By Jeanni Ritchie
While I was spending a very stripped-down Thanksgiving week at the nearby Abbey of Gethsemani, I allowed myself the indulgence of a Thanksgiving meal aboard the My Old Kentucky Dinner Train in Bardstown, KY. From the moment I stepped onto those polished vintage railcars, it felt like I had walked straight into a Hallmark holiday postcard — maybe even a Christmas movie set. I half-expected a single lumberjack or widowed doctor to be seated at my table.
Black tablecloths with gold trim, red curtains and greenery, crystal glassware, soft lighting, and the gentle rhythm of the rails — it’s the kind of atmosphere that instantly slows your heartbeat and makes you feel like the heroine of your own story.
The Thanksgiving Dinner Train felt like stepping back into another era. I was served a holiday plate of herb-roasted turkey with cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green beans, cranberry sauce, and cornbread muffins, followed by a slice of bourbon pecan pie that tasted like Kentucky on a fork. As we rolled through the hills, the scenery outside the window became part of the experience.
Along the route, we passed the James Safe House, the green-roofed home where Frank and Jesse James reportedly hid out while visiting family friends in Kentucky. Later came Limestone Springs Junction — now owned by the Jim Beam company — an old English–style depot that once hosted wealthy passengers on overnight excursions. Movie lovers might recognize it from the 1981 film Stripes starring Bill Murray and John Candy.
Other points of interest along the way included Bourbon Warehouse, Bourbon Spring, Samuels Bourbon Rickhouse, Deatsville Depot, Four Roses, Bernheim Forest, and the Jim Beam American Warehouse.
Between dinner and dessert, I stepped onto the small platform between cars to grab a photo of the Jackson Hollow Trestle — the only all-wooden trestle to survive the Civil War. At night, with the warm glow of the train lights bouncing off the trees and the tracks curving into the dark, it gave me full Run-A-Way Mine Train at Six Flags vibes.
The weather was perfect — cold enough outside to feel like the holidays, but warm and cozy inside the vintage railcar. Between the clink of silverware, the soft conversation around me, and the slow rhythm of the train, the evening unfolded like a holiday postcard brought to life on steel tracks.
The Dinner Train operates year-round, and while every excursion has its own personality, the holiday rides are something special. Outside of Thanksgiving and Christmas, guests can enjoy the Classic Dinner Train, Murder Mystery Trains that blend live theatre with rolling dining rooms, Bourbon Excursions featuring curated Kentucky pairings, and a rotation of specialty and seasonal events throughout the year.
No matter which you choose, each trip follows the same heart of the experience: beautifully restored vintage railcars, chef-prepared meals served course by course, and a scenic glide through the Kentucky countryside.
Jeanni Ritchie is a travel writer from Central Louisiana. She can be reached at jeanniritchie@gmail.com.
