Valley Railroad
The Valley Railroad (reporting mark VALE), operating under the name Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, is a heritage railroad based in Essex, Connecticut on tracks of the Connecticut Valley Railroad, which was founded in 1868.
A scenic railway inside Essex
Old Saybrook is the nearest base
Old Saybrook is 4 miles south, with 11 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Established in 1868
Valley Railroad dates from 1868. About ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep and Oct
May, June, July, August, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 64–83°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Essex. Green months are the mild ones.
Valley Railroad
The Valley Railroad (reporting mark VALE), operating under the name Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, is a heritage railroad based in Essex, Connecticut on tracks of the Connecticut Valley Railroad, which was founded in 1868. The company began operations in 1971 between Deep River and Essex, and has since reopened additional parts of the former Connecticut Valley Railroad line. It operates the Essex Steam Train and the Essex Clipper Dinner Train.
- Type
- Scenic railway
- Established
- 1868
- Wikipedia readers
- 9.5K a year
Where to stay near Valley Railroad
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Essex (3) and Southold (50).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Valley Railroad | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex | in town | — | 3 3 inns & B&Bs | 6,819 | $552K | — |
| Southold 30% vacation homes | 15 mi south | 25 min | 50 18 hotels · 3 motels · 21 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 5 campgrounds | 24,260 | $859K | B+ |
| Old Saybrook 21% vacation homes | 4 mi south | 5 min | 11 7 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins | 10,680 | $538K | B |
| East Lyme | 9 mi east | 15 min | 16 6 hotels · 1 motel · 4 inns & B&Bs · 3 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 19,223 | $413K | A |
| East Hampton 47% vacation homes | 24 mi southeast | 35 min | 97 53 hotels · 12 motels · 20 inns & B&Bs · 8 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds | 29,400 | $1,179K | — |
| Westbrook | 5 mi southwest | 10 min | 6 2 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 6,918 | $434K | — |
| Waterford | 13 mi east | 20 min | 15 13 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 20,435 | $356K | B |
| Clinton | 8 mi southwest | 10 min | 7 1 hotel · 3 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 campground | 13,439 | $380K | C+ |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Valley Railroad
Other well-known places within 69 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw56 mi LakeLake Chaubunagungamaug
Big draw58 mi MuseumThe Breakers
15 mi State parkGillette Castle State Park
219 mi Stadium & arenaMohegan Sun Arena
329 mi Stadium & arenaYale Bowl
57 mi Ancient siteHMS Endeavour
53 mi National Historic SiteSpringfield Armory National Historic Site14K visitors a year
69 mi MuseumUSS MassachusettsPhoto credits
Lake Chaubunagungamaug: Bree from Worcester, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · The Breakers: UpstateNYer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gillette Castle State Park: Original uploader was Kevinpepin at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Mohegan Sun Arena: Bbjeter, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Yale Bowl: Kenneth Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0 · HMS Endeavour: Samuel Atkins (c.1760-1810), Public domain · Springfield Armory National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · USS Massachusetts: USN, Public domain
_underway_c1944.jpg){kind=link}
Visiting Valley Railroad
Is Valley Railroad in Essex?
Yes. It’s inside Essex, CT.
When is the best time to visit Valley Railroad?
May, June, July, August, September and October, with highs of 64–83°.
How far is Valley Railroad from Brookhaven and Islip?
About 45 miles southwest of Brookhaven and about 60 miles southwest of Islip, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Valley Railroad?
Tweed New Haven (HVN), about 26 miles away. The nearest big hub is Bradley (BDL), about 43 miles.
Where should I stay near Valley Railroad?
Southold (15 mi, 50 places to stay), Old Saybrook (4 mi, 11 places to stay) and East Lyme (9 mi, 16 places to stay).
Tips from people in Essex
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Essex’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.