Pennsylvania’s railroads provide the perfect opportunity to drink in the spectacular fall foliage, celebrate the Christmas season with Santa, and welcome spring alongside the Easter Bunny. During the rest of the year, most of the railroads offer regular, scenic trips to allow Pennsylvanians to experience an authentic train ride. For a truly unique experience, however, we suggest that you reserve a spot on one of these six best themed train rides in Pennsylvania.

1. Strasburg Railroad – The Great Train Robbery
Facebook/Strasburg Railroad
Strasburg Rail Road, 301 Gap Rd, Ronks, PA 17572, USA
Strasburg Rail Road Facebook Page
Hands up! You're in for a terrifyingly good time aboard the Strasburg Railroad Great Train Robbery. You'll arrive at the train station in the present day and step on the train in 1934. You will sit alongside other passengers as well as with one of the biggest celebrities of the era during this interactive experience. Keep an eye out, however, because word is Bonnie and Clyde are in the area!
2. Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad – Murder Mystery Dinner
Facebook/Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad
Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad, 409 S Perry St, Titusville, PA 16354, USA
Facebook/Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad
Whose life will tragically come to an end during the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad Murder Mystery Dinner Train? The railroad features several different and exciting murder mystery themes throughout the year. Your experience begins with a buffet dinner, and along the journey, you'll be trying to guess "Whodunit?"

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3. Northern Central Railway – Steam Into History
Facebook/Steam Into History
Northern Central Railway, 117 N Front St, New Freedom, PA 17349, USA
Facebook/Steam Into History
Enjoy a front-row seat to history when you purchase a ticket on the Northern Central Railway Steam Into History adventure. Climb aboard the replica 1860s train just like the one President Lincoln rode on his journey to give the Gettysburg Address. A Civil War expert will bring the war alive during the 2.5-hour train trip from New Freedom to Hanover Junction and back. Steam Into History also hosts Mystery Dinner trains throughout the year.
4. Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad – Murder Mystery Dinner Train
Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad, 136 Brown St, Middletown, PA 17057, USA
Facebook/Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad
Will you be the one to solve the murder of whodunit aboard the Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad Murder Mystery Dinner Train? You've got some incentive - tickets for another train ride - to solve the mystery first. The three-hour train ride, held throughout the year features a hot dinner and a murder mystery.
5. Colebrookdale Railroad – Eerie Limited
Colebrookdale Railroad, 64 S Washington St, Boyertown, PA 19512, USA
Colebrookdale Railroad - The Secret Valley Line Facebook page
You're in for a spooky good time aboard the Colebrookdale Railroad Eerie Limited. For two hours, you'll wonder if the wind whipping outside is merely the wind or something more as you listen to the haunted tales of The Secret Valley. The two-hour Eerie Limited generally runs from June through December.
6. New Hope Railroad – Locomotive Cab Rides
New Hope Railroad, 32 W Bridge St, New Hope, PA 18938, USA
Facebook/New Hope & Ivyland Railroad
Realize your dream of sitting in the locomotive cab on a train as it departs with the New Hope Railroad. While aboard you'll have the unique opportunity to watch the train engineer and conductor do their jobs. Different experiences are offered, one of which includes the cab ride, a deluxe photo package, a custom-made locomotive engineer certificate, an engineer hat, and engineer gloves.

Dinner train rides in good ‘ole PA don’t get any better than this!

These six best train rides in Pennsylvania are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Have you ever been on any of these exciting lines? If so, which ones were your favorites? Would you agree that some of these offer the best scenic train rides with dinner? We’d love to read about your experience in the comments section below!

If you love the rails, you might also want to embark on these five best day trips in Pennsylvania. And if you like the outdoors and hiking, there are plenty of hikes along these routes. You can get more information by going to the AllTrails website.

If you’re still in the mood for more Pennsylvania adventures, take a look at this video about the Philadelphia Magic Garden:

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More to Explore

More to Love about Pennsylvania

Lysa Allman-Baldwin | August 18, 2023

Where can we find historic restaurants in Pennsylvania?

  • Hublersburg Inn - Located in Howard, it is a truly enchanting remote Bed & Breakfast Inn and restaurant serving up some of the best food in the region.
  • Bube's Brewery, Dining, and Entertainment - Located in Mount Joy, this establishment dating back to 1876 offers themed murder mystery dinners, fine dining underground in The Catacombs, and ghost tours.
  • McGillin's Olde Ale House – Located in Philadelphia, it is now the state’s oldest continuously operating tavern.

Read on to learn more about some of the many other historic restaurants in Pennsylvania.

Where can we find hiking trails in Pennsylvania?

  • The Copper Kettle Trail - Located in Somerset, it is only one mile long and is particularly beautiful in the wintertime.
  • The Chickies Rock Overlook Trail - Located in West Hempfield Township, this trail offers spectacular views of the Susquehanna River, is dog-friendly, and is wide and gentle enough for strollers and those needing wheeled methods of movement.
  • The Raymondskill Creek Trail – Located in Dingman Township, this trail leads to Raymondskill Falls, the tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania.

Read on to learn more about some of the many other exciting hiking trails in Pennsylvania.

Where can we find campgrounds in Pennsylvania?

  • The Deer Run Camping Resort in Gardners has both primitive and deluxe campsites as well as a full lineup of activities.
  • The Colonial Woods Family Camping Resort in Upper Black Eddy offers a lot of amenities like a spa, heated swimming pool, children's spray pool, and miniature golf.
  • The Splash Magic RV Resort by Rjourney in Northumberland offers a rustic camping experience with traditional tent and RV sites, cabins, and a waterpark.

Read on to learn more about some of the many other beautiful campgrounds in Pennsylvania.

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