Mendocino Railway Named Finalist in Three Categories for 2026 Poppy Awards

Press release from the Mendocino Railway:

Mendocino Railway has been selected as a finalist in three categories for the 2026 Visit California Poppy Awards, the state’s highest honor recognizing excellence in tourism marketing and destination stewardship.

Visit California’s biennial Poppy Awards celebrate standout tourism campaigns across nine categories. More than 160 submissions were reviewed statewide and narrowed down to a select group of finalists.

Mendocino Railway was recognized in the following categories:

Best Content Marketing
The Whizzle Stop: The Swankiest Restroom on Rails
This campaign reimagined a behind-the-scenes improvement aboard the Skunk Train as a playful, personality-driven story. By leaning into humor, parody-style video, and shareable storytelling, the campaign turned an everyday guest amenity into a moment of brand connection, driving strong engagement and refreshing audience perception of the Skunk Train experience.

Watch the YouTube video
Watch the Instagram reel

Best Influencer Campaign
All Aboard Creators: Influencer Partnerships Across Mendocino Railway
All Aboard Creators brought together more than 150 content creators to tell authentic, experience-led stories across Mendocino Railway’s Skunk Train, River Fox Train, and Sunburst Railbikes. The program emphasized genuine storytelling, long-tail content reuse, and measurable performance, resulting in more than 20 million views, strong engagement, and trackable ticket sales through affiliate links.

View a video showcasing the campaign

Best Strategic Partnership
All Aboard Together: Mendocino Railway + Amtrak San Joaquins
This collaboration between Mendocino Railway and Amtrak San Joaquins paired dual rider incentives with coordinated storytelling across digital, onboard, and social channels. The partnership demonstrated how transportation and destination experiences can work together to promote rail-based travel while expanding reach and engagement for both brands.

“California’s tourism industry continues to set the standard for creativity and excellence,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. “This year’s Poppy Award finalists have demonstrated exceptional innovation in their campaigns, showcasing the incredible diversity and vitality that makes California the nation’s top travel destination. We’re honored to recognize their outstanding contributions to our industry.”

“We’re honored to be named a finalist across multiple Poppy Award categories,” said Robert Jason Pinoli, President and CEO of Mendocino Railway. “This recognition reflects the creativity, collaboration, and strategic thinking behind our marketing efforts, and our ongoing commitment to telling meaningful stories, connecting with new audiences, and showcasing California’s landscapes in unexpected and engaging ways.”

The 2026 Poppy Awards ceremony will take place March 11 at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center in Chula Vista during Visit California’s annual Outlook Forum, held March 10–12 and attended by more than 800 tourism industry leaders.

For a full list of finalists, please visit Outlook Forum

A huge thank you to Visit California for these prestigious nominations.

For more information about Mendocino Railway and its unforgettable rail adventures, visit www.mendocinorailway.com.

ABOUT MENDOCINO RAILWAY
Mendocino Railway is a federally recognized Class III public utility and common carrier railroad providing freight, excursion, and commuter passenger services across Northern California. Formed in 2004 with approval from the Surface Transportation Board, Mendocino Railway is a subsidiary of the Sierra Railroad Company, established in 1897. The company owns and operates several lines, including the California Western Railroad in Mendocino County—home to the world-famous Skunk Train—the River Fox Train in Yolo County, and the Sunburst Train operation on the Santa Paula Branch Line in Ventura County. Mendocino Railway is committed to safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible rail operations. The company continues to invest in infrastructure, sustainability, and community partnerships that preserve California’s rail legacy and support the regions it serves. For more information, visit www.mendocinorailway.com

ABOUT VISIT CALIFORNIA
Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs—in partnership with the state’s travel industry—that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Official State Visitor’s Guide, go to visitcalifornia.com. For story ideas, media information, downloadable images, video and more, go to media.visitcalifornia.com.

ABOUT THE POPPY AWARDS
Crafted by California artisan Nicholson Blown Glass in Auburn, Poppy Awards are bestowed every two years to acknowledge the best of California’s tourism promotion. Programs executed in calendar years 2024–2025 were eligible for the 2026 Poppy Awards. Submissions were reviewed by Visit California staff, before blind judging by California travel industry experts.

ABOUT OUTLOOK FORUM
Outlook Forum is the premier travel industry conference for California, the No. 1 tourism destination in the United States. Outlook Forum brings together C-suite executives and industry decision-makers from California’s hotels, rental cars, attractions, restaurants, retailers and other travel businesses, as well as representatives from Visit California’s global network of offices.