2016 Midwest Fall Foliage Long Weekend
October 14-17
Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad -Dinner Train
Covered Bridges of Madison County
And The Mighty Mississippi - Spirit of Dubuque
$879 Per Person Double
$839 PP Triple . $799 PP Quad . $ 999 Single
$839 PP Triple . $799 PP Quad . $ 999 Single
There are many Mayberry's of the Midwest with small town charm that are just within a day's drive of our backyard. Railroads and Rivers all played an important role as many of the communities in the Midwest were established. Travel with us as we explore the beautiful Des Moines River Valley where mid-October boasts with beautiful fall foliage. Travel along the tracks once owned by the "Union Pacific" on the Boone and Scenic Valley Rail Road. Did I mention Covered Bridges? Oh yes.... Madison County at one time had 19 covered bridges. Now they are home to only five remaining historic bridges. Visiting them during the autumn season only adds to the beauty of our surroundings. And lets not forget that Mighty Mississippi River! There's no better place to take in the beauty of the sparkling river caps of the Mississippi River or the majestic limestone bluffs bursting with spectacular fall foliage than on a riverboat cruise. But wait...we have one more event. We think a production at the historic Bell Tower Theater only adds to all the fun this four day fall foliage getaway has to offer! Join us... We've got a great Fall Foliage Long Weekend planned and we'll save a seat for you!
- Round-trip Motor Coach Transportation - Convenient boarding throughout Northeast & Central MN Grand Rapids, Hibbing, Virginia, Eveleth, Duluth, Cloquet AND Brainerd, Little Falls, Rice, Sartell, Burnsville
- Three Nights Lodging in Iowa (Two Nights in Clive and One Night in Dubuque)
- Evening Dinner Train Excursion on the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad (And the Museum Depot)
- Evening Mississippi River Dinner Cruise on the "Spirit of Dubuque"
- "Double Wide Texas" Production at the Historic Bell Tower Theater in Dubuque
- Visit the Historic Covered Bridges of Madison County
- Six Meals - Three Breakfasts and Three Dinners
- Luggage Handling, Taxes and Tips for Porters and Included Meals
- Fully Hosted by a Happy Trails Tour Representative
$125 deposit per person is due with registration. Final payment is due September 1, 2016. Deposit becomes non-refundable with cancellations after August 1, 2016. Monies returned with cancellations between August 1 - September 14, 2016 is contingent upon what Happy Trails Tours receives from charters, hotels, restaurants, theaters and other attractions associated with this tour offer. No refunds after September 14, 2016. We highly recommend travel insurance. This tour is entirely casual and comfortable.
Day 1: Friday, Oct 14th:
This tour includes boarding in towns throughout the state of MN with our charter, Trobecs of Trobecs, St Stephens.
We’ll begin in the early morning in Grand Rapids, Iron Range Cities (Hibbing, Virginia, Eveleth)
Duluth & Cloquet. In the morning boarding will also begin in the central portion of the state in Brainerd, Little Falls, Rice and St Cloud. Once in Burnsville, we'll blend together on a beautiful Trobec Motor Coach and continue our journey to the beautiful southwest after lunch.
3:00 pm- A mid-afternoon coffee and comfort stop will be made at the MN / IA boarder at the "Top of Iowa"
We'll stay here about 1/2 hour and then we'll continue on our way.
4:30 pm- We’ll arrive to the beautiful Wildwood Inn in Clive, Iowa. We'll be here for the next two nights.
This property offers two beds or one king, indoor pool, full breakfast, lounge and free wi-fi!
6:00 pm- Dinner, included, tonight is at the Iowa Machine Shed. Enjoy a family style fried chicken dinner.
Day Two: Saturday, Oct 15th
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel while your luggage is being handled and brought to the coach.
8:00 am- Board the coach and travel to Winterset. 9:00 am- Begin your Covered Bridge Tour. Madison County is home to world-famous "Bridges of Madison County", where the movie was also filmed starring Merrill Streep and Clint Eastwood. Winterset is also the birthplace of John Wayne - and they have a brand new museum in his honor. After our tour, we'll stroll the Historic Court House Square where we will get our lunch (paying on own) prior to returning to the hotel.
2:00 pm- Return to the hotel - Take advantage of your time to put your feet up and get ready tonight's event.
3:30 pm- Board the coach and travel a short distance to Boone.
Here we'll catch our 2 1/2 hour evening dinner excursion on the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad. This elegant dinner train will offer several plated entrees which you'll want to select on the registration form. It's absolutely spectacula tonight! By the way, it'll still be daylight for the earlier part of the train ride.
8:30 pm- Once the train returns we'll return to our "home away from home" in Des Moines.
Day Three: Sunday, Oct 16th
Enjoy Breakfast at the hotel while your luggage is being handled and brought to the coach.
6:00 am- Set your suitcases outside your doors. 7:00 am- Board the coach as we travel to Dubuque.
We'll make a comfort stop along the way. We have about a 4 hour ride to our next stop.
11:00 am- We have arrived. Nestled along the Mighty Mississippi is the quaint little city of Dubuque.
Enjoy spending a little time at the Port of Dubuque where you can get your lunch, paying on your own.
1:15 pm- Our next visit ... the historic Bell Tower Theater. From the authors of Dixie Swim Club and Hallelujah Girls. In this hilarious, fast- paced comedy, the inhabitants of one of the smallest trailer parks in Texas—four doublewides and a shed—are thrown for a loop when they realize the nearby town is determined to annex them. Friends, enemies and neighbors will have to work together to defeat “the big guys” if they—and their way of life—have a snowball’s chance to survive. Doublewide, Texas, where life is double the fun and you will double over with laughter!
4:15 pm- Check into the hotel ~ We'll be staying at the Best Western Plus Dubuque Hotel.
We'll have enough time to freshen up before we're off to the next event. Our hotel is 5 minutes to the pier.
5:15 pm- Re-board the coach for a relaxing Sunset Dinner Cruise on the Spirit of Dubuque.
Cruise on the Lazy Mississippi River to include a delicious Prime Rib buffet meal & musical entertainment.
10:00 pm- Our cruise concludes.
Day Four: Monday, October 17th
8:00 am - Enjoy Breakfast / Set your luggage outside your doors for the porters.
9:00 am- The bus departs Dubuque for home.
We'll be up bright and early this morning as we make our way homeward with many fond memories of our "Fall Foliage Long Weekend" Tour. Stops are made as the day moves along.
1:00 pm- Lunch break in Rochester area - Arrive to Burnsville around - 3:45 pm.
6:00 pm -Estimated arrival to Sartell; 6:15 pm to Rice; 6:45 to Little Falls; 7:15 to Brainerd
7:15 pm - Cloquet; 7:45 pm - Duluth; 9:15 pm to Eveleth; 9:30 pm to Virginia;
8:45 pm -Hibbing and 10:30 pm to Grand Rapids.
This tour includes boarding in towns throughout the state of MN with our charter, Trobecs of Trobecs, St Stephens.
We’ll begin in the early morning in Grand Rapids, Iron Range Cities (Hibbing, Virginia, Eveleth)
Duluth & Cloquet. In the morning boarding will also begin in the central portion of the state in Brainerd, Little Falls, Rice and St Cloud. Once in Burnsville, we'll blend together on a beautiful Trobec Motor Coach and continue our journey to the beautiful southwest after lunch.
3:00 pm- A mid-afternoon coffee and comfort stop will be made at the MN / IA boarder at the "Top of Iowa"
We'll stay here about 1/2 hour and then we'll continue on our way.
4:30 pm- We’ll arrive to the beautiful Wildwood Inn in Clive, Iowa. We'll be here for the next two nights.
This property offers two beds or one king, indoor pool, full breakfast, lounge and free wi-fi!
6:00 pm- Dinner, included, tonight is at the Iowa Machine Shed. Enjoy a family style fried chicken dinner.
Day Two: Saturday, Oct 15th
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel while your luggage is being handled and brought to the coach.
8:00 am- Board the coach and travel to Winterset. 9:00 am- Begin your Covered Bridge Tour. Madison County is home to world-famous "Bridges of Madison County", where the movie was also filmed starring Merrill Streep and Clint Eastwood. Winterset is also the birthplace of John Wayne - and they have a brand new museum in his honor. After our tour, we'll stroll the Historic Court House Square where we will get our lunch (paying on own) prior to returning to the hotel.
2:00 pm- Return to the hotel - Take advantage of your time to put your feet up and get ready tonight's event.
3:30 pm- Board the coach and travel a short distance to Boone.
Here we'll catch our 2 1/2 hour evening dinner excursion on the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad. This elegant dinner train will offer several plated entrees which you'll want to select on the registration form. It's absolutely spectacula tonight! By the way, it'll still be daylight for the earlier part of the train ride.
8:30 pm- Once the train returns we'll return to our "home away from home" in Des Moines.
Day Three: Sunday, Oct 16th
Enjoy Breakfast at the hotel while your luggage is being handled and brought to the coach.
6:00 am- Set your suitcases outside your doors. 7:00 am- Board the coach as we travel to Dubuque.
We'll make a comfort stop along the way. We have about a 4 hour ride to our next stop.
11:00 am- We have arrived. Nestled along the Mighty Mississippi is the quaint little city of Dubuque.
Enjoy spending a little time at the Port of Dubuque where you can get your lunch, paying on your own.
1:15 pm- Our next visit ... the historic Bell Tower Theater. From the authors of Dixie Swim Club and Hallelujah Girls. In this hilarious, fast- paced comedy, the inhabitants of one of the smallest trailer parks in Texas—four doublewides and a shed—are thrown for a loop when they realize the nearby town is determined to annex them. Friends, enemies and neighbors will have to work together to defeat “the big guys” if they—and their way of life—have a snowball’s chance to survive. Doublewide, Texas, where life is double the fun and you will double over with laughter!
4:15 pm- Check into the hotel ~ We'll be staying at the Best Western Plus Dubuque Hotel.
We'll have enough time to freshen up before we're off to the next event. Our hotel is 5 minutes to the pier.
5:15 pm- Re-board the coach for a relaxing Sunset Dinner Cruise on the Spirit of Dubuque.
Cruise on the Lazy Mississippi River to include a delicious Prime Rib buffet meal & musical entertainment.
10:00 pm- Our cruise concludes.
Day Four: Monday, October 17th
8:00 am - Enjoy Breakfast / Set your luggage outside your doors for the porters.
9:00 am- The bus departs Dubuque for home.
We'll be up bright and early this morning as we make our way homeward with many fond memories of our "Fall Foliage Long Weekend" Tour. Stops are made as the day moves along.
1:00 pm- Lunch break in Rochester area - Arrive to Burnsville around - 3:45 pm.
6:00 pm -Estimated arrival to Sartell; 6:15 pm to Rice; 6:45 to Little Falls; 7:15 to Brainerd
7:15 pm - Cloquet; 7:45 pm - Duluth; 9:15 pm to Eveleth; 9:30 pm to Virginia;
8:45 pm -Hibbing and 10:30 pm to Grand Rapids.
Disclaimer: Happy Trails Tours acts only as an agent for the various independent suppliers that provide hotel accommodations, transportation, theater, or other services connected with this tour. Such services are subject to the terms and conditions of those suppliers. Happy Trails Tours, INC and their respective employees, agents, representatives accept no liability whatsoever for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or any other default of any company or person in performing these services. Responsibility is not accepted for losses, injury, damages or expenses of any kind due to sickness, weather, strikes, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature, local laws or other causes. All services and accommodations are subject to the laws and regulations of country in which they are provided. Happy Trails Tours INC is not responsible for any baggage or personal effects of any individual participating in the tours/trips arranged by Happy Trails Tours. Individual travelers are responsible for purchasing a travel insurance policy, if desired, that will cover some of the expenses associated with the loss of luggage or personal effects.