Model Train Displays and Train Rides Around the Country
Are you looking to take the family to see some model train displays or take them on a Polar Express or Christmas-themed train ride? Here are some ideas for every state in the country. This is far from being an exhaustive list, so if you know of good ones, drop me an email through my contact page: https://www.steves-trains.com/contact
Hopefully, you can find some fun train adventures near you!
ALABAMA
McWane Science Center Magic of Model Trains: https://mcwane.org/explore/exhibits/special-exhibits/
Foley Railroad Museum: https://foleyrailroadmuseum.com/
ALASKA
Alaska Railroad Holiday Train: https://www.alaskarailroad.com/ride-a-train/event-trains/holiday-train
ARIZONA
Santa Train:https://www.santatrain.com/
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park: https://www.therailroadpark.com/event/holiday-lights/
ARKANSAS
Arkansas and Missouri Railroad: https://amtrainrides.com/
CALIFORNIA
The San Diego Model Railroad Museum transforms: https://www.sdmrm.org/
Muzeo: https://muzeo.org/exhibition/muzeo-express-holiday-model-trains/
Griffith Park Holiday Light Ride: https://www.hollywoodsign.org/blog/2024-griffith-park-holiday-light-ride
COLORADO
The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden: https://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/
CONNECTICUT
Essex Steam Train & Riverboat (Essex): "North Pole Express" rides: https://essexsteamtrain.com/
DELAWARE
Wilmington & Western Railroad (Wilmington): "Santa Claus Express": https://wwrr.com/
FLORIDA
The Miami Children's Museum creates interactive train exhibits for families to enjoy. https://www.miamichildrensmuseum.org/
Florida Railroad Museum (Parrish): "North Pole Express": https://www.frrm.org/
GEORGIA
Blue Ridge Scenic Railway (Blue Ridge): Holiday train ride through scenic North Georgia: https://brscenic.com/
Norcross Neighborhood Christmas Train: https://neighborhoodchristmastrain.com/
HAWAII
Hawaiian Railway Society (Ewa Beach): Festive train rides featuring Hawaiian holiday traditions: https://www.hawaiianrailway.com/
IDAHO
Santa Express: http://www.thundermountainline.com/SantaExpress2014.html
ILLINOIS
The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago "Christmas Around the World" exhibit: https://www.msichicago.org/
Chicago Union Station (Chicago): "The Polar Express" ride: https://chicagothepolarexpressride.com/
INDIANA
French Lick Scenic Railway: Polar Express-themed ride featuring Santa, hot cocoa, and festive activities: https://frenchlickthepolarexpressride.com/
Hesston Steam Museum: Offers steam-powered holiday trains: https://hesston.org/
Whitewater Valley Railroad: Enjoy the Polar Express ride in Connersville: https://whitewatervalleyrr.org/
IOWA
Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad: Features festive holiday rides in Boone: https://bsvrr.com/
Midwest Central Railroad: A small-town Christmas display in Mount Pleasant: https://www.mcrr.org/
KANSAS
Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad: Offers historic holiday-themed train rides in Abilene: https://asvrr.org/
Kansas City Union Station: https://unionstation.org/
KENTUCKY
Big South Fork Scenic Railway: Polar Express-style train rides from Stearns: https://stearnsthepolarexpressride.com/
Kentucky Railway Museum: Hosts festive trains in New Haven: https://www.kyrail.org/
LOUISIANA
New Orleans Polar Express Train Ride: https://www.nolathepolarexpressride.com/
MAINE
Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad: Scenic and festive train rides in Portland: https://mainenarrowgauge.org/
MARYLAND
Fire Museum Holiday Train Garden: https://www.firemuseummd.org/train-garden
Homestead Gardens Christmas Train Display: https://homesteadgardens.com/events/seasonal/christmas-at-homestead/holiday-train-display/
MASSACHUSETTS
Santa’s Trains at Look Park: https://www.lookpark.org/santas-trains/
Museum of Science Train Display: https://www.mos.org/trains
MICHIGAN
Peacock Express: A magical train ride in Laingsburg: https://peacockrff.com/
Railway Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens: https://www.meijergardens.org/
MINNESOTA
Lake Superior Railroad Museum: https://lsrm.org/upcoming_events/list/?tribe_paged=1&tribe_event_display=list
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi Children's Museum: Features a holiday-themed train display: https://mschildrensmuseum.org/
MISSOURI
Branson Scenic Railway: Polar Express-themed rides in the Ozarks: https://bransontrain.com/
Kansas City Union Station: https://unionstation.org/
MONTANA
North Pole Adventure Train: https://conversecountytourism.com/events/christmas-at-the-depot
NEBRASKA
Durham Museum: Features one of the most extensive holiday train displays in Omaha: https://durhammuseum.org/
NEVADA
North Pole Express: https://www.boulderrailroadmuseum.org/north-pole-express/
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Laconia Antique Center: https://laconiaantiques.com/
NEW JERSEY
InfoAge Science and History Museum: https://www.infoage.org/
NEW MEXICO
Southwest Model Railroad Museum: https://www.belen-nm.gov/southwest-model-railroad-museum-open-to-the-public/
NEW YORK
Long Island: https://mommypoppins.com/long-island-kids/holidays/all-aboard-li-holiday-model-train-exhibits
NYC Grand Central Terminal: https://grandcentralterminal.com/event/new-york-transit-museums-holiday-train-show/
New York Botanical Gardens: https://www.nybg.org/event/holiday-train-show-2024/
NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina Transportation Museum: https://www.nctransportationmuseum.org/winter-train-rides/
NORTH DAKOTA
Holiday Express Train: https://www.1880train.com/holiday-express.html
OHIO
"Holiday Junction" at the Cincinnati Museum Center: https://www.cincymuseum.org/holiday-junction/
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma Model Railroad Museum: https://www.omratrains.org/
OREGON
Holiday Express: https://orhf.org/train-rides/holiday-express/
Candy Cane Express: https://oregoncoastscenic.org/train-rides/candy-cane-express/
PENNSYLVANIA
Brandywine Railroad: https://www.brandywine.org/museum/exhibitions/brandywine-railroad
Throughout PA: https://www.visitpa.com/article/miniature-displays-and-experiences-pa
RHODE ISLAND
Blackstone Valley Polar Express: https://blackstonevalleypolarexpress.com/site/
SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina Railroad Museum: https://www.scrm.org/
Model Train Station: https://www.modeltrainsstation.com/
SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota State Railroad Museum: https://visithillcitysd.com/event/trees-trains-exhibit-sd-state-railroad-museum-hill-city-2/
TENNESSEE
Tennessee Central Christmas Train Ride: https://www.tcry.org/train-rides
TEXAS
The Trains at NorthPark in Dallas: https://trainsatnorthpark.org/
Christmas Train at Alvin: https://www.thechristmastrain.com/
Texas State Railroad: https://texasstaterailroad.net/the-polar-express/No
UTAH
North Pole Express: https://www.hebertrain.com/northpoleexpress/
VERMONT
Henry Sheldon Museum Trains: https://www.henrysheldonmuseum.org/holiday-trains
VIRGINIA
Model Railroad Museum of Hampton Roads: https://www.mrmhr.org/
WASHINGTON
Seattle Center Winterfest Train and Village: https://www.seattlecenter.com/events/event-calendar/winterfest-train-and-village-x42088
WEST VIRGINIA
Cass Christmas Train: https://mountainrailwv.com/train-rides/christmas-at-cass/
WISCONSIN
East Troy Railroad Museum: https://www.easttroyrr.org/christmas-train.html
National Railroad Museum: https://nationalrrmuseum.org/the-polar-express-train-ride/
WYOMING
Christmas at the Depot: https://conversecountytourism.com/events/christmas-at-the-depot