Christmas Trains

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 US (plus some international with time). 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!

Europe/UK

UK-The Railnuts layout exhibition: https://makingtracks.uk/

ALABAMA

• North Alabama Railroad Museum: http://northalabamarailroadmuseum.com/

• 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/

• Polar Express: https://www.thetrain.com/events/polar-express/

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

• The Randall Museum: https://randallmuseum.org/project/model-railroad/

COLORADO

• The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden: https://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/

CONNECTICUT

• Essex Steam Train & Riverboat (Essex): "North Pole Express" rides: https://essexsteamtrain.com/

• Train rides: https://www.rmne.org/

• Model RR open houses: https://www.facebook.com/TAMRCT/ and https://timemachinehobby.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/

• Illinois Railway Museum: https://www.irm.org/

• Fox River Trolley Museum: https://foxtrolley.org/

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/

• Jingle Rails at Eiteljorg Museum (Indianapolis): https://eiteljorg.org/exhibitions/jingle-rails/

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/

• Ottawa Northern Santa Rocket: https://ottawanorthernrailroad.com/

• Wichita Toy Train Museum: http://www.wichitatoytrainmuseum.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/

• Southern Lights at Kentucky Horse Park: https://kyhorsepark.com/event/southern-lights-holiday-festival/

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/

• Victorian Christmas Train and Markert: https://wwfry.org/all-activities/christmas/

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/

• Montgomery Parks Garden Railway Exhibit: https://montgomeryparks.org/events/garden-railway-exhibit/

MASSACHUSETTS

• Santa’s Trains at Look Park: https://www.lookpark.org/santas-trains/

• Museum of Science Train Display: https://www.mos.org/trains

• Edaville in Carver: https://edaville.com/

MICHIGAN

• Peacock Express: A magical train ride in Laingsburg: https://peacockrff.com/

• Railway Garden at Frederik Meijer Gardens: https://www.meijergardens.org/

• Michigan Steam Railroad Institute: https://michigansteamtrain.com/north-pole-express/

MINNESOTA

• Lake Superior Railroad Museum: https://lsrm.org/upcoming_events/list/?tribe_paged=1&tribe_event_display=list

• Minnesota Transportation Museum, St. Paul MN: https://www.trainride.org/santa/

• North Pole Express, St. Paul Union Depot, St. Paul MN: https://261.com/npe/

• Canadian Pacific Holiday Train, stops in 13 US states and 7 Canadian provinces: https://www.cpkcr.com/en/community/HolidayTrain

  
  

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/

• St Louis Union Station Polar Express Experience: https://www.stlpolarexpressride.com/the-polar-express-train-ride-

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/

• Northern Nevada Railway Museum: https://nnry.com/

• VT Railway Polar Express: https://vtrailway.com/train-rides/polar-express/

• Carson City Railroad Museum: https://www.carsonrailroadmuseum.org/event-directory/

NEW HAMPSHIRE

• Laconia Antique Center: https://laconiaantiques.com/

• Conway Scenic Railroad (Santa Express during the holidays): https://www.conwayscenic.com/

NEW JERSEY

• InfoAge Science and History Museum: https://www.infoage.org/

• Hamilton Jersey Valley train club: https://jerseyvalleyrailroad.godaddysites.com/ 

• Flemington North Pole Express: https://www.blackriverrailroad.com/train-rides/

  
  

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/

• New Hope Valley Railway Santa rides (Raleigh area): https://www.triangletrain.com/

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/

• Polar Express: https://www.mthoodrr.com/train-rides/polar-express-christmas-train/

PENNSYLVANIA

• Brandywine Railroad: https://www.brandywine.org/museum/exhibitions/brandywine-railroad

• Throughout PA: https://www.visitpa.com/article/miniature-displays-and-experiences-pa

• Carnegie Science Center: https://carnegiesciencecenter.org/exhibits/miniature-railroad/

• Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway Santa Train https://www.lgsry.com/regular-schedule

• RBM&N Santa Train https://www.rbmnrr-passenger.com/santatrains

• Craft show with trains: https://www.facebook.com/lehightonhandmadeholidaycraftshow

• AMRS Club layout holiday hours: http://amrclub.org/events.htm

• New Hope PA Santa Express: https://www.newhoperailroad.com

• Scranton: https://www.nps.gov/stea/learn/news/2024-winter-and-holiday-events-at-steamtown.htm

• Longwood Gardens Garden Railway: https://longwoodgardens.org/events-performances/events/garden-railway

• Morris Arboretum: https://www.morrisarboretum.org/

• Phipps Conservatory Garden Railroad: https://www.phipps.conservatory.org/calendar/detail/garden-railroad

• RR Museum of PA, Strasburg, PA: Home for the Holidays, Dec 7 & 14. Polar Express Movie Night, Dec 7. Details at https://www.rrmuseumpa.org/programs/events

• Colebrookdale Railroad: https://www.colebrookdalerailroad.com/

• Lehigh & Keystone Model Railroad Museum: https://lkvmodelrailroad.com/open-houses

• Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine & Steam Train: https://www.pioneertunnel.com/

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

• Train rides: https://www.tvrail.com/

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

• Museum of Natural Science (Houston): https://www.hmns.org/exhibits/trains-over-texas/

• Galveston Railroad Museum: https://galvestonrrmuseum.org/the-polar-express/

• The Austin Steam Train Association North Pole Flyer: https://www.austinsteamtrain.org/special-events/north-pole-flyer/

• Grapevine Vintage Railroad's North Pole Express: https://www.grapevinetexasusa.com/christmas-capital-of-texas/north-pole-express/

UTAH

• North Pole Express: https://www.hebertrain.com/northpoleexpress/

  
  

VERMONT

• Henry Sheldon Museum Trains: https://www.henrysheldonmuseum.org/holiday-trains

• Train Rides: https://www.manchestervermont.com/event/shires-holiday-inn-tours-2/2024-12-14/ and https://vtchildrenstrust.org/polar-expresstm-train-ride

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