RIDE THE RAILS OF WEST VIRGINIA

If you are a lover of mountain regions and the wildlife
that call them home, then this is the tour for you. We
don’t give you just one mountain. No! We give you two
mountain regions each unique to their location. We
don’t give you just one train excursion but two entirely
different regions. We don’t give you just one show but
two. You will definitely have one Big Adventure! Tour
includes 2 breakfasts 3 lunches and 3 dinners. We will
depart Woodbridge at 6:15 a.m. and Woodbridge at
7:00 a.m. Return time is approximately 9:00 p.m.

The Itinerary
Day 1 Wednesday, August 7
Relax and get acquainted with your fellow adventurers
as we make our way to The Mountain State that is
home to two ranges – the Appalachian Mountains
and the Allegheny Mountains. Our first destination is
Green Bank, WV, home to the Robert C. Byrd Green
Bank Telescope. Enjoy a guided tour of the fascinating
world of radio astronomy from the pioneering

instruments of the 1950’s to the world’s premier single-
dish telescope. Also included are science

demonstrations and an excursion into a restricted area
that takes you up-close to the world’s largest fully
steerable telescope. A box lunch from Jimmy John’s
is included here (With reservations provide choice of
roast beef, ham. Tuna, Italian or veggie sub]. Enjoy
your meal and an incredible view of the Green Bank
Telescope and surrounding mountains. We continue
onto Elkins, West Virginia for two nights at the
Hampton Inn nestled in the breathtaking Allegheny
Mountains. You will have time to unwind and freshen up
before we go out for dinner and entertainment at The
Gandy Dancer Dinner Theatre. This evening’s show is
a Tribute to Musical Legends in a live country music
show. Enjoy a perfect blend of country classics from
some of country music’s most legendary artists.
Day 2 Thursday, August 8
After breakfast we depart to board the New Tygart
Flyer, a classic streamliner train from the 1930’s. We
will embark on a 4-hour round trip train excursion
through West Virginia’s majestic wilderness. On board,
you will find a souvenir shop, comfortable seating as
well enjoy lunch that is included. The outing features a
stop at the High Falls of the Cheat River. Situated in a
spruce and laurel grove far from any human activity, the
falls are 150′ wide and 18′ high, and accessible only
by rail. Disembark the train and you will find a set of
trails and viewing platforms. Once we are back on the
train, we will return to Elkins. Our bus will be waiting toreturn us to the Hampton Inn to relax and freshen up
before we go out for dinner and entertainment at The
Gandy Dancer Dinner Theatre. Tonight, we will enjoy
a 2-hour Branson-style show. The show features
music that spans the 1950’s through today. Enjoy
country, pop, Motown, gospel, and patriotic music
provided by the Mountain Memories Show Band. This
musical extravaganza featuring a terrific cast of singers,
dancers, comedians and musicians that will entertain
all! What a way to finish a fantastic outing!
Day 3 Friday, August 9
After breakfast we’re off to the historic town of Cass,
West Virginia for a ride on West Virginia’s newest train
ride, the Greenbrier Express. The original 95-mile
section of this railroad was first constructed in 1902 by
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway to encourage the
development of the lumber industry. Our train excursion
today takes us on the northern 15-mile portion of the
original railroad, as we travel through the rugged and
beautiful Greenbrier River Valley, and the iconic Cass
Scenic Railroad State Park to the century-old town of
Durbin, West Virginia. Our ride upriver to Durbin passes
through a secluded wilderness portion of the
Monongahela National Forest and offers unparalleled
river and mountain views at every turn of the river.
Sightings of deer, river otters, and black bear along with
a wide variety of eagles, hawks, ospreys, and other
species of aquatic birds are common along the way. A
delicious lunch is included in Durbin upon our arrival.
On our journey home, we will stop at a Cracker Barrel
for dinner ($20 gift card).