The Virginia Scenic Railway, based in Staunton, Virginia, has quickly become one of the Mid-Atlantic’s most distinctive tourist rail experiences, blending historic rail travel with modern culinary and entertainment events. Among its most popular specialty excursions is the “Bourbon & BBQ” tasting train, an adults-oriented rail journey that pairs scenic views of the Shenandoah Valley with guided bourbon tastings and Southern barbecue-inspired cuisine. The result is a three-hour experience that combines railroad nostalgia, regional landscapes, and carefully curated food and drink into a single immersive outing.
A Scenic Railway in the Shenandoah Valley
The Virginia Scenic Railway operates in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, a region known for its rolling farmland, mountain vistas, and historic towns. From the train’s windows passengers can take in views of the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains, open fields, forested ridges, and rural communities that define this celebrated landscape. Shenandoah Valley Blue Ridge Mountains
These excursions offer riders what the railway describes as a “front-row seat” to some of Virginia’s most picturesque countryside, with routes that pass through tunnels, over bridges, and alongside fields and forests.
The railroad operates several themed excursions throughout the year, including wine tastings, beer tastings, murder-mystery dinner theater, and seasonal holiday rides. Each event uses the same basic format: a round-trip rail journey lasting roughly three hours, departing from Staunton and traveling through the valley before returning to the station…