Northern Ramble with Kids (3 and 5)
Since any of us could remember, our son Whitney loved trains. Toy trains, riding trains, shows about trains, trains were life. We spent mornings riding the steam train (special events like Thomas the Train and Polar Express included), afternoons riding the Shoreline East rail to go grab pizza, and evenings building elaborate wooden toy tracks. We celebrated Whitney's second birthday with a Chugga Chugga Two Two party and nurtured his love of trains.
As he got older, the wooden trains came out a little less often but he still asked to "go the train track way" and stopped to point out a rail spur whenever we saw one. When I found out about the rail bike adventures around New England, I knew this would be a fun way to explore with our train-loving son.
The rail bikes around us seemed to have a lot of age restrictions and weren't little kid-friendly. But Rail Explorers? Any age is welcome. DOGS are even allowed on the rail bikes. They have special toddler seat attachments for smaller kids who need something a little more secure, and babies/infants are allowed in a carrier with an adult. The seats are adjustable and our 5-year old was able to reach the pedals and join in the fun.
We decided to make an entire afternoon out of it, going early to enjoy the corn hole and gorgeous weather, staying for a bit after to soak up the sunshine and the ice cream truck offerings (cash only). We then stopped for dinner with family in Fall River on our way back making it a pretty perfect day in beautiful Portsmouth, Rhode Island. You could easily pair this adventure with dinner in Newport, a walk on Cliff Walk, or shopping in Newport. If you want to just go for the rail bikes, I promise you it is worth the drive and the cost.
You can get a two person bike, a four person bike, and any combination of the two to accommodate larger parties (they can connect the bikes).
We found the course so scenic, the rail bikes easy and fun, and the staff friendly and informative. We loved the experience and found it completely worth the drive from Connecticut and the price. They offer a ton of options for timing and even offer brunch and lantern rides. While summer is a great time to go, the tours are also very popular in the fall. Either way, I highly recommend booking a tour online early to save your space.
Why Rail Explorers: They are one of the only rail bikes I could find that allowed young kids (any age, infant in a carrier and toddlers/kids in their own seat with an available harness if requested). The route is also very scenic along the water.
Kids: The seats are adjustable - our 5.5-year old could reach the pedals, our 3.5 year old could not. She still got her own seat and we opted for the harness to keep her secure. We requested the harness at check in and a staff member quickly put it on. Both of our kids LOVED this experience!
Route options (Fall 2026):
Price: One quad (four seater bike) $205 ($210.63 with tax)
Route: Northern Ramble at 3:30 (1.5 hour tour)
Check in: 15 minutes prior
Our Route Distance: 5.21 miles (one way trip)
Duration: (logged on strava, varies based on speed) 47:19 minutes
Elevation: 62 ft (flat route!)
 |
| Northern Ramble Route |
Route details: "Rail Explorers follows the route that was once part of the Old Colony Railroad. The Newport line opened on February 1, 1864. Passenger service reached an all time high during the summers of 1912 and 1913, when twenty-four trains per day ran along these rails. Passenger service ended in 1938, but freight trains continued to run on these rails until the Sakonnet River Bridge was damaged in 1980. The rails are now owned by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation. Today Rail Explorers is proud to join the Newport & Narragansett Bay Railroad to once again welcome locals and visitors to ride these scenic and historic rails."
Extend the adventure: I recommend getting there early to take advantage of the little store, the cornhole, and to enjoy some downtime before your ride. When we arrived back at the station/starting point, the ice cream truck showed up just in time (bring cash!)
Extend the adventure: I recommend getting there early to take advantage of the little store, the cornhole, and to enjoy some downtime before your ride. When we arrived back at the station/starting point, the ice cream truck showed up just in time (bring cash!)
No comments :
Post a Comment
Let's Chat!