If your ride aboard the commuter rail just isn’t giving you that warm and fuzzy feeling this holiday season, it might be time to look for a different kind of train. The Polar Express is certainly an option, especially the one offered by the Grand Canyon Railway in the days leading up to Christmas.

All your favorite aspects of the children’s book—and none of the creepy ones from the feature film—come alive as you board the train just outside the Grand Canyon in Williams, Arizona. After a customary declaration of “All Aboard,” the train chugs off through the woods and wilderness on its way to the North Pole. Cookies and hot chocolate are served on the train while enjoying a rendition of the classic story, and then the main event arrives when it's time to visit Santa and his reindeer. ]]> kjb 2011-12-07T10:04:23-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/12/11/8162/8691

Trains and Christmas go together like airlines and in-flight WiFi. If you agree with our slightly ridiculous comparison then you’re probably already thinking about boarding the Grand Canyon Railway’s version of the Polar Express. Not only will Santa be checking to see what Linda and Timmy want for the holidays, but the train will make a final stop at the North Pole. Well, we’re thinking that it's not exactly the real home of Santa and his Christmas crew, but a little village loaded with lights and decorations looks pretty good to us.

Adult tickets are $29 and seats for the kiddies are either $15 or $19 depending on whether you decide to go during the week or weekend. The Polar Express departs from Williams, Arizona and chugs through the forest in search of their version of the North Pole. Hot chocolate and cookies will keep your blood sugar nice and elevated throughout the journey. In December there’s usually a departure at 6:30pm and 8:00pm most nights of the week, but tickets seem to sell out quickly, so get booking if you’re interested. ]]> kjb 2009-12-11T14:34:42-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/12/21/232239/70

Guess who just got back from a road trip! Trailer-living, naked-bongo-playing Matthew McConaughey wrote a "Travel Blog" on his MySpace page about driving to Baja California, Mexico with his old friend. After that, he hit some American landmarks. Here's his unedited report on the Grand Canyon:

I spent my 39th birthday on the southern rim of the Grand Canyon...almost got "butted" of the edge by a ram and caught some shooting stars...as for the first sight of the GC, mother nature created something that looks so fake, its real....cool

We think he should stick to stoner surf movies.

Related Stories:
· Travel Blog [Matthew McConaughey's MySpace]
· Grand Canyon Skywalk Update [Jaunted]
· Matthew McConaughey's Surf Epic Disappears Before We Can See It [Jaunted]
· Adventure Bus Travel: A Super-Green Road Trip [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> egw 2008-12-22T09:15:34-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/