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Rail Explorers
Rail Explorers
5
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Enjoy an exhilarating 4 mile downhill ride through the desert on our pedal powered railbikes from the Nevada State Railroad Museum to Railroad Pass. Bring a snack and a drink to enjoy during the 20 minute break at our rail-side picnic area. Your ticket includes a ride back to the top of the hill in one of the Museum's historic trains, and free entry to the museum. Please allow 2 hours for this tour. You will see the hills surrounding Boulder City and old abandoned mine shafts. Boulder City is the center of adventure, look for skydivers soaring high above, and be minutes away from historic Boulder City. This fun, outdoor activity can be enjoyed by all ages and abilities. Great for groups of friends, families, couples young and old, corporate events or gatherings of any kind!
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
942 reviews
Excellent
834
Very good
63
Average
25
Poor
15
Terrible
5
Katie M
North Las Vegas, NV8 contributions
Dec 2020 • Couples
I thought rail exploring would be a cool date night activity and it absolutely was! We had so much fun. The pedal car has seatbelts and handles to hold onto so it feels very safe. There’s even a little basket for your purse or other items. The staff came by and helped each party get strapped in safely and then offered to take a photo for us, which she texted to me immediately. She also made sure we had adjusted our seats to a comfortable height and that we knew how to use the hand brake. After that, we peddled off down the hill. However, we didn’t have to peddle for very long because we were going downhill so we were able to just coast for the majority of the ride. The scenery was absolutely beautiful as we went during sunset. It was a bit chilly because we were gliding down the hill at a decent speed, so I would recommend bringing jackets and layers if you go in the winter. When we got to the bottom of the hill, we peddled for a brief while and then we were met by another staff member who helped us get off the car. We stopped right in front of a rest area that had plenty of (socially distanced) chairs, cute little strings of lights, and fire pits. We sat down and enjoyed some snacks that we had brought. After about 15 minutes, the train came and met us at the rest spot. We climbed aboard and were able to choose an open air car or a closed in car. There was plenty of seating on the train to maintain distance from other people. The train took us back to the top of the hill and that was it! The whole experience was about an hour long, maybe a little bit more. Overall, we loved it for uniqueness, social distancing safety, and fun! It was completely worth all the hassle of scheduling a month in advance (they book up quickly!) and driving to the outskirts of town. This would be great with children as well as with friends/significant others. I can’t recommend this activity highly enough!
Written December 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah Z
3 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
This was recommended to me by a friend, and as a family who loves trains, (I have an 8 year old and 3 year old) they absolutely loved it! All the staff were extremely friendly and helpful throughout the entire experience, not to mention they opened up the gates to let us explore the trains on display throughout the premises. I would highly recommended this fun and exhilarating experience to anyone who loves trains or anyone who wants to try something different in Las Vegas!
We arrived really early for the sunset tour, which started at 7:30, even though the museum closed at 3:30pm, the staff on premises allowed us into the area to get a closer look at some of the trains on display to kill some time. By 7:30, the staff were ready to have everyone board the “bikes”, explained everything about the process throughly and we were off! By the end of the rails.. the staff was there to cheer us on and congratulate us. They were beyond courteous and made short conversation with each group as we waited for the train to come pick us up. I only wish the ride was longer ( the staff informed us that they are trying to extend the rails, which I truly hope they do!) I will definitely do this again with my family! Thank you so much to all the staff at the southern Nevada railway!
We arrived really early for the sunset tour, which started at 7:30, even though the museum closed at 3:30pm, the staff on premises allowed us into the area to get a closer look at some of the trains on display to kill some time. By 7:30, the staff were ready to have everyone board the “bikes”, explained everything about the process throughly and we were off! By the end of the rails.. the staff was there to cheer us on and congratulate us. They were beyond courteous and made short conversation with each group as we waited for the train to come pick us up. I only wish the ride was longer ( the staff informed us that they are trying to extend the rails, which I truly hope they do!) I will definitely do this again with my family! Thank you so much to all the staff at the southern Nevada railway!
Written June 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hannah
6 contributions
Jul 2022
My partner and I did the Sunrise Railway Tour and it was really fun! We got lucky and ended up being the only group on the tour when they are normally booked up.
Staff/Service > Nonetheless, the staff was very friendly and let us know about their partnership with other local businesses in Boulder City that would provide discounts for doing the Railway Tour. Went through the safety training pretty quickly and ensured that we felt safe/secure on our ride. Overall a very pleasant group
Tour > The tour itself was not that long. Since we were the only group there that morning they let us take as much time as we wanted to get there and back and however long we wanted for our break in the middle. Since we went in July, I am REALLY glad that we did the sunrise tour before it got too hot. Bonus it rained the day before which cooled the weather down even more for us. It was a nice breeze while riding and it wasn't very noisy in the surrounding areas making it a very peaceful ride with beautiful views of the mountains ahead. Riding the actual 'train' or 'railcar' (i forget the actual name) was a breeze because it's motorized it feels as though you're hardly doing any work pedaling so great for anyone regardless of fitness level!
Wildlife > On our tour we saw a few small animals but nothing alarming!
Overall I would definitely recommend it to people who are looking to get off the strip and do something different. It's also maybe a half hour from the Hoover Dam so a great starting point for a day of adventures.
Staff/Service > Nonetheless, the staff was very friendly and let us know about their partnership with other local businesses in Boulder City that would provide discounts for doing the Railway Tour. Went through the safety training pretty quickly and ensured that we felt safe/secure on our ride. Overall a very pleasant group
Tour > The tour itself was not that long. Since we were the only group there that morning they let us take as much time as we wanted to get there and back and however long we wanted for our break in the middle. Since we went in July, I am REALLY glad that we did the sunrise tour before it got too hot. Bonus it rained the day before which cooled the weather down even more for us. It was a nice breeze while riding and it wasn't very noisy in the surrounding areas making it a very peaceful ride with beautiful views of the mountains ahead. Riding the actual 'train' or 'railcar' (i forget the actual name) was a breeze because it's motorized it feels as though you're hardly doing any work pedaling so great for anyone regardless of fitness level!
Wildlife > On our tour we saw a few small animals but nothing alarming!
Overall I would definitely recommend it to people who are looking to get off the strip and do something different. It's also maybe a half hour from the Hoover Dam so a great starting point for a day of adventures.
Written July 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TheCPJ
1 contribution
Jun 2021 • Family
Our family of 6 (4 adults and twin 7 year olds) took the Sunrise Ramble and truly enjoyed it. The ride was mostly downhill but even the uphill at the end wasn’t too strenuous. We all wished the ride was a bit longer. The ride itself didn’t take very long and the refreshing mimosas and fruit drinks for the kids were a nice touch.
My only complaint was having to pay for the quad for only two people because a double wasn’t available at the time of booking. I wish it was pay by the person instead of by the number of seats in the cart. It wouldn’t stop me from riding again though. We would love to come back and do the sunset ride.
Special thanks to Larry who really made our kids feel confident that they could handle the experience!
My only complaint was having to pay for the quad for only two people because a double wasn’t available at the time of booking. I wish it was pay by the person instead of by the number of seats in the cart. It wouldn’t stop me from riding again though. We would love to come back and do the sunset ride.
Special thanks to Larry who really made our kids feel confident that they could handle the experience!
Written June 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan R
Bend, OR32 contributions
May 2022 • Family
Staff, views, and the bikes were so cool and easy to use! Staff were amazing!!
Corporate level staff rather jerky!when it became clear that temps would reach 103, I rescheduled to early morn versus mid-day. They insisted on a 15% penalty fee because it was inside 48 hours of departure. No one would ride on hot seats in 103+ heat!! I found their penalty unreasonable, unfair.
Corporate level staff rather jerky!when it became clear that temps would reach 103, I rescheduled to early morn versus mid-day. They insisted on a 15% penalty fee because it was inside 48 hours of departure. No one would ride on hot seats in 103+ heat!! I found their penalty unreasonable, unfair.
Written May 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Russ M
San Diego, CA212 contributions
Jun 2020
We were visiting in Boulder City and saw the Rail Explorers going down the track. It was a great trip. The cars are easy to pedal and the 4 mile trip is mainly downhill. I would recommend the sunset trip so you can see the surroundings. The staff were great and helpful.
Written July 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David M
6 contributions
Oct 2022 • Couples
I could have not asked for anything more when it came to my experience with Rail Explorers. To begin, the staff was amazing, their customer service shows that their main focus is the guest experience and most importantly guest safety. At the beginning of the adventure the safety guides made sure that we had all necessary tools to have a smooth safe ride. At times it could be stressful having another rider behind you, but the your guides emphasize taking your time and taking in the scenery. The guides made sure this memory lasted forever and were willing to take a photo of every guest. Instead of trying to price gouge and sell photos, they were more than happy to use our own personal devices. Again I reiterate that this was am amazing experience that met all my expectations.
Written October 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kerri M
6 contributions
Oct 2021 • Family
We did Rail Explorer’s in the day time. It says the experience is 90 minutes but let me clarify what that means. 20 minutes to walk through the train museum, 10 minutes of instructions and loading everyone onto the rail cars, approximately a 20 minute ride down 4 miles of rail, 10 minutes of unloading people at the destination, 20 minutes of waiting for the train to come pick you up and 10 minute train ride back.
The activity itself of going down the rails but super fun but the time on the rails is short and kind of disappointing. For the money the trip needs to be longer or cost less.
We had young and old in our group and everyone enjoyed themselves but wished it was longer.
The activity itself of going down the rails but super fun but the time on the rails is short and kind of disappointing. For the money the trip needs to be longer or cost less.
We had young and old in our group and everyone enjoyed themselves but wished it was longer.
Written October 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PandaGrande
Las Vegas, NV6 contributions
Apr 2022
We paid extra for the Easter brunch and mimosas and were even given tickets for mimosas; however, at no point were we ever offered them. We asked at the end and they said the mimosas were at the "layover" but no employee ever mentioned this to us and we didn't see anyone serving anything while we were sitting in our chairs. This was frustrating, because it was quite a bit more expensive than the regular one.
The ride itself was enjoyable - definitely bring sunscreen and a tight-fitting hat! It was much shorter than I anticipated, the train ride back seemed to take longer than the ride to the layover spot.
It was an enjoyable experience but I do wish it was longer, and I wouldn't recommend any "special events" that they offer, just save your money and do the regular ride.
The ride itself was enjoyable - definitely bring sunscreen and a tight-fitting hat! It was much shorter than I anticipated, the train ride back seemed to take longer than the ride to the layover spot.
It was an enjoyable experience but I do wish it was longer, and I wouldn't recommend any "special events" that they offer, just save your money and do the regular ride.
Written April 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
christine p
4 contributions
Dec 2019
My whole family came to my place for Christmas and this was a MUST do. My sister and I had seen it by chance on her last visit and I can honestly say, it was the most fun I've had in a while. There were 10 of us plus my 18 month old grandson who rode in a chest carrier on his mom. Everyone is STILL talking about how much fun it was.
We all would do it again.
We all would do it again.
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How difficult is it for a solo participant to power a tandem unit by him/herself? TY.
Written September 27, 2021
Hello!
The bikes have our Rex Propulsion system, which would make it entirely possible for 1 person to peddle. We will never put any other guests on the bike with you, or move you to a quad bike with others. We sell our tours by bike and not by person, so when you rent the bike the bike is yours for the entire tour time.
Written November 4, 2021
Is this a good activity for young kids (ages 1 and 4)?
Written May 10, 2021
Yes!! They might not be able to reach the pedals but they’ll love it!
Written May 10, 2021
This sounds great. Are you pet friendly? We have a bernedoodles and we don’t do much without her.
Written March 14, 2021
Does anyone know how much is Uber or Lyft will be from the strip to the location?
Thanks
Written January 12, 2021
IT would be expensive.....The Rail is in Boulder City.....about 25 miles east of Las Vegas. Would take 30-45 minutes travel from Strip. Still....well worth it......do ride before it gets dark.....dusk is best
Written January 12, 2021
Hi,
We are coming to Las Vegas in August and was wondering if we would be able to do this on a Wednesday. When I have looked to book, it only goes till 1st March 2021 but it’s not available on Wednesday. Will we be able to do this in august on a Wednesday ?
Many thanks
Written January 6, 2021
Is there transport available from hotels on the Vegas strip or do people have to make their own way to the location?
Written March 24, 2019
You can request transport. It may be by one of the staff being your driver, but I know they have done that for patron's in the past.
Written March 24, 2019
What if you have three people. Do you have a4 seater?
Written June 6, 2018
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.