The chance to tour Hudson by trolley

A new way to tour Hudson and all it has to offer is now available for visitors and residents alike with the Hudson Trolley Company.

From its scenic overlooks to a bustling downtown, owner Kim Bennewitz knows Hudson has a lot for visitors to experience.

"What better way to showcase it," Bennewitz said of the trolley company.

The 14-seat green trolley started its tours around Hudson about a month ago, after a year or so of planning with partners Rich and Vickie Erickson.

Bennewitz and her family have always looked for tours to take while traveling, to experience the overall layout of the land and the local perspective.

"We track down some type of tours, and we hop on a bus or a double decker, or a trolley has been our favorite," Bennewitz said.

Bennewitz said they'd joked before about how fun it would be to run a trolley.

"It just kept coming back to me," Bennewitz said.

She has previously worked with event planning and at the Hudson Octagon House, and was familiar with all the things a trolley tour could show off.

The trolley is designed to do just that, drawing more people into the city.

"Add another fun experience to our community that everybody can enjoy," Bennewitz said.

Hudson Trolley Company offers a variety of tours including a historic/scenic tour, winery and breweries tours and seasonal tours like fall colors and ghost tours.

"People are looking for experiences," Bennewitz said.

The historic/scenic tour is one of the mainstays for Hudson Trolley. The tour isn't a boring history lesson though, Bennewitz said, but does have fun facts scattered throughout.

"To understand the scenery you have to know the history," Bennewitz said.

The ghost tour is sure to be a popular one this fall, as Halloween rolls in. Bennewitz said the tour will be led by a psychic through different locations throughout Hudson.

Bennewitz said tours can be hosted around any and all kinds of events. The trolley is partnering with other organizations including the Octagon House, which will serve as the pick up and drop off site for the trolley.

Bennewitz said tours will run through December, and then will be open during Hudson Hot Air Affair and a date night event in February before picking up full steam again in the spring.

Her favorite thing to show off to visitors is the area's park system and the views they offer, like from Birkmose Park.

"I'm still in awe of it and every season it changes," Bennewitz said.

Residents too will enjoy the tours, Bennewitz said, and learn something new. That's something she's willing to bet on.

"I put my dollar down," she said. "If I can't tell you something you didn't know, I'll give you a dollar."

The best part of the tours for Bennewitz is the people on the trolley.

"It really is fun to be with people who are having fun," she said. "People want to be here."