on our own during our visit here. This evening's lodging will be in Columbus, OH. There is a complimentary light dinner included at the hotel this evening, or you are free to get dinner on your own.

Day 14

After breakfast at the hotel, we will depart for home. This exciting ride back in time on Colorado's scenic and historic railroads is a trip you will never forget. It took you into some still-wild terrain that can't easily be experienced by any other form of transit. Stops for rest and lunch will be made along the way. Arrival home is scheduled for early evening.

Please note

Our intention is to run each tour as originally planned and published. However, if deemed necessary to do so, Perkiomen Tours reserves the right to make changes to tour components, schedules or itineraries without prior notification.

Tips for Perkiomen motorcoach drivers and tour escorts are not included in the price of this tour. We feel that these gratuities should be extended on an individual basis and dictated by the level of service provided.

Motorcoach seating is assigned at the time of reservation but can not be guaranteed. Although we do our best to keep each traveler in the seat assigned at the time of reservation, there are times that it is necessary to move seat locations. Please be sure to verify your final seat number(s) with your driver at the time of boarding. Daily seat rotation is practiced on most multi-day tours. Seat rotation will be explained by your driver or tour escort.

Perkiomen Tours recommends that you consider purchasing Travel Insurance for your tour. Travel Insurance is purchased directly by you from a third-party of your choice. One option is Travel Safe Insurance. You can purchase insurance directly from Travel Safe through our website. www.perkiomentours.com.

To fully participate in this tour may require extended amounts of walking. There may be steps, inclines, uneven surfaces or extended periods of standing. Participants with physical limitation should take this into consideration.

B=Full Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner