“ A ride on an operational steam train. Quite fun, with some nice river scenery. The staff are friendly and happy to answer questions. They are also quite knowledgeable. ”

“ Our family bought a train car for the Polar Essex and had a fantastic time! The kids were thoroughly entertained and in awe of all that went on. ”

“ We did the Polar Express seasonal ride. A great time for kids. Very engaging kept the kids and many of the adults engaged and entertained for the 90 minute ride. Each car gets a visit from Santa and Mrs Claus. There was some scenery out side at the "North Pole". Wish the had been more along the route. Hot chocolate and cookies also served. Ruby Red did a great job. ”

“ This is the second time we've taken a ride on this attraction. The first time was a dozen years ago, and we took the basic ride. This time we signed up as part of an event promoted by our local library - the North Merrick Public Library. This was our first time out touring this way, and we learned an immediate lesson - "Meet at 7" means get there 20 minutes early if you want you choice of seats. The ride was comfortable and relaxing. When we got to Essex, we had a moderate wait and then into the Pullman car. This ride was not the cut down ride - it included a delicious lunch and an upgraded car. The ride had its slow stretches which was perfect for this phtographer wanting to capture the fall scenery. In the second phase, we got off and boarded a steam boat for an hour's ride on the Connecticut River. This gave us absolutelyly stunning views of the Gilette Castle and the river scenery in general. The yuong lady who narrated the tour was delightful, and the ride was smooth and well run. If you can afford it, I'd highly recommend the full ride. ”

“ I had a great time at their dinner train service. The service is very friendly, and the train ride is narrated well with the inclusion of historical tidbits. The food definitely surpassed my expectations - especially the pesto pasta dish with vegetables. This is definitely a fun way to try something new, especially if you were looking for a "blast from the past." ”

“ This review is for the Essex clipper dinner served aboard the steam train. I booked this with a few family members, and it was a fun experience. I didn't have the highest expectations for the dinner because it was mostly about taking an old-fashioned train ride, which ended up being lovely and scenic. When we checked in at the station, we were directed to a train car, where a table was booked under our name. The table was set with a cheese tray containing nuts, olives, and fruit. They were also parker dinner rolls and a soft butter spread. We made sure we boarded early because the train leaves at seven and doesn't wait for late passengers. By the time we finished the cheese tray appetizer, we had become a little full. The servers were prompt and impeccably polite as they took our drink orders. The drinks were very strong and tasty. Every drink I ordered had a lot of alcohol, which is fine, and many other passengers were enjoying multiple cocktails. I had an elderberry cocktail and then a bloody Mary, which was really good and a little peppery. For the main course, one person in my party ordered the prime rib au jus, which was the last one available when I booked the meals (the main course has to be ordered in advance of the train ride). Someone else had the chicken francese, and I had the pesto pasta, which was perfectly cooked turned and tasty. Please note that there are a limited number of dinner options; the night I attended, there were four meals to choose from. The only one we didn't order was the mahi-mahi option. The dessert options were not available before we boarded, but they told us on the train that we had a choice of either cheesecake or flourless, chocolate cake, which I ordered. The chocolate cake was very rich and tasted like fudge. It was good. I also had coffee, which was included in the meal. Overall, I enjoyed the ambience and the nostalgic feeling of being taken back in time with the music, dim lights and velvet curtains. The train ride was 2 1/2 hours long, which was plenty. I would do this train ride again under the right circumstances. It's an experience that your guests need to be in the right frame of mind for to enjoy. It seemed as though all the other passengers were happy and talkative and enjoying their time on the train. Towards the end, the servers walked around and offered to take photos of people at their tables so we have some keepsakes of our experience. Overall, this was a unique dinner experience that I would happily do again. You get time to enjoy with your dinner guest without rushing, and you got a feeling for a time that we have since lost one life was more gentrified and dinners were more special. ”

“ My friend & I did the dinner train ride. They paid no attention to the stated food allergies that I mentioned ahead of time, even though they acknowledged them in the email they replied to me in. The portions of food were nice -- the mushroom raviolis were amazing! Dont get the chocolate cake. It was disgusting and you could tell it was old and definitely not fresh. The cheesecake was great, though. Views were nice, got boring towards the end of the ride. Fun to do once as an experience, but probably will not do it again. There are bathrooms at the station and there was one in our car as well. I dont think people realized there was a bathroom on the train because the line at the station after the people de-boarded the train was crazyyyyyy. I was bummed that the gift shop was closed after our evening ride- I wanted to get a magnet or something to have as a memento from the trip. ”

“ Appreciated a nice day aboard the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat - Saturday before July 4th weekend. Wonderful customer service from the staff. There is a gift shop (pricy) and picnic table at Essex Station if you want to bring a lunch or snack. It is wise to use the bathroom at Essex Station before your excursion, even though bathrooms are available on the train and the boat; they are small & tight but clean. Sit on the right-hand side for the steam train and the riverboat ride; the views are much BETTER! There is not much to see on the steam train except in the distance Gillette Castle State Park, wildlife, and some history. The ride was pleasant for a hot steamy day (keeping in mind no air conditioning). A child would enjoy this ride more than an adult. I would strongly encourage paying the extra money for first class on the train; the seating is much more comfortable, & drinks are allowed - (you can purchase or bring your own - not allowed in other cars - soda or alcoholic available for a reasonable price), & lastly chose the first excursion to avoid the crowds. The steamboat has three decks. The best place on a hot day is the lower deck. The breeze is great, & you can still see everything. The top tier is best for picture-taking. On the riverboat ride, you get a closer look at Gillette Castle, Goodspeed Opera House, and the Haddam Swing Bridge. They sell snacks on board the boat - hamburgers, hot dogs, mac & cheese, picnic salads, chips, candy, soda, coffee/tea, lemon aid, and alcoholic beverages; normal pricing for an excursion. It would be best to take this boat ride in the fall during peak foliage season for adults. The train ride back to the station from the boat is quick - like the blink of an eye quick. You couldn't really enjoy a beverage back to the station. The only downfall is the train and boat are not handicap accessible due to their age, tight quarters, stairs to board the train, & grounds to board the steamboat, but the Essex Station has ramps to get into restrooms, a gift shop, and ticket area; it is on their website so we were aware ahead of time. If you have someone who uses a cane (which we had) with assistance from either family or friends, they can still enjoy themselves. The staff is not prohibited to assist disabled individuals due to insurance & safety reasons which is understandable coming from someone who has a family member facing these challenges daily. Great trip to take if you want to get out and do something for part of the day. ”

“ Where is the 10 star button at? What an awesome experience. Surprise dinner date and it was fabulous. The atmosphere, the set up, the service. Food needed flavor but I did not want that to ruin our night . From the first rolling of the rail wheels to the last whistle everything was perfect. ”