Cars have long since been the most popular mode of transportation. But why not try something different and take your date on a scenic train ride? You can find some scenic rides that will take you through beautiful landscapes.
Growing up in California near the coast, there is one particular scenic train ride, called Roaring Camp, that starts out in the majestic Redwood forest, and winds up at the Santa Cruz Beach boardwalk. Or they have another ride that takes you on a tour of the redwoods.
A park near my parent’s house has a neat train that takes you all around the park for a nominal fee—I love that ride!
This type of date can be done in a group or with just you and your date alone. There are even long-distance train rides that you could take your spouse or significant other on. This is a perfect time to enjoy nature, chat with your date, and escape for the day or longer.
What you need for this romantic scenic train ride date idea:
You need to look up the train’s schedule—location, departure, and arrival. Sometimes they have train rides that are purely tourist rides. These are probably the ones that would be the most fun unless you wanted to do a cross-country trip. Which would be an adventure in and of itself. Maybe you are planning a trip to Europe, there are tons of incredible train rides you can find there.
My experience with this date idea:
When I was in college in Utah, I heard about a train called the Heber Creeper. The Heber Creeper is a slow train that has a variety of scenic destinations it travels to ranging from an hour and a half to three hours.
One year, I heard that for homecoming they would be riding the Heber Creeper and that there would be a dance on it. I thought it would be really fun to invite a girl named Jen to go with me. We had actually taken gone out a week before and she seemed to be interested in me, and since I was interested in her, I thought it should make for a fun evening.
I picked her up at her apartment; she looked amazing, like a princess from a fairytale. She locked her arm around mine and I escorted her to my car. We then drove the forty minutes to the restaurant, where they had no more seating available for the night. Whoops. Someone didn’t think to call ahead and make reservations. Rookie mistake.
We found ourselves at this castle-like inn. The food portions left much to be desired, but it really was like something out of a movie . . . when people in a movie go to a really fancy restaurant that charges lots of money for oversized plates with barely any food on them. It’s alright, the food did taste good, even if it was pricey.
The Heber Creeper Scenic Train Ride
After dinner, we had only minutes left before the train was supposed to leave, but we arrived there just in time. Then our next problem was people. I had no idea this was going to be such a popular event. We couldn’t find a seat until we got to the very back of the train.
There were both inside and outside cars; the outside ones were extremely chilly so we only sat there long enough to look at the moonlight as it danced across the rugged mountains. Then we were done—it was cold and neither of us had a jacket. Again, lack of foresight on my part.
Once back inside, we danced a little bit and drank lots of hot chocolate. As we were dancing I could tell that she was interested in me. She wanted to dance close and holds hands while walking around. We joked and flirted with each other.
The drive home after the scenic train ride
On the drive home, however, I realized that I wasn’t really interested in her. I couldn’t explain it; she was cute and had a great personality. After arriving at her apartment, it was time for the awkward part: I walked her to her door and gave her a hug goodbye, there was a pause, and she looked at me as if to say, “Aren’t you going to kiss me?”
I never did ask her out again, I just didn’t feel the connection I was looking for and did not want to lead her on. I had an excellent time on the date, though.
If you are looking to do something different for a date idea, go on a scenic train ride!
Do you have experience with this scenic train ride creative date idea? Let me know in the comments how it went and if your date, spouse, significant other liked it. You can buy a copy of the book 101 Creative Dates: ideas, tips, and personal experiences from the life of a hopeless romantic here or visit the shop.
Here are other creative date ideas you might like: