YOU'RE BOUND TO SEE A BUNNY... or other woodland creature from the open car on a vintage train, if you peer between the trees for long enough (and if the engine is doing more old-school, slow-and-easy chugga-chugging than speeding up the tracks). Rabbits, it'll come as no surprise, have been watching trains go by since trains were invented. Long-eared denizens of the woods came along a bit before the arrival of trains, by a few years, at least, so our choo-choos our younger than the whiskery hoppers of the forest. But, once a year, the two have a meeting of the minds, just around Easter time, when the Easter Bunny visits some of the Golden State's best-known tracks for a little holiday-style celebration. A few of them are feeling the floppy-tailed love, with some egg-finding action to boot, and they include...
THE SKUNK TRAIN: Fort Bragg's curvy-tracked, redwood-stunning train goes by an animal name itself -- hello, Skunkie -- and it enjoys hosting springtime's favorite animal celebrity each Easter. Look for an egg hunt not on the train but at Northspur, which is a stop along the rails, and look for an appearance from the E.B. Date? Sunday, April 5, which, you are correct, is Easter.
ROARING CAMP RAILROADS: Not only does this beautiful roll also have redwoods to gaze upon, but there shall be an egg hunt on Bear Mountain, which sounds pretty darn whimsical. They're chocolate eggs, which only ups the whimsy factor. And for sure, the main bunny'll be hopping about. Dates? Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5.
FILLMORE & WESTERN RAILWAY: Not only does this historic track run by some citrus groves northwest of Los Angeles, which lends it a springtime scenic vibe, but it hosts the Easter Bunny on Easter Sunday, with brunch aboard the train, too. (You may know Fillmore & Western from its movie appearances, such as in "Inception").
IRVINE PARK RAILROAD: It's a wee train, compared to the trio of trains above, but the Orange kid-sweet railway boasts such charms. And so much Easter Bunny goodness, too. Face painting, the looking for eggs around the park-like setting, and snapshots with He of the Long Ears are on the docket. This is going on daily, too, in case you can't make Easter Sunday. Hoppity hop, hopsters.
