Dinner along the rails in Fremont NE

NOTE: The Fremont-Elkhorn Valley train and the hotel are no longer in business.

We celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary Feb. 14th. We try to go out of town for a weekend trip annually. However, due to Lisa’s new job, that was not possible this year. Instead, we thought about a day trip to Kansas City or a trip to Fremont (about a 40-minute drive from Omaha). I did not feel like taking such a short trip to KC, so Fremont won. We made a pesudo-weekend of it. We spent the night at the Clarion Wilderness Lodge after taking a ride on the Fremont Elkhorn Valley dinner train.

The train experience was an interesting one. Dinner was good. It was a five-course menu. We had appetizers available upon boarding the train. They were a mix of veggies and cheese. Then, the wait staff brought out vegetable beef soup. The soup was excellent. That was followed by a dinner salad.

We had a choice of main entrees. Lisa went with the Cornish hen. I had the prime rib. Lisa’s entree came with rice and broccoli. Mine included a baked potato and broccoli.

Dessert was cherry cheesecake. The entire meal was worth it.

The train ride itself was enjoyable. It took a route north of Fremont to the small town of Hooper. The train left the Fremont depot at 5 p.m., so we were able to enjoy some sunlight during sunset. About 40 minutes into the trip, it grew dark. I’d like to take the train again during late spring or summer to enjoy more of the daylight hours. We knew it would be dark most of the trip, so it was not an issue with us.

The train has five dining cars. Each is specifically identified, such as the red car (red curtains, etc.) and the blue car (our dining car) with blue trimmings.

The train is a smooth ride. The company, on the other hand, was “interesting.” They seemed to be very interested in conspiracy theories and other issues. That part of the trip was very uncomfortable. Fortunately, for most of the second half of the trip, Lisa and I were able to talk amongst ourselves. I would strongly recommend that if you are interested in taking the train, ensure there are four of you, so you can have the same table. Otherwise, you roll the dice with your dining mates. LOL.

The train staff was very nice and entertaining. The trip included music in each dining car. Ours started with Irish music. On the return trip, we had a band playing music from the 1940s and ’50s.

The Fremont train offers a variety of trips. They have a mystery dinner trip. There is also a 1940s-era USO type show. We are interested in both trips. The train is reasonably priced for the ride and the meals.

For more information on the Fremont dinner train, visit its website at http://www.dinnertrain.net/.

The Wilderness Lodge was a nice stay. The hotel is clean. We had a “poolside” room. Not sure I agree with the description, as a large meeting area was next to our room. The pool was actually a walk down a hallway and a turn to the pool area. Overall, it was a non-issue as we did not plan to go swimming.

The room had a king-sized bed. It was comfy. The room was well-laid out. It included a microwave and refrigerator, so if in town for a longer period, you can have leftovers, or bring your own drinks and some food. I would recommend the hotel.