RIDIN' THE RAILS: HISTORIC TRAIN EXCURSIONS COAST TO COAST

From North Carolina to California, Montana to Texas, "ridin' the rails" is reminiscent of days gone by, when trains were the fastest mode of transportation. Passengers sat back, relaxed and marveled at the scenery or engaged in delightful conversation with fellow travelers. Those days are not gone, and now you can enjoy them, too.

- MELODY GROVES

FELTON, CALIFORNIA

Named for San Francisco Judge John B. Felton, this historic logging community (SantaCruzMountains.com) served as the lower terminus of the San Lorenzo Valley Logging Flume. Expanded by a rail line transporting logs to the Santa Cruz wharf, lime kilns and forests in this area provided repair materials for the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

The area's first railroad, Santa Cruz & Felton, began carrying tourists to the Big Trees and the beach in 1875. Roaring Camp Railroads (RoaringCamp.com) offer two excursionsRedwood Forest Steam Train and the Santa Cruz Beach Train.

Using 1890 steam engines, the trains travel over trestles, through redwood groves and up a winding 9.5-percent grade to Bear Mountain summit. Conductors narrate the use of narrow-gauge steam locomotives.

The Beach Train departs Santa Cruz Mountains, travels through Redwoods State Park, down the San Lorenzo River Gorge, across a 1909 steel truss bridge and through an 1875 tunnel, arriving at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

SEEING AND DOING

The unique Bigfoot Discovery Museum (Bigfoot Discovery Project.com) showcases facts about mystery primates, including Bigfoot. San Lorenzo Valley Museum (SLVMuseum.com) is housed in an historic church.

Stroll across the pedestrian-only 1892 Felton Covered Bridge, believed the tallest such bridge in the U.S. Nature enthusiasts can explore the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park offering many outdoor activities.

EATING AND SLEEPING

With "portions big enough for a cowboy," the Cowboy Bar & Grill (FeltonCowboy.com) serves food ranging from prawns to tacos. "One of the legends of the Santa Cruz Mountains" is Monty's Log Cabin (Montys-Log-Cabin.edan.io).