Name: 2021 Great American Private Car Adventure: Part 3 - LA to CHI
Start: 2021-09-16
End: 2021-09-19
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

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Joins with author Fred Frailey as we travel in private rail cars pulled behind Amtrak along the historic Southwest Chief route.

Los Angeles, CA, USA

2021 Great American Private Car Adventure: Part 3 - LA to CHI

Special Interest Tours

We were not able to see the Aurora Borealis due to snowy & cloudy nights, but in spite of that, it was still a great experience. We met some really nice & friendly people, went to some great restaurants, bars & museums; had a fun time on a dog sled ride, a snowcat ride, slid sdown some ice slides in an outdoor ice scuplture park, had a martini in an all ice martini glass in an ice museum and heard some interesting facts and nuances about the Northern Lights from Bob Berman.breakfast at the 

The only less than great experiences were waiting 30 minutes for our luggage to be unloaded from the Alaska Railroad train we took from Anchorage to Fairbanks as well as the buffet breakfast we had at the Fairbanks Westmark Hotel...worst buffet breakfast that we have ever experienced...cold and poor quality food with almost no variety.





2026 Northern Lights Astronomy Tour with Bob Berman

The trip was a joy to be on! Well organized, we felt thoroughly taken care of and enjoyed our experiences! 

Everything well planned, went smoothly and the experience was great. Terrific accommodations, food and sights. 

2025 Southern Skies Tour

Beyond expectations! Drawn there by the stars, but also fascinated and impressed with the people, history, geology, and excursions. Top notch gourmet food in addition. And thanks to Anjali and Sam for a super job!!

Everything about this trip was fantastic.  Everything went very smoothly.  The train and trolley rides were great fun.  The ladies running the tour were very competent and fun to be around. The bus driver was the best I have ever known.  I have worked with quite a few and this gentleman was by far the best.  The ladies were really helpful with restaurant reservations and any other problems that arose.  The restaurants and other meals included with the tour were great.  I cannot begin to say just how much I enjoyed the tour and all the people involved.  I would highly recommend this tour to anyone who loves trains as much as I do.    

2025 New England Fall Colors by Rail

This was my first group tour and my first rail vacation. Normally I do road trips, having slept in 39 states and been in the bounds of 41 since the summer of 2019. I am not, as many of our group did not seem to be, dedicated rail fans. For myself, this was a way to see a number of highlights in Alaska where there is limited infrastructure. I feel the tour had value in all transportation, lodging, and transfers being taken care of and all I had to do was show up on time when and where my guides told me to. The group was good. We got along well. No one was tardy in the mornings. Rachel and Molly kept us organized and on time. If there were any problems, I didn’t see them, except for a room key snafu in Talkeetna. They and our bus driver Ben took good care of us. September is the rainy season in Alaska. It rained every day, including the days I arrived early. Don’t bet on seeing the Northern Lights on this tour. This was a rail centric tour to travel the length of the ARR from Fairbanks (MP470) in the north to Seward (MP0) in the south with the Whittier branch to go through the longest combined road/rail tunnel in North America. By that measure it was a success. The train itself was great. We rode 1st class on all but one leg and the Hurricane Turn, which only had coach service. The coach had dining downstairs with good food. The seating upstairs was full length dome with excellent visibility. The coaches also had an open air platform on the second level. I spent much time on the platform. However, there were a number of issues. Communication was abysmal from the start. I was trying to arrange an off tour day for myself. Special Interest Tours (SIT) did not answer the phone or respond to my email. Our Trains magazine rep reached out on my behalf. I shouldn’t have needed a third party to intervene on my behalf. Getting the clarification on the itinerary was difficult. It was sent out shortly before the trip. By the time I got everything cleared up, the train was sold out and I could not spend an extra day in Seward while the rest of the group toured the ARR shops and Anchorage Museum. I arrived in Fairbanks 4 days before the tour started. According to an email from SIT, I was supposed to have been contacted as an early arrival when I filled out contact and arrival information for SIT. I never heard from them, but it did not affect my getting to the hotel for the start of the tour. We met in Fairbanks where our guides told us that our Trains Magazine representative was unable to make it due to family issues. Here again was lack of communication beforehand. A train expert was to be part of the tour. I understand that SIT could not foresee his canceling, but could’ve told us as soon as they knew. The Marriott in Fairbanks was ok, but the neighborhood was terrible. There was a loud argument between obviously drunk people outside the hotel at night making sleep difficult. There were also a number of homeless people. The Grand Denali Lodge had great views. It was on top of a hill that had a mile long switchback driveway, making it difficult to leave the hotel. There was a shuttle to a shopping area and Denali NP. Denali itself was not one of my favorite national parks. There are no hiking trails except near the visitor center. The only way into the park are park buses. Don’t expect herds of moose or elk or Dall sheep. We did see some wildlife, but not much. We did see Denali though. We were told that only 5% of people get to see it from our vantage point. It was beautiful, but not particularly interactive sitting on the bus. We did stop a few times for bathroom breaks to look around. First of so so box lunches that day. Otherwise the food at the hotel was good. On to Talkeetna. Here again there could have been more communication about how much down time there would be in Talkeetna. We had to wait until 4:00 p.m. the day our train left. That was plenty of time to book a flight seeing tour to land on a glacier on Denali or visit a sled dog kennel. More advanced notice would have allowed for planning instead of wandering around the 3 blocks of downtown Talkeetna. The Hurricane Turn was the reason we stopped in Talkeetna. Again this was a train centric tour, so this was supposed to be a highlight as the last flag stop train in the United States. Meh. We stopped at a local author’s store. She illustrated and wrote children’s books. The other major stop was the Hurricane Bridge. We stopped on the bridge and the opened the baggage car doors so we could look down 300? feet at the river below. Again, not much action. We did stop for some abandoned ARR equipment on an old siding which included a rotary snow plow you could walk through. Lots of waiting during this segment of the tour. The hotel had a beautiful lobby where the group gathered around a large stone fireplace in the evening. The view outside was again spectacular at times. It was late when we finally got to Anchorage. We stayed at the Hilton. This sounds first class, but this hotel was run down. The carpet was frayed in multiple locations in my room. We went on to Wittier the next morning. The tunnel was interesting to go through as a rail fan. The place we had lunch was a joke. I understand this is not Tahiti with 5 star restaurants, but SIT could have done better in choosing our restaurant. I believe we all got the same sandwich here and then chose a drink. Even a limited choice of sandwich would have been nice. We left shortly after eating because of the rain by bus to the hotel in Girdwood. The mountains in Whittier were beautiful with many waterfalls. Another take it or leave it day. We stayed at the Alyeska Resort. This is a ski resort with an enclosed gondola up the hill. A ride was included with the tour. More time here might have been nice. They have pedestrian suspension bridges 2400 feet above the ground that I would have liked to walk across, but there was not time due to the tour itinerary. Dinner service here was beyond terrible. During the tour we were often asked to choose from 3 meal options so the restaurant could get prepared for our group. We did so at the Alyeska Resort. It still took over 2 hours to get our food when we had submitted our choices earlier in the day. More on that later. Next on our list was Seward and Kenai Fjords NP. This was by far the best scenery. I spent the entire leg of the trip on the rear platform of our coach. There was a little time to grab a souvenir before boarding the boat for our 4 hour cruise. Another ho hum box lunch. I enjoyed the first ½ of the cruise. This company offers 4 different cruise lengths from 4 to 8 hours.  The 4 hour cruise never makes it into Kenai Fjords NP proper, but does cruise by glaciers. We saw some Stellar sea lions and otters among other wildlife. A couple of small icebergs were visible. I can’t speak to the whole cruise as I began to feel slightly seasick the second half. Another night was spent at the Alyeska Resort. The following day we went to the ARR shops for a tour. Here again we sorely missed our Trains Magazine guide. We were divided into 2 groups and given an ARR shop employee as a guide. My ARR shop employee wasn’t able to answer a number of my questions stating the questions were out of his area of knowledge, but the other ARR employee should know. Too bad that group was never close enough to ask. We finished the day at the Anchorage Museum. Here again we all got identical box lunches from the museum cafe. Identical. No choice. Unacceptable. I wish we had more time at the museum. We ended the tour back at the same tired and run down Hilton. Another bad experience I had there was the breakfast buffet. The made to order omelet cook just disappeared for 5 minutes with no explanation while I was waiting to order my omelet. This hotel didn’t offer shuttle service to the airport. I would not have cared if it was not free, but to offer no service at all in an upscale hotel I thought was absurd. Our final dinner together was another slog waiting for the food to arrive. Outside of the box lunches and the shack in Whittier, I felt the food was good and plentiful. Oftentimes it was all you could eat. Service was spotty all through the trip. This was likely because we were at the end of the season and much of the staff had left. Overall this was an ok trip. End of season service and poor seasonal weather (rain expected) really brought it down. Congratulations if you made it this far, but I hope this detailed review is helpful.

Brian

2025 Alaska by Rail

It was a good group with a great bus driver.   Tour guides were below par and the mixup with our rooms at the Hyatt was unexcusable as I had communicated with "Sam" way back in February about this.  It was no fun to arrive and find out we
had no rooms.  Could be less expensive if the two waterfront meals in Portland were handled better.  I would not recommend
this tour company to my friends.

The trip was well coordinated, Great company and fantastic accommodations. Food was great and abundant. The museums were well worth our time and energy. The train trips were great and we took copious photos. Our special needs were met and exceeded. The staff are great companions and providers. We will definitely book future trips with Special Interest Tours.

2025 UK Celebration of Steam Bicentennial

A fabulous trip for the serious and not-so-serious railfan.  This was an excellent way to celebrate the 200th anniversary of rail passenger service - an excellent selection of rail museums, steam train rides, and more.

Well planned, wonderful activities, great accommodations.  A delightful group of travelers and a great experience.  Others in the group had traveled with this company and said this was just as high a standard as their other tours.  I'd be tempted to travel with them again, if the subject appealed.  For a once in a lifetime chance, I'm glad I took this trip.

I can only describe this trip as: FAIR.

The reasons are multi-faceted and can be split in a few points.
1. Our tour facilitators, Molly and Rachel, were very nice and worked hard to help us move from point A to point B, from hotel to hotel, and restaurant to restaurant, always having our comfort in mind. Unfortunately they were not prepared to talk about details of the ARR trains, railroads and the specifics of train travel.
2. It was very disappointing to learn during the trip that none of the Trains Magazine representatives were part of the tour. Their expertise, knowledge and input was very much missed.
3. Three of the hotels were below standards: Marriott Springhill Suites in Fairbanks, Talkeetna Lodge and the Anchorage Hilton.
    The Marriott was dirty (inside and outside), the area downtown was occupied by many homeless people that roamed the streets, the bars outside the hotel had loud patrons outside until the early morning hours.
    The Hilton in Anchorage is very old, dilapidated, noisy due to construction noise outside the entrance, the lobby inside, the facade, the elevator noise is the worst of any Hilton hotel I ever stayed in through my 40 years of working.
4. The trip to Talkeetna and Hurricane Gulch can be eliminated in the future. It was a waste of time, boring and consisted of lots of waiting and waiting around. Replace these days with an additional day at Denali.
5. The train ride and lunch to Whittier was a waste of time as well. The little shack we had lunch at was an embarrassment. Replace this with an additional day at the Alyeska Resort.
The Grand Denali Lodge and the Alyeska Resort were the best hotels, which the other hotels should be measured up to. The two were first class and a joy to be at.
6. The time in and around Denali Park was wonderful and lifetime memories were made here: scenery, and wildlife just breathtaking.
7. The box lunches were unacceptable, Middle School student get better lunches. These did not measure up to first class.
8. The ARR shop tour was okay, the supervisors of the ARR did a great job explaining the facilities, but the input from a Trains representative would have made it even more valuable with background information and Q&A from a professional's viewpoint.
9. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed the trip from Anchorage to Seward and back. Lots of scenery and wildlife.

In closing, in my humble opinion the whole "2025 Alaska by Rail Tour" was overpriced by 30% due to the missing Trains representative and the less than ideal lodging in Fairbanks, Talkeetna and Anchorage, the unfavorable box lunches and some of the waiting times in Talkeetna. Future tours could be shortened by 2 days to 7-8 days, without missing out on the main attractions.
The two facilitators, Molly and Rachel, as well as the bus driver, Ben, made up for some of the shortcomings and created a cohesive group environment, which all of us appreciated. They tried to make up for the missing communication before the start of the trip in reference to Trains Magazine reps.
Besides all the above the tour group was very cohesive and enjoyed each others company in "The Last Frontier in N.A.". Many experiences were shared throughout the trip.
Cheers,
Jurgen Steuer

We had a marvelous time! Our two guides, Rachel and Molly, we fantastic, fun and worked exceptionally hard to make sure everyone was supported!! The accommodations were comfortable and the food was great. This was our anniversary trip and my husband is the one interested in trains yet I had a terrific time!! The scenery and Colorado area was beautiful, the other travelers were wonderful and made the trip that much more special and the Trains editor and his wife were terrific!! We are already planning our next trip! 

2025 Colorado Railways Tour

We had a good time however there seemed to be several areas where the tour could be improved.  Other bus tours have a dialogue during the long bus travel time referring to significant history, interesting geology or points of interest along the way.  This was completely missing and is the reason my wife will not accompany me it I go on another train tour.  

Wonderful trip, you kept us busy and well informed. Lots of great adventures, good food and mostly good accommodations. 
Great tour guides and driver.
WELL DONE!

Many, many items were checked off my bucket list. Only problem was that my lungs do not work well above 8,000 ft. elevation. Our tour guides were great - they kept things moving without being pushy.

Well planned and led.  Even our bus driver was knowledgeable in the areas we visited or drove through.  The railroad experiences were educational and entertaining even for those of us familiar with the industry.   The scenic beauty and diversity was unbeatable.  

The trip was wonderful for both my husband and I! We were on this trip/tour October 2024.  After landing in Portland ME we were able to get a shuttle from the Airport to our Hotel. All went smoothly. We chose to come in a day early since we were flying in from So Cal and wanted the extra time to get settled. SIT (Special Interest Tours) made the extra day reservation at the hotel for us.
We spent a great day in Portland, ME on our own...enjoyed it thoroughly!  We met up with the group and the guides at 4:00p,m that first afternoon for a harbor cruise and a dinner. Both were great. We also met Molly and Rachel who were to be our tour guides for the remainder of the our time on the tour.
Day 2 of Tour - 
WE were up and had breakfast at the Hyatt Hotel in Portland. Breakfast was good and a hot meal so that was great!  We boarded our Coach Bus and met our driver, Lem, who was wonderful and made the entire tour that much more enjoyable. He was a gem!! We absolutely loved  him. The Seashore Trolley Museum and Trolley Rider were wonderful!  The shop tour was awesome and we learned so much and enjoyed thoroughly!!  We then went to Kennebunkport, ME for lunch and walked around the town and did some shopping.  We ate lunch at a local pub and enjoyed our shopping time and also the time we got spend with our fellow tour group members getting to know them.
The Winnipesaukee Scenic Railway Turkey Dinner Train was enjoyable, although I did not expect to eat on paper plates with plastic utensils. The food was good and once again we were able to sit with tour group members and got to know them better.  The tour narrator from the Turkey Company/Train Company talked a lot and did give us information about the lake and the houses around the lake that we saw on the tour, but there were times I wished he would just be quiet and let us enjoy the view and the conversations we were having amongst ourselves.  He did like to name drop and try to impress us with how expensive all these lake houses were. That was when the information he was giving us became annoying.
All in all a good day packed with lots of good things that we enjoyed.
Day 3
This was our first day waking up at the Hotel Lake Opechee Inn & Spa.  It was an early day and we were given breakfast in the lobby. This breakfast was pathetic!  My husband is type 2 diabetic and basically all he could eat was yogurt and a hard boiled egg. Thank goodness we brough a good supply of Keto granola bars.  This was the same breakfast all three days we were there. So disappointing especially when compared to the breakfasts offered to us at the other 2 hotels we stayed in. Perhaps for future tours you can find a different hotel. One that is more up to date and offers a better breakfast.. The rooms were nice but the entire facility seemed very dated.  Also every time we entered our room at the end of each day in New Hampshire it smelled of gas (propane) we were told by the hotel attendant that the room always smelled this way and she smelled nothing out of the ordinary. We slept with the windows open to get rid of the smell. Since apparently they did not believe it was a problem.
The Conway Scenic Railway trip was great as was our ride on the Conway Scenic First Class Gertrude Emma Parlour Car.  The photo Runby was a wonderful experience! So nice to have our own car and have the Runby done just for us. We did get some time on our own to enjoy shops and a local craft show. The shop and roundhouse tours were very good and my husband really enjoyed them.  The Mountaineer  to Crawford Notch/Fabyan Station Dome car had great views and the box lunches we were given were good but the Dome car was very crowded and uncomfortable.  There was a shortage of bathrooms at the station and on the train. Perhaps planning your bathroom stops on the entire tour needs some work.  
The steakhouse at the hotel was over booked and dinner was very late. We were finally seated with 4 others from our tour group but it felt as if we were inconveniencing the restaurant host who was seating us. Pretty bad when the hotel attendant takes over and finds you a table because the restaurant host can't be bothered. This really was a disappointing hotel over all
Day 4
This was one of the best days on the tour!!  We absolutely loved the Cog RR and Mt. Washington! The gentlemen on the trains were so informative and told us so much amazing information about the train! The weather was cold, cloudy and rainy but we loved every minute!  It had great gift shops!! Also the museums and videos they presented were awesome! We learned so much!!
The Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train was perfect!!  I was looking forward to this and was NOT disappointed!! The food, service, and atmosphere were amazing! Thank you for such a wonderful experience!!
Day 5
The Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum and train ride were both great! Another wonder train ride, shop visit and lunch in an outdoor pavilion made the day awesome!  Having a chance to eat lunch outdoors where the weather was perfect meant so much!  Knowing that we had this train all to ourselves for the day made us feel so special and spoiled! Thank you. The Runby once again was fun and we got so many pictures!
The Railway Village Museum and Lobster Bake were so disappointed!  There was barely anything to da and the shop was nothing more than a thrift shop with some RR T-shirts!  The lobster bake was awful! Not enough room to eat, nutcrackers to crack lobster shells (really??), such a mess ! This showed me I never want to do a lobster back again.  
The hotel we went to in Camden ME was amazing!! When I walked into our room at 16 Bayview Hotel I truly felt spoiled and pampered!! 
What I wished the SI Tours would have planned was to skip The Railway Village Museum and Lobster Bake and let us spend that time in Camden ME and enjoy that town and its shops and restaurants and most importantly the wonderful room they gave me. 
Day 6
We had a wonderful day  in Acadia Park. We ate lunch a pub and did some shopping and enjoyed ourselves.  We then walked to our Oli's Trolley where an very knowledgeable tour guide/trolley driver gave us a wonderful tour of the park with a few stops along the way where we could get out and enjoy the outdoors and views. 
But this tour was made uncomfortable for me - at the beginning of the tour, at the first stop, Rachel came to me and asked me to put my mask on. I had developed a cough the day before, but always covered my face. I understand asking those of us coughing to put on a mask, but I was the only one she asked. When the group returned to the trolley I started to take note of 4 or 5 other people coughing, sneezing and blowing their noses. They were not asked to put on their masks. I felt embarrassed and singled out and felt as if everyone was looking at me. I felt very uncomfortable! It really put a damper on things and changed my entire mood for the remainder of time I was on the tour. I felt this was unnecessary but not wanting to create a scene I complied. Not happy about that! 
We returned to the hotel in Camden and had dinner at a local Pub.
Day 7
We left the Bayview hotel - The hotel had a wonderful breakfast for us. 
We went to see the Belfast and Moosehead RR and its shops. There was an issue with the bathrooms at this venue as well. Please do a better job next time when planning for bathroom stops especially when you are dealing with senior citizens.  This was a nice railroad tour, but because of mismanagement of the schedule our lunch was cut short and some of our tour group didn't get a chance to finish their lunches. Not a good thing!  Don't know who didn't plan well the tour guides, tour company or RR.  We were hoping for more in the Gift Shops. The selection was lacking.
The Main Narrow Gauge Railroad was a nice afterthought. That's what it felt like. It was short and it was overlooking the bay that we took a cruise on the first night. Everything that was told to us on this RR ride we had heard the first night on the ocean cruise.
The Dinner at SCALES was fabulous! A wonderful way to end the trip. Wonderful food.

I did notice that the tour guides did not eat with the tour group. They were always at a separate table. This was very noticeable at SCALES where they were not seated with us but sat at the bar instead.  I thought this was rude and felt like they didn't want to eat with us...didn't know why!  I thought they would want to get to know us by eating and breaking bread with us. Oh well I guess not. I think they missed something by distancing themselves from us.

For Special Interest Tours -
Plan Bathroom Facilities better
Get rid of The Railway Village Museum and Lobster Bake  - let your next tour group enjoy Camden ME and that wonderful Bayview hotel!!
Trust your people to know if they should wear masks.






2024 New England Fall Colors by Rail

Lots of train information and up-close experiences with the trains and the people who maintain them.

The two guides were great. Very well organized and very caring about the participants.

We had a great time on the '2024 Majestic Switzerland by Rail' Tour. Besides the excellent rail tour itself and our fantastic guides Sven and Julie, we meant some really good friends with whom we hope to develop lasting connections. Great food and fun meals with these friends. The hotel accommodations were top-notch and were mostly close to the train stations; we even got our original room upon returning to Zurich. 

John and Mary Jo   

2024 Majestic Switzerland By Rail

We really enjoyed this trip.  Well planned, organized, and executed…
Great group. We think we made new friends, and caught up with a friend from a previous tour. 
The guides were a smooth and selfless team. 


2024 Alaska by Rail

The trip was fantastic and even better than I had  expected. Our travel hosts were knowledgeable and professional in every way.  Hotel accommodations were luxurious and comfortable with complete ease of registration. The travel arrangements were seamless and the few changes necessary due to weather or unavailability fit in perfectly with the scope and enjoyment of the trip. I'd easily consider another trip run by Special Interest Tours or Trains Magazine for myself or as a recommendation to someone else. 

We had a great time.  Our tour guides Molly and Rachel were great; right on top of things when issues came up to make sure things ran as smoothly as possible.  The lodgings for the trip were very nice.  The only suggestion is that we could have used more hotel staff assistance at the Aleyeska Lodge - we had to haul our own luggage, and their restaurant appeared understaffed.  The Alaska Railroad was fantastic! 

Train rides were great. Staff was flexible and accommodating. Great lodging and meals. Covered a lot of country! Train shop tour was excellent! Bus for moving us and luggage worked great. Excellent way to see and experience Alaska.

This is the way to see and learn about some of Alaska's greatest highlights. Riding the Alaska Railroad — both first-class and local passenger trains — illustrated the Last Frontier perfectly. Touring the railroad's Anchorage shop facility is a behind-the-scenes experience for those who love trains. The food and accommodations were fine. The group was a nice size and members became wonderful friends. Pack your bags and head for Alaska the next time this tour is offered.

This was a beautiful tour marred only by an end-of-season date and seasonably cloudy weather. That aside, the trains and routes were great. Our cars were double-deck viewing cars with dinning on the lower deck. Great food and service. The tour featured top-notch hotels and resorts. The key to the whole trip being so wonderful were our guides Rachel and Molly. They were always on top of things. I'd book the tour again but earlier in the season. 

Overall the trip was great.  Molly and Rachel were great hosts - organized, attentive, good problem solvers and a joy to be with.  Itinerary was perfect - Denali tour super, Hurricane Turn a real experience in Alaska culture and shop tour a real keeper.  John the bus driver made travel easy - request him in the future.  The food was okay, not a highlight, tho not the purpose for the trip.  Enjoyed the tour group personalities.  Highly recommend this trip.

We had a great trip!  We saw a lot, learned a lot and made new and interesting friends.  As we've come to expect with Special Interest Tours, everything exceeded our expectations.  Our hosts graciously and attentively cared for all of us, and once again created many wonderful memories for us.   What more could one ask!!  Thank you!


Group 1 -2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Texas, with Astronomer Bob Berman

Well done!  We had a great trip.  Thank you!

Group 2 - 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Texas, w/ Astronomer Bob Berman

Thank you Anjali, Sam, Julia and Andres for all your hard work. The private tours of the space center, River walk boat, and the Alamo were great venues, and even though we all would have enjoyed a longer totality, the entire package with a nice group of people made for a very enjoyable trip. See you on the next one!

The overall structure of the trip was excellent.  We enjoyed the venues, special tours and various stops.  Having said that, the actual organization of the trip was poor and chaotic and times.  We recognize weather and other unforeseen events always happen, but that is not an excuse for keeping the folks in Group 2 informed which was not the case. The guide on our bus is a nice person but he had little useful information - he was more of a "babysitter" than anything else.  He had to wait for somebody from the first bus to come on board and inform us of the up to date schedule and then that was not always clear.  Cell phone communication usually works even in Texas.
Having to deal with our own luggage to and from buses was a pain.  I don't usually go on tours, but the ones I do always have folks from the hotel load and unload luggage from the buses.  I know there was complexity related to having two buses that is easy to deal with.  Give everybody tags attached to their bags where they write Group 1 or Group 2 to make sure that  the right bags get into the right bus. And, then folks can take a look and confirm their bags are loaded if they want to double check.  This is just one example on how to improve the. operational/detail aspects of the tour. 

The venue at the eclipse site (we did not stay there) was poorly run, disorganized and did not seem to know how to handle a medium size group such as ours.  Again, the various guides on the trip were slow to step in and make sure things worked as promised.  You know there is a problem when you can't even get a cup of coffee.   You need additional professional help to better run your tours.  Sometimes the small details can make the difference between a good trip and a bad trip.

Having said all that, I will again note we enjoyed the trip and thought that having Bob Berman and the Hubbell's as part of the tour was a real positive., and we are considering the 2025 Chile trip.  My last word is that if you want sophisticated clients you need to be operationally more sophisticated and professional  which  seemed not to be the case for this trip. 



Amazing trip!  Hotel rooms, transportation, activities were top notch ... great organizers and traveling companions.  Mother Nature was pretty fickle, but the organizers were prepared for all with well-executed back up plans.  Bravo!

It was a great trip. Accommodations, food, transportation, activities, and all other facilities were great. Very friendly group. The organizers were very professional, friendly, and helpful. Any changes in the itinerary were managed well with good alternate plans made. I would not hesitate to recommend Special Interest Tours or go with them again. 

It was amazing!  My husband and I had anticipated our trip to Texas for the total solar eclipse since we signed up for it June 2022. After my husband stepped into heaven last June, I decided to take the long awaited trip with my daughter.  Anjali and her team made exceptional preparations for our group and we’re flexible when weather changed some of their plans.  Thank you.



Well planned and the lectures where great.

Had a great time with wonderful traveling companions, staff, and host. The trip was to a full eclipse in Texas so weather was the determining factor. We were in a vineyard with great views of a fairly dark sky. Host Bob Berman, astronomer, provided professional commentary and guidance. The accommodations were very nice. The tour included the Johnson Space Center, the Alamo and San Antonio, ending in Austin. Weather disruptions for Austin caused a change of plans but that happens. Overall a great trip.

I had a great time and got to experience the eclipse with like-minded people. There was no pressure to participate in every activity. The private tour of the NASA Space Center was a bucket list event for me. When I became ill on the last day I was well taken care of. Speaking with other travelers, I learned I was not the only one who was sick. I'm wondering if a possible food poisoning event was investigated.

Pleasant. Great hotels. Good eats. Due to weather, there is some disappointment but that is not SIT's fault. They tried their best but nobody can do anything about the weather. . 

This was a fantastic trip! The relatively small group (55) compared to another eclipse tour we had previously taken (150+ people) allowed for an intimate, friendly atmosphere with other like-minded travelers. Bob Berman really made this trip special- his eclipse lecture and dark sky star party taught us so much and he was always engaging, funny and friendly. Highlights for us included the well planned trip to the Houston Space Centwr, with the included VIP tour and private talk with the astronaut, the San Antonio boat ride, and of course the stay at the beautiful Vineyard at Florence and our total solar eclipse sighting there. We always felt in good hands with Special Interrest Tours and would not hesitate to travel with this group again!

The trip was great.  The added features of the trip were educational, interesting, and inspirational.  Photo opportunities abounded.  The actual eclipse viewing was really exciting.  The Lord provided 3 minutes and 40 seconds of cloud cover during the actual eclipse, but then allowed 20 seconds of clear view to show us the eclipse and the diamond ring.



Wonderful trip with a great itinerary.  Seeing the Northern Lights was the chance of a lifetime which
I'll never forget.  I really liked visiting the museums, which gave good insight into Alaska and its
critters and Native peoples.  Having Bob Berman along to narrate things was extra-special and
worth the price of admission!  The long train ride up to Fairbanks was also spectacular and not-to-be
missed for future trips.  The lodgings and meals were quite good and comfortable.  Alaska is vast
and rugged, and one of the most beautiful U.S. states.  This is a five-star trip.

2024 Northern Lights Astronomy Tour with Bob Berman

We had a great time! The timing was perfect for seeing the top of Denali and for seeing some amazing auroras. The group was small enough we had no problems. The people were great. The food was excellent. The planetarium was amazing. The accommodations were very good. This was our second time with Special Interest Tours and we have been very satisfied both times.


This trip was a mixed bag of experiences.

On the positive side, our tour guides Anjali and Colin did an excellent job of keeping us organized and on time. There were an adequate schedule of activities each day and all of them were of considerable interest. I absolutely loved the train ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks. The champagne sunset celebration at the top of the mountain at Chena Hot Springs was also a highlight for me.

On the negative side, some of the meals were less than I expected. Our welcome dinner and our farewell dinner were both excellent. While we were not provided the full menu from any of the restaurants, those that offered us abbreviated menus gave us adequate choices and delivered delicious meals. At most of the other restaurants, however, there were no choices offered. We seemed to be served whatever the restaurant wanted to serve us. I understand that it's difficult for a restaurant to handle 40 people arriving at the same time, however since only one dish was prepared that dish should have been both tasty and of the correct temperature. When those two characteristics were not met it opened the door to disappointment. 

When I weigh out the experiences I enjoyed against the experiences that left me wanting I would say my overall impression of the tour were good. I would consider using Special Interest Tours again, but I would also check out competing offers.

Exceeded my expectations by 1000% 
Fantastic itinerary and classes by Bob Berman. Been an amateur astronomer for over 60 years and learned sooo much. The Northern lights were spectacular!

Wonderful trip.  Interesting conversations; congenial company; well organized trip with many interesting diversions.

This was a great trip. Everything was planed out so well.  Our accommodations were excellent, as were our trains. Anjeli and Rachel did a great job and we couldn’t ask for a better bus driver 

2023 New England Fall Colors by Rail

We had a good time. Brian has food allergies,  and our guides went out of their way to provide food he could eat. 

Good train rides, attentive tour hosts, good accomodations, safe bus transportation, compatible small group of travelers, and good weather. 

This trip was generally a good experience but did not deliver everything originally advertised.  The day one private sunset harbor cruise was canceled and the welcome dinner at a harborfront restaurant provided extremely slow service.  I had assumed that the Trains magazine special guest would be acting as an informed host for the group but this was his first time visiting most of the railroads on this tour and his role seemed to be largely blogging for the magazine's on line feed. 

On Day three, we were supposed to have a private car reserved for the trip to Crawford Notch but were crowded into a high density commuter coach with flop over seats which also carried many general riders.  Not what was expected.

On Day four we had a great time on the Mt. Washington Cog Railway but our arrival time at the Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train that evening precluded any photos of the equipment.  Food was good but we were rushed on and it was totally dark by the time we returned.

The WW&F Railway on Day 5 was the highlight of the trip for myself. Nicely done operations and friendly volunteers.  The Boothbay Railway Village was nice but I had hoped for a steam engine on the loop ride, but only diesels are used after the summer season.

On the last full tour day, a steam charter on the Maine Narrow Gauge Railway was advertised but was run with diesel power.  Nice ride on the waterfront, good people but no steam.

Our two Special Interest Tour guides and bus driver were very good and the hotel accomotations were excellent.  This was a good trip, but not entirely as expected.

We had a great time… mostly due to the accommodating and attentive team leading us thru…Never a dull moment. Thank you Rose, Sven, and Dave.  A nice group of guests as well. Great accommodations,  good meals, all well planned. So many interesting and fun journeys along the overall experience.

2023 Majestic Switzerland By Rail

2021 Great American Private Car Adventure: Part 3 - LA to CHI in Los Angeles, CA, USA

Joins with author Fred Frailey as we travel in private rail cars pulled behind Amtrak along the historic Southwest Chief route.

Kimpton Hotel Monaco Chicago on 9/19

Guests will share a double cabin on the rail car and any hotel rooms with their travel companion. Double cabins on the sleeper car have an upper and lower berth and include a private toilet and sink. There is a shared shower and another toilet available on the sleeper car. Each cabin is supplied with towels, soap and shampoo &amp; conditioner.

Double Occupancy in a Double Cabin

Guests will have a single roomette on the rail car and will have their own room at any hotels. Single roomettes on the sleeper car have a lower berth and include a private sink. There is a shared shower and toilet available on the sleeper car. Each roomette is supplied with towels, soap and shampoo &amp; conditioner.

Single Occupancy in a Single Roomette

Guests will have their own double cabin on the rail car and their own room at any hotels. Double cabins on the sleeper car have an upper and lower berth and include a private toilet and sink. There is a shared shower and another toilet available on the sleeper car. Each cabin is supplied with towels, soap and shampoo &amp; conditioner.

2021 Great American Private Car Adventure: Part 3 - LA to CHI

2021 Great American Private Car Adventure: Part 3 - LA to CHI

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