I’ve found daily deal sites like Living Social and Groupon to be a great way to save on family fun. The only trouble is I tend to forget that we have to fit all this fun around our already busy lives-which is how we found ourselves getting up early this past Sunday, skipping church, and driving to Elbe to catch a ride on the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad before our vouchers expired!
Despite our sort of frenzied start, we ended up having a great time. It’s definitely an outing worth doing if you have a little train lover at your house, though there are some things to know before you go!
There are several cars to choose from, some changing depending on the season. Seats aren’t assigned, and you can move around during the ride. I think the open air car is the most fun, but you’ll want layers and maybe a blanket.
The train is an old steam logging locomotive, and it’s storybook perfect! The ride is gentle, but there are lots of train noises.
The ride is two 45 minute sections, with a brief stop at Mineral Lake. This is a pretty photo op, but there is really nothing to do here. This outing is definitely about the journey-not the destination! We thought it was a nice length, but some younger kids were definitely getting antsy on the way back. Do bring snacks (You can also purchase some on board-cash only), and maybe some small toys.
Most of the scenery is pretty forest. My boys were most interested in looking at the engine and the train itself. Don’t go expecting to see much of Mount Rainier. Despite the name, you’ll get just one brief, peekaboo.
Overall, we had a grand time. The engine was really something to see, the fall colors were beautiful, and it was just nice to have everyone together, unplugged! It was definitely worth the 12.00 or so bucks each we paid for the vouchers. Edit: Rates have increased, so your deal is likely more like 15.00 a piece now. Prices I’ve quoted below reflect these increases Now…..would I pay full price? Honestly, probably not. The regular low season fare is 29.00 per adult (25.00 for seniors and military) and 15.00 for 3 and 4 year olds, and 22.00 for kids 5-12. Special events, like the Pumpkin Express and the Santa Train, are more. For me, this is just really expensive, and knowing that there have been offers on at least three deal sites, I’d probably just wait for one to turn up again (note you can’t use voucher deals on the special event trains). On the other hand, there was a time when my oldest was Obsessed with trains, and if you have one in this stage, it might be worth it! Kids under 4 are free, too, so if you have a little train lover, and you think he would do o.k. with the length of the ride, it’s not a bad deal. If you don’t want to add on to the bill, avoid the gift shop area at the station, and bring your own munchies. You can also get group rates if you have one!
I’ll have a future post with other area trains to choo-choo, choose from (Sadly, the bargain Santa Train that used to run during Christmas at Pt.Defiance/Camp Six is no more), but in the meantime, if you’ve done the MRSR, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Does my review match your experience, or am I on the wrong track?
5/28-Right now, there is also a half off deal available via Dealsaver. You’ll find it on my home page.
We’ve a transportation nut family (planes, trains, buses, automobiles) and have done the MRSR a couple of times. We have even rented out a private car before for a large group. While it is mostly forest, the trip over the river is a huge hit. For those that have kiddos that are train nuts, some of the the staff are usually open to letting the kids get up into the engine and pull the whistle (Note: this is high up in the air and a tight fit so it may not be accessible to all people).
Also, while the stop at Mineral Lake seems brief, we have done picnic lunches there before. On days when there are multiple trains, one has the option of actually catching a later train back (about 1 1/2 hrs later) if they want to stay and hike or picnic around the lake.
In addition, there is the “Little White Church of Elbe” (http://www.elbehistoricchurch.com/) next door that is cute to visit and head down to the water from. The church does offer a stamp for those that collect novelty/passport cancellation stamps (ie: National Parks, Lighthouses, National Registry, etc).
For those with little kids that still want to run out energy before/after the train ride, just a few miles up Hwy 706, in the city of Ashford, on the left side (right before the fire station) is a newer, large playground that can keep the kiddos entertained for an hour or two.
I would say your review is spot on! We recently used our Groupon and have a train lover in our house. He is almost 4, so I wanted to go one last time while he is free to ride. Definatly wouldn’t go again without a deal such as groupon.
Great ideas! Totally agree that everyone working the train was super friendly.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Jessica!