My Review of The Andrews Valley Rail Tour

You may have seen the Andrews Valley Rail Tour going viral on social media in the last few years. The website describes the experience as, "An incredible 8.5-mile round-trip on the old railroad tracks through the Valley in Andrews, North Carolina." https://www.tiktok.com/@kimbermathis/video/7370889933545835818?q=andrews%20valley%20rail%20tour&t=1727204123416 You essentially pedal on a RailBike (which was the first time I had ever seen one) the whole way. The RailBikes hold 4 people, and they also have options to ride along in one of their carts if you're not too much into the biking part. Check Out the Andrews Valley Rail Trail You arrive for your ride 30 minutes ahead of time for a safety briefing, and then before you know it, you're off. If you're worried you may not be in shape enough for the activity, don't stress; they have a motor on the RailBikes controlled by the "driver" of each bike so it's not strenuous at all. The Pros: 1.) The staff is awesome! We were greeted by incredibly friendly employees upon arrival. You can really tell these people not only love what they do, but they have a respect for the railroad and were very knowledgeable about the railroad and the historic hand-carved Valley River Tunnel you go through. 2.) The Views! The 360 degree views of the mountains were STUNNING. Every few moments seemed like another picture-worthy view. 3.) Another pro is that this is a great activity for kids/adults. Because the bikes are motorized, this really is a great adventure for all ages (8 years and older). The Cons The one big con is that it's quite a drive from Charlotte. That wouldn't be as big of a deal if there were more to see in Andrews. While they do have a handful of shops, a lot of stuff was closed when we were there. We had every intention of exploring town, the brewery, and more, and were only able to go into three shops, as everything else was closed. Even the brewery wasn't open at noon on a Saturday. We decided to make the 30 minute journey to the Nantahala Outdoor Center and grab food/drinks there. I would advice not staying in Andrews if you want to do this experience. Instead, make it a stop on your way to Tennessee, or drive in for the day from another mountain town. There just wasn't much at all to do in Andrews other than the tour itself. https://www.tiktok.com/@cameronxmoore/video/7417872812246895902