Granite State Railway

⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Leaves, Laughter, and Surprisingly Cushy Butts" Took a rail bike ride with friends and let me tell you—it was short, but so is a shot of espresso and we still call that a good time. 🚴‍♀️💨 The ride may not have been a Tour de France marathon, but what it lacked in distance, it made up for in fall foliage fabulousness. We’re talking trees showing off like it was their last chance before winter—reds, oranges, yellows... basically Mother Nature’s version of fireworks. 🍁🔥 The staff were absolute gems—friendly, helpful, and didn't judge us for trying to race the people ahead (who were clearly not racing). Also, big shoutout to the bikes themselves: smooth ride, solid condition, and seats that didn’t feel like medieval torture devices. Honestly, my backside has never been so pleasantly surprised. Perfect little adventure if you're into great views, good vibes, and cardio. 😄

So very little detail on the site when booking this so I’ll pass along the process and what to expect. When you arrive you walk to the front desk and check in, they’ll then tell you what door to use when they call whatever class you booked. They will give you your paper ticket and a voucher for cookies. The cookies are outside in a separate line and you need to make sure you get those before you board the train. You can also purchase a tiny thing of hot cocoa for $4 cash only. Now when we booked our tickets we got to pick our seats and what train car we wanted. However that doesn’t matter and you just stand in line and board whatever car you end up in. We were hoping not to get the two train cars with tables and chairs and got lucky avoiding those. Once you’re on the train goes roughly 20 minutes one way, stops the reverses back to the station. During this time the elf’s will randomly come by and interact with the kids and also hand out a kids wish list. Misses Claus will eventually come by to great the kids and hand out bell, which then Santa comes by and interacts. If you’re in the last train car, Santa made it there minutes from the end. Once you’re back, Santa goes outside Into a snow dome thingy for pictures and to drop off the wishlist. The line will be long so keep this in mind if it’s cold out, also the higher tickets get in line first. Then you can warm up in the station and go home

- Plenty of parking and walked right in and was greeted and checked in right away. - Beautifully decorated 🎄 - Food truck was great, line moved quickly and we were able to enjoy coffees/cookies as we settled into seats . (Liked that there were alternative snack options especially with my niece not able to have a cookie due to milk/egg allergy) - All staff was friendly and communicative about where to go/what to do/ what to expect - Length of trip is perfect especially with small kids that have limited attention spans and patience - Train ride was beautiful and we were lucky to have a snowy ride which added to the fun - Most importantly Mrs. Claus and Santa were wonderful !! Joyful and connected with all kids and adults on board which just added to the magic ! (On the train and in the igloo) 🩷

If you're looking for views, the side of the train you sit on is important! My brother and I had a great time as we are both train enthusiasts. It is very comfortable and relaxing. I would absolutely ride again!

The Santa Express train was everything we hoped it would be. The employees were very friendly and appeared to enjoy their role in creating a memorable experience for the children and adults alike. We were seated together with family members, and our seats in coach were comfortable and spacious. The attention to details such as the forms for letters to Santa, the yummy cookies, and the jingle bells showed that a great deal of thought went into the experience. The music and decorations were tasteful and not over stimulating for already excited children. Santa and Mrs. Claus were perfection! The one-hour trip was just the right length for our one-year-old and three-year old grandchildren. Overall, we had a wonderful time!

We went on the Fall Foliage Tour. The train was fairly comfortable. We didn't see a whole lot because we sat on the wrong side of the train. We remedied that on the return trip. The food was okay at the restaurant. The soup was cold. They ran out of dessert but several minutes later they brought out another pan. Cute giftshop - especially the cat sleeping on the lounge chair. The stop at the Ashland station seemed unnecessary. It was far too crowded to walk through the station let alone see anything. I was under the impression that there would be several costumed characters walking around talking about the history of the area. There was only 1 lady who stood there for pictures with passengers. Kind of a letdown. Overall, it was a good trip. Glad we went.

It takes a lot for me to write reviews however I felt like I should make note of this. Simple rundown: 1. What seat your pick is very important as one you are staring at the water and the other you are staring into people houses the whole ride (Me and my boyfriend started rating houses at some point). 2. The pricing compared to the view of the houses is not worth it. I can take a drive and I would have had the same satisfaction. Paid $119 for two first class tickets. 3. The employees were friendly and helpful. I am usually you paid for the experience kind of gal, but the experience wasn't there unfortunately.

Oh my gosh, what a huge waste of money. How are people giving this good reviews? The best view you’ll get on the supposed Winnipesaukee train (no, you won’t see any of the lake on it) will be someone’s old trash. There’s a reason that there are no pictures on their site: there’s nothing worth taking a picture of! I attached photos of the “views”. Save your money. Don’t bother.

Hobo Railroad is such a nice place, beautiful grounds and a great little gift shop. We had a 7 year old train fan in our group (he's a serious railroad buff!) I bought 8 tickets for our family to take the train ride...grandparents, parents and 4 children 15, 10, 7 and 4. We all boarded and got seats all near each other and were looking forward to our ride. I've been visiting the White Mts. for decades and this was my first Hobo train ride. The train ride is approximately 40 minutes long and it goes sloooow. We did have a couple nice view of the river albeit a little dried up and we also had a view of the sewerage treatment plant and a self storage business. The train ride was actually very boring for everyone except the 7 and 4 year old, but the highlight of the trip was the hobos who came around and made things out of balloons for everyone and even gave a lesson on making something out of balloons. The kids were all very happy with their kitty, bunny and swords. It's still a very nice place and a way to take a little rest during the day.

We took a family of six on the Polar Express out of Lincoln, NH on December 7th. The train car was decorated nicely, the staff members were friendly, and the music on the train was festive. We brought our own hot chocolate. They gave us chocolate candy and coloring books. We got off the train at the brightly decorated North Pole for a Christmas presentations by elves which included a welcome and Christmas sing-alongs. The North Pole visit ended with a family photo with Santa himself. We reboarded the train and each received a bell on the way home. We were pleased with the trip and recommend it!

took the Santa train, we were an adult group and while quaint - not focused on Adults. the children that were there loved it. we all got a cookie and a 8oz chocolate milk and a very nice commemorative bell! the ride was smooth, a out and back behind lakes and residential area, some mountain views. not one of my best or favorite rides, but not a bad one at all. would i go again, no. not unless i had someone that hasn't been on a train in a while and wanted to go. you are also in a fun, beautiful area. so make a full day of it if you decide to try it. at $30 a person - not a bank breaker so worth a try - just don't expect too much, and you'll enjoy the ride

We rode on the four hour fall special and I was terribly disappointed in the accommodations on the train. We purchased First Class tickets. The photo on the web site showed a car with about 20 or so seats. Looked comfortable and fun. We boarded the train and we're taken to a car with only 2 seats in it and we were left there alone for the trip. When our host, Gary, gave the initial talk, he invited us to come into the other car. Then we returned to our "private car." We saw people if they walked through to see the car and most people said, "why are you here all alone?" Good question!!! I will never take the trip again and cannot recommend it.

Having processed the twenty-four hours of shock and self-loathing that haunted me following our journey on the Christmas Hobo Railroad, I find that the only way forward for me emotionally is to write a review so that other innocent families can be spared the folly of our mistake. The gift shop and ticket counter is, far and away, the nicest space you'll be standing in for the entire evening, so you might as well enjoy the moments you spend crammed in there waiting for your golden ticket. Never mind that your kids are screaming at you to buy them a bubble-blowing dinosaur train: at least this building is up to fire code. The rest of your journey is another story. Ticket in hand, you'll file onto a train that looks and smells like a middle school locker room. Once the gremlins have been safely seated in their nooks, the train departs and the real magic begins. A ten-minute, two-mile-per-hour ride takes us past a MacDonald's and a self-storage unit on our way to Santa's sweatshop. On our particular journey, one family actually forced the train to stop so they could get off at a random intersection. At first, I thought they'd had some sort of family emergency. Now I suspect that they simply got word of what lay ahead and made the wiser choice. Along the way--joy of joys--you're given a pre-filled "Letter to Santa" where the little squibs can scrawl their name in a Mad Lib-style blank for the big man. Thought the magic had reached it's peak? Oh contraire: you're allowed to keep the pencil. That's right, ladies and gents, this trip just paid for itself. Gradually the suburban wasteland recedes, giving way to a ragged collection of last year's yard decorations blinking their mismatched lights. Filing off onto a muddy cow path, you and the kiddos are directed to "mail" those letters to Santa through a slot in the wall of a questionable outbuilding that, in the off season, probably doubles as an abattoir. It might have just been me, but I fancied I could hear the shredders running as the little tykes thrust their handwritten dreams into the slots. At last the pilgrimage leads us to the top of a hill, where six porta-potties line the doors of a poorly-maintenanced Methodist revival tent. The smell of mold smacks you right in the nostrils as you walk in, past some haunted paintings and dusty Christmas displays from your least favorite grandma's attic, and finally into a stadium-seated lecture hall whose carpets are soggy with generations of snowy sludge. Once inside and seated on the floor (Chairs!? That just wouldn't be Christmas magic!), we're treated to the unrehearsed ramblings of four homeschooled elves who clearly have nowhere else to go. Teased with the idea of Santa, we must first endure half a dozen prerecorded singalong songs whole lyrics are so foreign to the elves that their lips don't even attempt to synchronize. After that, a strange beslippered woman in a pajama hat reads The Night Before Christmas to the restless gaggle, berating her hostage audience with a strangely aggressive rendition of this classic story that we did not come to hear. Finally, now that all of the children are so tired and confused that they no longer remember why they came or want anything more than to slip into a blessed oblivion, the Big Man emerges from somewhere in the bowels of this musty hell. Cheerful despite all odds, he chucklingly informs us that he's going to walk around and shake every child's hand and while his demented elves lead us in "a few more songs!" As grim expressions settle onto the faces of each adult, the faces of hardworking men and women who must accept that they've been robbed, fair and square, Santa cheerful prolongs our collective agony for another half hour or so. Was it really just thirty minutes, or a whole separate lifetime of tortured embarrassment? It's hard to be sure and, in the end, it doesn't really matter. The damage has been done. As we file out the creaking door and down the sludgy hill, past teenage elves waving at us like feral camp councilors, many of the parents seem to be telling themselves that this was all ok. That they hadn't just stared into an abyss of cash-mongering Christmas absurdity, and been made to thank the people that did it to them. But, stepping onto the train with your softly weeping Children, you know the truth: that sometimes, even well-meaning parents make dire misjudgments, and some of those are for keeps. Your children might still believe in Santa but, for you and for them, that belief will henceforth be tinged with confusion and fear. Beware the Hobo Railroad. For about the same amount of money you could to see the Nutcracker in Boston, or go out to a nice dinner, or put the kids to bed and house a nice bottle of wine and forget, for just a blessed moment, that you ever considered buying tickets for this cursed train.

Great way to kill an hour and half or so - but it's definitely not exciting scenery . Not a lot to see - would probably be gorgeous in the fall . Ride was relaxing , staff were polite . Ride was enjoyable and there are some things for kids ( balloons , ice cream , clowns ) but I don't think young kids would find it particularly entertaining . We enjoyed ourselves and found it relaxing , and the vintage train car was quite interesting .

This was a great experience for our 6 and 3 year old! They required masks and spaced everyone out. The staff was very friendly and they offered coloring sheets and balloons! Nice views of river and mountains.

Was a fun ride a nice relaxing trip. Nice river views and a nice conductor. For people who enjoy train travel thus us worth the 20 bucks.

All American tourist trap but if kids in tow and just the right age to still have magical thinking regarding the North Pole, Santa and the elves the Polar Express is a treat you should indulge the children with. They do all the right things: carols on the train ride, hot chocolate for everyone, free scarves and "red carpet service" with candy and front row seating to those with Premier tickets (a must in my opinion). The set and setting is a step above horrid but if creative thought reins the young ones won't notice as Santa's workshop and the magical fairy-like lights the elves carry transports them far away. Most impressive is Santa's patience to touch nearly all the children, hug and hand hold. Truly sweet and a memory generator for years to come.

Leaf Peeping From A Train Fall in New England to me is a magical time of the year, watching the trees go from bright green to vibrant shades of red, orange and yellows. Spending some time in the White Mountain National Forest during this time of the year makes the time even more spectacular. Add to that a short train ride through the forest and you have a fantastic way to spend an afternoon. Hobo Junction in Lincoln New Hampshire offers fall foliage train rides from mid-September to mid-October. The ride itself is about a hour and a half long round trip. During the ride there are people passing out samples of fall favorites, a cup of warm apple cider, a piece of maple candy and little cup of pumpkin granola, spread out over the course of the trip. There is also a couple of boxed lunch choices available for purchase. I think you need to make that purchase at the time you get your ticket so that they can pick them up on the way out of the station. During the ride the conductor makes note of pointing out different points of interest along the route. The views for foliage are very good, lots of color for this year. The ride itself was very relaxing. The train runs all summer long at different times and days. They have many different features throughout the season. This is a great activity for anyone who enjoys trains and there are some things for the little ones as well.

This is a train ride that last 40 minutes one way and ends at a golf course and its famed sighting is a fake miniature moose. If you think this is a ride through nature and full of breathtaking views, you will be disappointed. Friendly staff.

Great service and a nice ride through the area. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. I would recommend giving it a try.

Beware this ride will bore you. The views from inside the train will make you want to regret it. You only see trees and the highway. You go one point, stop, and go backwards. If you have young ones( mostly 5-7) they might like it but overall it ain't worthvthe money at all.

Ice castle tours 16$ definitley a tourist trap but I've never seen anything like it a must do it once type of thing. Overpriced but a must see if you haven't yet. Great pictures. Worth it i think.

Hobo Railroad was a hobo nightmare. $60 for 2 adults and 2 kids for an hour and 20 minute ride through woods. My 6- and 3-year-old kids were pretty bored until halfway through when they got coloring books and balloon animals. Even then they weren't very thrilled. It was kind of cool being on an old passenger train but I wouldn't do this ride again.

Wish we'd read the reviews before going! Not particularly scenic at all, mainly woods, highways and people's backyards. It was a rainy day so not much else to do, but I still wouldn't recommend it for the price.

We went on the Santa Express what a huge disappointment! Half a cup of luke warm cocoa and a crappy box of cookies... Thats all no refil no offer of anything else to eat or drink on a 2 hour trip BORING! The Santa breezed thru no pictures please!! No Christmas decorations or carols playing except for 2 people that went thru playing a song maybe a for a minute. This trip cost 30 bucks a head give me a full cup of HOT cocoa and maybe a refill. On the trip we saw a lot of garbage ...A sofa and outdoor patio set just junk everywhere. Then 2 "elves" went thru and passed out stale old candy canes that weren't even full sized and they were blueberry flavored so many thing were clearly just money pinching and after thoughts! Yellow crayons were given to write letters to Santa YELLOW! Could not even see what was written how about a pencil? Just horrible a waste of good money do not waste your time. The children were so bored some even just fell asleep!! Gave one star because I had too. Would have given -10!

I took my daughter to New Hampshire for a weekend vacation, and as one of our adventures, we took a ride on the Hobo Railroad. It was the perfect activity for our last day in New Hampshire as the weather had turned rainy. We had a blast watching the scenery pass us by as we rolled along the rails, while hobo clowns entertained us with family friendly antics. While your teenagers might not enjoy themselves on this train, your little ones definitely will!

So, we are a bit early for fall leaf time, but that means less crowds, so it was good. Nice views of the river. If you are looking to relax, and just take in the woods this is good. I guess it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea though, the train rocking makes ya sleepy, you've been warned. No outside food or what have you on the train.

Polar Express Magic train they said!! What a huge let down! Went before Christmas and was so excited that we would take a train and enter the North Pole like the movie! First make sure you buy a first class ticket because that's the only good thing. We got a free scarf and Iuke warm hot chocolate. We take a train ride for about 10 minutes and then have get out and walk around and then head into a building. You take a seat with a bunch of strangers and wait for a show to start! Finally the boring show starts and soon Santa comes out. Santa was great for the first 15 minutes but then all the little children were getting tired of sitting and listening to Santa ask each and every child what they want for Xmas. Save your money and go to the mall and then a place for some hot chocolate. We brought my nephew and he pointed out some really bad made costumes. However the actors were great and they did the best they could.

I took my trip in Oct. during the fall foliage. The view of the river and bridges and mtns all added to the beauty of the season. Another reason for my visit was to view the Flying Yankee which operated under the flag of the Boston and Maine/Maine Central Rr. The view of the front of the train through plastic sheeting was very emotional. The rear also can be seen but it is difficult to take photos because the entire train is under a canvas/wood shelter. Another point, the train is jacked up on wooden supports, the trucks have been removed. The place has quite a few RDC units by the Budd Co; the store has a GREAT used book/magazine collection related to rail history and also sells actual rail time tables from the past for many railroads. I appreciate the restoration work going on here and understand the history behind many of these pieces of rolling stock so I enjoyed my time here greatly.

Good for little kids, but there is no scenic views at all. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY! If you want a spectacular train ride, do the franconia notch train. Train is very musty smelling, I expected way more ! I don't recommend this for just adults, you won't be impressed.

Hobo Phil stinks! We had to close our noses and stick them out of the window! Ew! He could get into Guinness book for the world's stinkiest person! Besides, the ride itself is not much to see. Do yourself a favor, find a better ride. The ride was quite relaxing though.

This might be somewhat enjoyable for small children, but it's a long shot. The train ride takes you through the woods, a busy street, and a golf course, nothing worth the $17 of admission. The tour guide mostly talks about the wildlife, including an in depth analysis of trees in the area. Overall, there was nothing that made this trip worth while (or even interesting)

I have NEVER been more disgusted than today. (7/10/16) My husband and I took the 2 children to the Hobo Railroad for information on the train ride and see pricing etc. to take them on a ride. There were 2 workers in there. One was significantly younger than the other. The older of the 2 woman was talking about her private life and her kids with 2 friends that had evidently gone to visit her at work. Neither women ever even greeted us nevermind give us the time of day for questions. When my husband asked if the train headed north or south, no one knew. She said "it goes that way" and pointed south. He then asked if any went to the notch and she said "no." That was the time we were given. If a business can't give its customers a little more time, they certainly don't deserve our money. It isn't a wonder there was NO ONE there visiting on a Sunday afternoon. We will NOT be back. I can't believe this place allows its workers to be this rude. I'll be sure to spread the word.

We did Winnepasaki line. Firstly wicked expensive seventy dollars per person. No scenic views at all! A ride through woods seeing trash, factories oh and a deer farm. Stop to eat, buffet at Common Man, it was ok not worth the money. Someone said the ride back was better. I think most people were asleep from turkey dinner. No views too expensive not worth it at all.

Unless your child is so into trains that you could go on a subway ride and have a blast, I wouldn't waste my time or money. My family, including 4 small children came here during Columbus week-end hoping to take a "scenic" train ride and see the fall colors. Let's just say, that the best views we had the full 2 Hrs we were there, was from the parking lot. The train moves at about 10 miles/Hr for 45 minutes, then stops in the middle of a golf course and simply reverses directions to go back. Since you don't change sides, you get to see the same movie again, only backwards. During the whole 1:40 Hrs round trip, you get at most 2 minutes of unobstructed views (in total). Otherwise, you are simply in the woods. While the staff was friendly and it was a fairly relaxed affaire, I certainly will not be going back.

Mountain train going downhill - a real disappointment - 3 adults at 15 dollar each without any highlight on the trip is not the right value for this

I want to like the Hobo Railroad, but what has been said is pretty much right on. I went there as part of a company outing that was meant to appeal to children while giving adults a chance to socialize. There isn't much to complain about in terms of staffing or what they do: the food was fine, the clowns were entertaining, the staff was nice and the narrator gave a little history. The issue is simple: the views from the train just aren't good. I mean, if you're stuck in a seat for a couple hours, you would hope for some nice foliage or riverbed views, but there isn't much. Most of it is a lot like the New Hampshire highways: surrounded by trees that block other views. It's sort of like a restaurant that has bad food: no amount of great service, cheap prices, and ease of access will really want to make you come back when the food isn't good. It gets ** for doing the best they can, but it's just not that interesting because it's slow, the views are mediocre, and it's kind of boring. On the other hand, its proximity to the mini-golf course is nice in that you can make a good day out of a game of mini golf and a ride on the rails for a family, but I'm not sure you could justify that double play again.

I was disappointed. The train ride was mostly through the woods, not very much of what I would call scenic views. They had a clown on the train entertaining kids and making balloon sculptures for them, which I guess is great if you are 6. I know a bit about trains, but it didn't seem like any of the staff there did based on responses to my questions. The only thing that would ever make me go back there is if they ever get the "Flying Yankee" train fully restored and open to the public. My father was a conductor on that train, so I'd really like to see it again.

The train ride was OK for the money; basically driving through the woods the whole time though. Not much scenery at all. Also we got really annoyed with the 'conducter' at the back of the train who told us about how people have committed suicide in front of trains he has driven before and how he has squashed cars. He was really abnoxious and annoyed us to the point of anger at some points. He would not stop talking to me and my wife and daughter who were there to enjoy a nice relaxing train ride. Instead we had to listen about this guys life story. He literally drove us and the couple sitting next to us nuts. If you do go, stay away from the back of the train, you will regret it.

Took a ride on the "Santa Express" today - what a let-down. The first class seats (with a table) were sold out so we had to go coach. Pretty cramped but wouldn't have been an issue if there was anything else worth seeing. "Our station and cars are completely decorated for the season " means there was some garland with bows hung across the ceiling in each car. Everyone did get a box of cookies, hot chocolate and the kids got a small treat from Santa who walked through twice, which was nice and the only reason I would give this trip any stars at all. Other than that - there was absolutely NOTHING Christmas about it. As others have mentioned, there is literally nothing at all to see during the ride - it would have been nice if they could have at least put some Christmas type things up along the route outside for the kids to look at. There wasn't even any Christmas music on the ride. It felt no different than taking a bus a few towns over - but there happened to be refreshments. MUCH too boring and long for a toddler who was "done" with it by the time the train stopped and went back the other way.

I cannot even provide stars and the reason is due to an employee of the railway. The employee's name is Mike and apparently he was the conductor of our train. I took my family on the Polar Express on Saturday December 17. As we were boarding the train Mike was not happy with the patrons and decided to call us all animals and scream in a confrontational manner in front of many families and children who were there to experience the magic of Christmas. Mike became confrontational with a patron who informed him that this trip was for families and that he should relax. Mike believes that his actions do not have consequences and when asked who is supervisor was he decided to tell everyone to report the problems directly to himself. Three days later and my children are still asking why the train man called them names and animals. Horrible experience. When we contacted Hobo Railroad they only made excuses for the employee!