A few weeks ago Will surprised me with tickets to ride on the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat in Essex, CT.

The trip starts with a coal powered train ride along the Connecticut River. We passed a small waterfall and a bridge, but most of the view was just green forest. We sat in the first class car, which was $5 more and had cushioned seats that swiveled so we could catch the sights on both sides. Many of the kids seemed to enjoy sitting in the open air car where they were hit with cinders and it’s also possible for a few people to sit in the caboose on some days. After about 30 minutes, we arrived at Deep River Landing where we left the train and boarded the Becky Thatcher, an old riverboat. For the next hour we cruised the Connecticut River while a guide pointed out some of the nicer houses along the banks and Gillette Castle up on a hillside. After the leisurely boat ride, it was another 30 minutes on the steam train to get back to the railroad station.

I wouldn’t say the experience was amazing, but it was a great way to spend an afternoon. Rides run daily until the end of the summer and on the weekends through the fall. There is beverage service on the train and a snack bar on the boat. You can also choose to add on a hike up to Gillette Castle if you want to make a full day out of it.

Essex, CT is about 30 minutes away from Mystic, CT.

Essex Steam Train & Riverboat