After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll continue our journey west toward Sterling, CO, for time to explore at the Overland Trail Museum commemorating the historic westward migration of gold seekers and early pioneers. It is said that the Overland Trail was the heaviest traveled road in America, and maybe even in the world, between 1862 to 1868! The village behind the main structure has several buildings from pre-1915 – the Stoney Buttes one-room schoolhouse, the Evangelical Lutheran Concordia Church, the Dailey Cash Store, and the granary barn with a collection of branding irons, saddles, and other farm and ranch equipment. There is also a well-equipped blacksmith shop and an extensive array of farm machinery. We will grab a quick lunch in the area before making our way to Golden’s Colorado Railroad Museum to stroll through the fifteen-acre railyard filled with over 100 narrow- and standard-gauge steam and diesel locomotives, passenger and freight cars, cabooses, and even a G-scale garden railway. Watch as Colorado railroad history is brought back to life in the Roundhouse restoration facility with a working, hand-operated turntable and check out the exhibits in the 1880s-replica Depot Museum. With a full day behind us, we will check in to the Holiday Inn (or similar) in Lakewood, CO, and enjoy dinner at our leisure in the hotel's Insider Bar & Grill.

(Breakfast included)

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before we head into the mountains to board the Leadville Colorado & Southern Railroad. During our two-and-a-half-hour rail journey through the untamed wilderness, our conductor will share the fascinating history of the railroad, ghost stories, and tales from the wild as we travel north along the Arkansas River Valley. Rising 1,000 feet from the valley floor, we'll be greeted with spectacular views of Fremont Pass and the two tallest peaks in Colorado, Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert. After the ride, time will be available for lunch on our own before the afternoon drive to Colorado Springs to settle into the Hyatt Place Garden of the Gods (or similar) for the next three nights. Take some time to relax and recharge before we gather for a lovely group dinner.

(Breakfast and dinner included)

Today we will visit the campus of the United States Air Force Academy nestled on 18,500 acres of breathtaking mountain panoramas at the base of the Rocky Mountains. The academy’s first class graduated in 1959 and since then has produced more than 51,000 commissioned officers who are leaders in air, space, and cyberspace. Keep your eyes peeled for the iconic accordion-shaped Cadet Chapel featuring seventeen spires that shoot 150 feet into the sky. It is considered among the most beautiful examples of modern American academic architecture! In addition to the chapel, we will see the museum, athletic center, stadium, cadet field house, and more. Up next is the drive to Cañon City to continue our rail journey on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad with an amazing two-hour lunchtime ride. As we dine on a three-course meal, we’ll take in the most spectacular views along the twelve-mile route that follows the most famous portion of the old Denver and Rio Grande Western train line. This excursion is often considered "the most scenic train ride in North America," and you'll see why as we pass the world's highest suspension bridge and see the rushing rapids of the Arkansas River below. Be sure to wander outside to the open-air observation car and enjoy the 360° scenic vista featuring the Arkansas River, geological formations within the Royal Gorge, and historic sites where the wind carries the echoes of eras gone by. The excitement continues this evening as we freshen up at the hotel for a toe-tapping good time with dinner and a show at the Flying W Ranch! Before an exceptional dinner with all the fixin's, check out the ranch animals, watch a horseshoeing demonstration, and visit the gift shop. Then the Flying W Wranglers, now the second-oldest western performance band in the world, will entertain us with their three-part-harmonies of time-honored tunes of the open range, high-quality instrumentation, and clean bunkhouse humor!

(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included)

Our day will begin with breakfast before we embark on a "Ride to the Clouds!" aboard the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, the highest cog railroad in the United States, which stretches nine miles long as it climbs almost 8,000 feet. Some have described the Pikes Peak summit as the “gateway to heaven.” This three-hour sightseeing adventure includes entertaining narration about the geography, wildlife, and history, unobstructed panoramic views on the summit, and a new visitors center with interactive interpretive space. While on the summit,  consider trying a world-famous Pikes Peak donut, the only one in the world made above 14,000 feet! After our journey back down the mountain, time will be available to explore the charming town of Manitou Springs filled with art, culture, great food, and more. Up next is a guided tour of the Garden of the Gods, one of the country’s most impressive archaeological wonders. This 1,360-acre park contains an abundance of plant and animal life and is well-known for its magnificent red sandstone rock formations created by a geological upheaval millions of years ago. As we tour through the park with our step-on guide, be on the lookout for unique formations such as the Kissing Camels, Balanced Rock, and the Three Graces. Dinner this evening will be a wonderful opportunity to share memories of this unforgettable rail journey!

(Breakfast and dinner included)

We’ll begin our journey home after breakfast this morning. Lunch will be quite the experience as we stop in Paxton, NE, to eat at Ole’s Big Game Steakhouse. More than 200 big game trophies and countless mementoes of Ole’s worldwide safaris make this a unique visit filled with history and adventure! Later, we will check in to the Best Western Plus (or similar) in York, NE, and dine at our leisure at the Applebee’s on the hotel property.

(Breakfast and lunch included) 

Following breakfast we’ll board our motorcoach and make our way through Iowa. Time will be available to stretch our legs and enjoy lunch on our own in the Des Moines area before we turn north. We will arrive back in Rochester early this evening and bid farewell with the sound of railroad whistles still fresh in our minds.

(Breakfast included)