Roots, Rails, and Rambles

10/02/2025

New trips for 2025!

10/02/2025

A remote island off the coast of Maine, rocking chairs on a long porch, acoustic music in a cozy living room, falling asleep to the sound of crashing surf, freshest lobster rolls around -- sounds pretty idyllic, doesn't it? We can't lie. It is.

https://www.rootsontherails.com/monhegan-islandjune-7-14-2025

Join reknowned singer-songwriters Seth Glier, Antje Duvekot, and David Wilcox for one of our favorite trips, June 7 - 15, 2025!

10/02/2025

Join us in Norway for this epic adventure!
https://www.rootsontherails.com/northern-lights-in-norway-oct-7-15-2025

We'll be chasing the lights down the stunning Norwegian coastline with musical guests BettySoo and KellyWillis -- fjords, ferries, trains -- this trip has it all!

04/02/2025

WE'RE GOING TO OAXACA!! You should come too! It's going to be a deep dive into the colors, flavors, and culture of this incredible city, and an opportunity to experience it all in the company of a small group of travelers with a penchant for grand and unusual adventures. And mezcal! Did I mention the mezcal? And the seven different varieties of moles? --one of which we'll be taught how to make by three generations of a local family? It's going to be a TIME! Oh, and chocolate too. Lots and lots of chocolate.
https://www.rootsontherails.com/oaxaca-july-15-23-2025

08/01/2025

Happy New Year All!! We hope that your year is starting out with health, joy, and all the good things,

If one of your goals for the coming year is to get out and see more of this big, wonderful world of ours, we may be able to help you out with that. We just got a cancellation for a double room on our Barging through France trip -- the one where we meander through eastern France on our very own swanky canal barge, drinking wine, eating cheese, and exploring this fascinating (and very lightly-touristed) region.

This is a two-person cabin, ideal for a couple or two friends traveling together (2 beds).

See all the details here: https://www.rootsontherails.com/barging-through-france-april-29-may-7-2025

24/10/2024

Hi all!
Because life is complicated and plans change, we now have 2 spots (female sharing cabin with one other female) on our upcoming canal barge trips in Belgium and France -- we have one of those spaces available on each trip – let me know and we can work out the details. Here are the links for more info:

Belgium: https://www.rootsontherails.com/barging-through-belgium...

France: https://www.rootsontherails.com/barging-through-france...

And if you’re not of the female persuasion or would be traveling as a twosome and are interested – let me know so I can put you on the waitlist so you’d get first crack at filling any vacancies that may come up.

24/08/2024

What's the vibe in Havana? Here's a video from the legendary Omara Portuondo (still touring at 94 years old!!!) that captures it pretty perfectly. We'll be in Cuba in November and have a few spots open on the trip. Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime experience with a great small group!

https://www.rootsontherails.com/cuba-november-2024

Omara Portuondo Canción Sábanas blancasAutor: Gerardo AlfonsoArreglo: Alain PérezRealizador: Joseph RosProducción: Egrem /Dirección de Cultura La HabanaÁlbu...

16/08/2024

Cuba! November! What a great season! What a great time!
Folks, some space has opened up on our Cuba trip, November 11 - 20, and we'd love to have you join us for this amazing adventure!

Our past trips to Cuba have been extraordinary experiences -- going so much deeper into Cuban arts, culture, and history than most typical tourist packages do. We connect with a wonderful array of Cuban musicians, painters, graphic artists, dancers, photographers, chefs, entrepreneurs (yes they exist in Cuba, and their stories are fascinating!), farmers, naturalists, artisans -- all of whom share their lives with us in an authentic spirit of welcome and hospitality, the likes of which you won't experience elsewhere.
Check out the details here: https://www.rootsontherails.com/cuba-november-2024 and let me know how we can help you make it happen!

06/08/2024

We've got some openings!

Monhegan Island, Maine with Seth Glier, Vance Gilbert, and Crys Matthews. An idyllic week on this hidden gem of an island with music each night. https://www.rootsontherails.com/monhegan-sept-and-oct-2024
Cuba! Explore the complex history, cultural diversity, and natural beauty of this fascinating (and often misunderstood) island as we immerse ourselves in the local neighborhoods of Havana and venture out to the agricultural valley of Vinales. https://www.rootsontherails.com/cuba-november-2024
Canal Barging Through Belgium: One of our new adventures, navigating the waterways of Belgium on our own swanky canal barge and visiting some of the region’s most important historical and cultural landmarks. We’ve got ONE spot left for a female traveler (sharing a cabin with another solo female traveler). https://www.rootsontherails.com/barging-through-belgium-april-16-24-2025
We’re looking forward to an exciting year of adventure and exploration ahead and hope you can join us for some piece of it!!
Best,
Sarah

18/06/2024

“No one goes until everybody goes” is a sentiment we can really get behind. It’s also the unofficial slogan of Trap Day on Monhegan Island – the day before the opening day of lobstering season, when the lobstermen (yes, there are plenty of lobsterwomen too, but the term is used inclusively) haul about ten tons of lobster traps from their winter storage, down to the wharf and onto their boats in preparation for the sunrise start on Oct. 1 of lobstering season. They literally ride at dawn, together, in this cherished island tradition.

And this year, WE’RE GOING TO BE THERE!!! Trap Day an All-Community event in which visitors are invited to participate by pitching in or cheering from the sidelines. This is a great opportunity to be part of a noble legacy, AND there is rumored to be pie.

Our September trip to Monhegan Island is one of our cherished traditions (although we typically go in May). It’s a wonderful environment in which to unplug, breathe deeply, immerse yourself in the music of our special guests: this year Seth Glier, Vance Gilbert, and Crys Matthews. The scenery is spectacular, the accommodations cozy and comfortable, the front porch inviting and delightful. We take over the entire Monhegan House, waking each morning to the sounds of crashing surf before stumbling downstairs to a sumptuous breakfast and a day of whatever suits our fancy: hiking, bird-watching, sea kayaking, shipwreck exploring, climbing the lighthouse, and a LOT of restorative ocean gazing. At night, after a delicious dinner in the hotel dining room, we push the chairs back and enjoy an acoustic intimate performance by our guest artists. It’s like the best house concert ever!

This year we’re bookending the trip with overnights in Boston, and we’ll be taking the Downeaster train from there up to Maine, for an overnight in Boothbay Harbor before boarding the ferry for the hour-long ride across the Muscongus Bay to Monhegan Island. As a repeat guest commented: “It’s a great hang!”. We heartily agree and hope you can join us!

https://www.rootsontherails.com/monhegan-sept-and-oct-2024

17/06/2024

GET READY TO RUMBA!! No, not Rhumba – that’s a ballroom dance made famous in 1930s New York nightclubs and Ricky Ricardo’s fictitious Tropicana. What we’re talking about is authentic Afro-Cuban Rumba – based on the traditions of enslaved people from Africa and preserved by Cuban followers of the Afro-Cuban religion.

Join us in Cuba, November 11 - 20, 2024, where we’ll learn all about Rumba and so much more. Those who wish can dance with some of the revered “keepers of the flame” of this tradition. But this trip is not just about dancing: Those with a passion for American classic cars can see (and ride around in) some amazing examples of lovingly restored vintage treasures, still operating after almost 80 years. The ornithologists and birding afficionados will get a chance to get up close with the elusive Tocororo, Cuba’s national bird, and perhaps get a glimpse of the rare Bee Hummingbird! Hemingway fan? We can go see his house and the bathroom wall on which he recorded his weight every day. Those with an interest in seeing Cuba through the lens of ordinary Cubans will appreciate the opportunity to spend time with artists, musicians, dancers, entrepreneurs, historians, and other to see Cuba through their eyes. Anyone who lived through the 1950s and 60s will have a chance to reevaluate everything we have been taught about this amazing place and its people. A small group enables us to tailor the daily itinerary to your interests and passions.

We’ll be exploring not only the vibrant city of Havana (while staying in a beautifully renovated property right on the fabled Malecon), but also venturing out to the farming community of Vinales, as well as the port city of Matanzas – a fully immersive experience that goes farther and deeper than the cliches of cheap mojitos and tacky floor shows.

Click the link to get further details, and feel free to call us to discuss any questions. These trips tend to sell out quickly, so acting sooner than later is recommended.

https://www.rootsontherails.com/cuba-november-2024

16/06/2024

We are just returning from an EPIC round of travel! First we had a week in one of the world's most fascinating cities, Istanbul, where we drank endless cups of delicious tea and had absolutely perfect weather for touring some of the world's most iconic and important wonders -- The Blue Mosque, Haghia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern -- as well as some of the lesser known but equally impressive sites. We explored local neighborhoods, fed treats to a lot of cats, ate amazing food, criss-crossed the Bosphorus from Europe to Asia on the amazing ferry system, and generally enjoyed this great city at a pace at which we could absorb every detail.

THEN, to experience something completely different, we headed to Norway! The weather gods (and the endless daylight) favored us with virtually perfect conditions for a series of stunning train rides North past the Arctic Circle where we boarded an incredible sustainable ferry/cruise ship powered by batteries and liquid natural gas for a three day cruise down the coast to Bergen. We enjoyed stunning scenery, ate delicious food, relaxed in comfortable cabins, and really had an opportunity to take in the pristine beauty of this ecosystem. After a few days in beautiful Bergen, we headed up the Sognefjord on a fast catamaran with perfect weather to take in the majesty of the fjord, the glaciers, and about a million stunning waterfalls. Two of Norway's spectacular train rides, the Flåmsbana and the Bergansbanen returned us to Oslo, which is quickly becoming one of our favorite cities.

Both trips, as different as they were, exemplified everything we love about what we do: curious and engaged travelers, great camaraderie, a balance between group activity and independent exploration, and unrivaled settings in which to enjoy it all.

Here's hoping you can join us on one of our upcoming adventures to Monhegan Island, Maine in late September 2024, or Cuba in November of 2024! https://www.rootsontherails.com/

We're also plotting some really exciting new adventures for 2025! Stay tuned and see you soon!

07/06/2024

- we are having the absolutely BEST time on your beautiful ship! The cabins are so comfy and well-organized (PLUGS!!), the food has been exceptional, and the crew have been magnificent. You may have to eject us by force when we reach Bergen!

09/05/2024

Seth Glier put together this marvelous video extolling the gloriousness that is Monhegan Island. We'll be there at a perfect time -- after most of the tourists have left, but the weather is still fantastic! Oh, and did we mention the music? Each night we'll have an unplugged, acoustic concert with nothing but the sound of crashing waves off in the distance to interrupt us. Join us!

https://www.rootsontherails.com/monhegan-sept-and-oct-2024