A train ride can be a magical experience, whether it’s an Amtrak ride or an excursion around the world. When it incorporates holiday trimmings and festive lights, set against a wintry backdrop, that’s a train ride that becomes instantly memorable, with the potential to become an annual family tradition.
The success of Chris Van Allsburg’s book The Polar Express (1985) sparked interest in a night train journey to the North Pole among adults and children. In the illustrated picture book, children wear pajamas to board the train, chefs serve hot cocoa, and Santa gives the main character a silver sleigh bell cut from his reindeer’s harness. Today, families board the approximately 40 trademarked Polar Express rides throughout the U.S., organized through Rail Events Incorporated. Some railroads offer their own versions, borrowing the book’s traditions. For travelers looking for a family-friendly holiday experience on the rails, here are six festive train rides to climb aboard during the holiday season.
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Best for: Fans of an old-fashioned ride
Route: Round trip from Fish Camp through the Sierra National Forest
Journey time: 1 hour
Distance: 4 miles
This year, a brand-new Holiday Magic Train will offer tourists a seasonal route outside of Yosemite’s South Gate. The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad usually stops operating after Thanksgiving. This year, the operators decided to listen to guests who’ve “been asking for a holiday train for years,” says Scott McGhee, the railroad’s general manager. The train travels along the railway once used by loggers through the Sierra National Forest. Lights and decorations deck out the steam train, and some cars take the form of open-air carriages carved from gigantic tree trunks. Riders should dress in layers to stay warm. A carol sing-along piped into the cars makes this a festive train ride, and passengers can sip on their complimentary cup of hot cocoa while listening to other merry carolers sing. The train travels through the forest to a grove where passengers disembark to marvel at an impressive 22-foot tree adorned with lights, synchronized to music for an illuminated show.
“It’s magical enough to ride a train at night without music or lights,” says McGhee, who hopes the holiday train ride will be an annual tradition.
Best for: Wildlife enthusiasts
Route: Round-trip excursion in Clarkdale
Journey time: 1 hour
Distance: Approximately 7 miles
Few people associate the holidays with American bald eagles, but the lucky kids in Clarkdale, Arizona, do. At the Verde Canyon Railroad’s Magical Christmas Journey, families meet Flurry, the Christmas Eagle, before their ride. Flurry is really the rotation of a few bald eagles brought in by Liberty Wildlife, a wildlife rehabilitation and education center.
“We do a little bit of education on the eagle’s habitat, nesting behavior, and reasons why conservation is necessary to keep eagles wild and contributing to the ecosystem,” says Jan Miller, an animal care coordinator at Liberty Wildlife. She says kids love to see the raptor open its wings as the children don borrowed “wings” of their own to fly through Bird’s-Eye Village, a Christmas village with 10 decorated homes, scaled to make kids feel like they are soaring high above it. Staff decorate the train depot with luminarias along its roofline, and icicle lights drip from on-site pergolas.
Families board the train to enjoy seasonal drinks while Santa’s elves provide entertainment. The train travels through a magic tunnel to emerge onto “Santa’s secret rails,” which lead to the North Pole. Once there, a bald eagle light display makes it appear as if Flurry has been leading the way throughout the festive journey. Kids can peer through the carriage windows to see Santa’s workshop, Mrs. Claus’s bakery, the ugly sweater factory, a reindeer flight school, and the Naughty Kids’ Coal Mine. On the trip back, Santa hops aboard the train to hand out a special memento for each child, which has been a tree ornament in previous years.
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Best for: Scenic train travelers
Route: Round-trip excursion in Delano
Journey time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Distance: Approximately 12 miles
Many holiday trains run at night for passengers to enjoy the bright, colorful festive lights, but the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum’s Hiwassee Holiday Train chugs along the Hiwassee River Gorge during daylight hours, so that passengers can appreciate the landscape. Tourists marvel at the deep, scenic gorge, the rushing rapids of the river, and the lush forests found along this holiday train route. While on board, on-staff holiday well-wishers give riders a gingerbread cookie, chocolate milk, and a silver bell. Not only do children get to write a letter to Santa, but they also have an opportunity to see him in person.
The museum’s North Pole Limited and a Christmas Dinner Train that provides passengers with a three-course meal in a garland-bedecked railcar are two options for guests who want to travel the rails at night. And if you miss the holiday train rides, you may want to consider taking the seasonal Hiawassee Loop train, a four-hour ride in the spring that covers 50 miles.
Passengers can start their journey on Niles Canyon Railway’s Train of Lights in Niles or Sunol, California. The staff decorates each of the 16 cars with a different, but festive holiday theme. Christopher R. Hauf
Best for: Lovers of Lights
Route: Round trip boarding at Niles or Sunol
Journey time: 1.5 hours
Distance: 13 miles
Passengers can climb aboard Niles Canyon Railway’s Train of Lights in Niles or Sunol, California, for a round-trip journey that includes passage through the Niles Canyon. The train has 16 cars—each with a unique theme. Passengers can walk through all carriages except the caboose. In fact, this YouTube video shows that it takes seven minutes to pass through all the meticulously decorated railcars.
Best for: Train travelers celebrating Chanukah
Route: Round-trip excursion from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Journey time: 1 hour
Distance: Approximately 24 miles
Families of the Jewish faith have the option to board the Chanukah Train in Santa Cruz, California. This holiday journey starts with a ceremonial menorah lighting before the train departs. Passengers share Chanukah traditions as the train rumbles through the streets of the classic beach town, including listening to festive Chanukah music, playing dreidel, sharing Chanukah stories, and enjoying warm kosher latkes and hot apple cider. Note: Given current safety concerns, security is present.
Best for: True rail enthusiasts
Route: Round-trip excursion along the Greenbrier River from Cass
Journey time: 1 hour
Distance: 5 miles
Similar to other holiday train excursions, Cass Scenic Railroad’s Christmas at Cass experience includes twinkling lights, a steam engine, and a visit from Santa. However, the star of this holiday railroad route is the historic town of Cass, founded in 1901 as a company town for loggers. Guests can stay overnight in one of the restored company houses to feel like they are part of the original crew. Before and after the ride, families can explore the authentic company store, vintage soda fountain, historical theater, and museum. This holiday train, traveling along the scenic Greenbrier River, consists of heated, decorated cars and a 1924 Chesapeake & Ohio caboose with limited seating. Children on board receive a special gift or memento to remember this memorable holiday train trip.
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Erika Mailman is a northern California-based writer who covers art, architecture, and travel. Follow her on Instagram.