Riding the rails isn't your typical day out, especially when you do it old-school. Alberta Prairie Railway Excursions takes you on a trip back through time, where you can spend a day travelling through the rolling countryside from Stettler to Big Valley.

Typical excursions include on-board entertainment (including murder mystery rides and teddy bear specials for the kids). On some trips, the train might fall victim to the outlaw "Reynold's Raiders," a band of fictional robbers who are fended off by the Metis hero Gabriel Dumont.

When the train arrives in Big Valley, guests can settle in for a buffet dinner before the ride back. Some might enjoy a drink in the Lone Star Saloon car on the way out or back.

Trips take approximately six hours, and run from the May long weekend to October. From November to April, you can climb aboard for dinner.

Stettler is a three-hour drive from Calgary, north along Hwy. 2.