Though originally invented to provide more interesting settings for murder mysteries, trains proved to be efficient transportation and quickly surpassed "hammock slung between two unicyclists" in popularity. Embrace the technological advances of yesteryear with today’s Groupon: for $7, you get one ticket on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (up to a $15 value). Consult the schedule before making reservations.

Constructed in 1880 to shuttle coal, the Cuyahoga rail line has since become a playground of retro locomotives that travel for pleasure rather than business. The up to three-hour round trip train ride slices through 51 miles of the scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park along the Cuyahoga River gorge—passing points of interest such as the functional 19th-century Hale Farm, the heron rookeries of the Pinery Narrows, and Beaver Marsh, which was once a thriving junkyard but has sadly been replaced by an infestation of industrious buck-toothed rodents. From vintage coaches, trainsquatters take in the historic buildings, villages, and half-built stargates that pepper the river valley. The explorer excursion, however, allows more ambulatory adventurers to get off the train at each stop and explore.