We had a great time. Small group of seven, plus Anjali, the trip leader and company owner. Accommodations were nice, railroads varied from great (WW&F, Marine Narrow Gauge), to good (Mt Washington, Conway Scenic) to ordinary (Moosehead). Acadia tour was good. Pretty busy schedule, with a lot of driving.

This month, my wife and I took a New England Private Fall Foliage Tour with Special Interest Tours, a trip that had been on our bucket list for a while. Overall, it was an incredibly beautiful and fulfilling experience. The planning began with Sam, who spent several days and late nights arranging our schedule, activities, hotels, meals, transportation, costs, and other details. Sam was patient, listened carefully to our preferences and special needs, and communicated with us throughout the process. It was clear that Sam went above and beyond. Our itinerary was customized just for us. On the first day, our guide, Alex, met us at the airport. First impressions matter and she gave our journey a wonderful start. She was kind, pleasant, and approachable, greeting us with a warm smile. We had dinner together and thoroughly enjoyed her company. We even met three of her friends at the restaurant, who seemed lovely as well. We were sad to say goodbye to Alex at the end of the evening. The next day, our tour guide, Anjali, met us, and we set off on our New England fall foliage tour. She was one of the highlights of our trip—warm, friendly, approachable, professional, and an excellent communicator. Her management, organizational and logistical skills were truly impressive. She was knowledgeable and competent, as well as kind, funny, and sociable. Anjali was always nearby when we needed her, while also giving my wife and me space to enjoy time together. She was consistently one step ahead, taking care of details such as our luggage, hotel keys, meals, event payments, and tips. We didn’t have to worry about any of those things, which allowed us to simply enjoy the tour. She also went out of her way to make things easier for us, dropping us off near entrances and picking us up so we wouldn’t have to walk far or in the rain. At lunch, she even wore a special diner hat, showing her playful sense of humor. After three days of being tossed around in the back seat on the winding mountain roads, I developed motion sickness that I couldn’t shake (through no fault of Anjali’s). The next day, I asked whether we could adjust our activities and take the straightest road to Boston. Within minutes, she had everything re-arranged, and we were on our way. My wife and I have worked hard all our lives, and we have never felt so well cared for. Anjali was a tremendous blessing during our time with her. We can honestly say she was not just our tour guide, but has become a friend, and we miss her already. On our last day of touring, we were scheduled to explore Boston’s Freedom Trail. Our guide, Bobby, picked us up at the hotel. He was a kind and respectful gentleman whose knowledge and experience as a lifelong Boston resident greatly enriched our day. Knowing I was still feeling the effects of motion sickness, Bobby drove slowly and avoided winding roads whenever possible. He treated my wife with great respect and adjusted our walking route to suit our physical abilities. Throughout the day, he tailored the tour to our interests. Our time with Bobby was enjoyable and educational—and seemed to fly by. My wife and I highly recommend Special Interest Tours, especially the team members mentioned above. If our health permits, and God willing, we hope to join them again next year for another tour. Roger & Cindy October 2026

Excellent organization and itinerary. Guide was superb, efficient, and fun. Spectacular in every way. Highly recommend.

Wonderful trip. Small group, fabulous guide, great van driver. The Gold Star class on the train was excellent, we could see so much! and the extra trips (Denali bus, boat ride in Resurrection Bay) added to the experience. We especially enjoyed seeing #557 being restored.

The trip was great in every way. Accomdations and food were top notch. The hosts were the best... always taking care of us. Highly recommended.