Polar Express Train Rides – Christmas 2011

Nothing touches the imagination like the magic of Christmas. Share the joy this Christmas season by taking the family on a magical train ride to the North Pole!

Polar Express and Christmas Train Locations

Arizona

• Grand Canyon Railway. Williams Arizona. Experience the magic of The Polar Express™, the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg. The Polar Express comes to life when the train departs the Williams Depot for a journey through the dark and quiet wilderness for a special visit to the “North Pole.” Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies while listening to the magical story. Watch the joy on the children’s faces when the train arrives at the North Pole, where Santa Claus and his reindeer are waiting! Santa will board The Polar Express and hand each child their own special gift. Make this a family holiday tradition

California

• California State Railroad Museum. Old Sacramento, CA. Tickets are SOLD OUT.
  
• Fillmore and Western Railway Co. Home of the Movie Trains,. North Pole Express.Come in your pajamas & bring your teddy bears for the trip to the “North Pole”. Elves make the exciting trip with you to the “North Pole” where Santa is awaiting our arrival. To help make sure you get into the spirit of the holiday, a story is read, Christmas carols are sang, and a snack of cookies and chocolate milk is served.
  All that is left to do now is believe!
• Roaring Camp Railroads. Felton, CA. Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train. Ride vintage excursion cars, adorned with thousands of colorful lights, as they roll through city streets past homes of Santa Cruz. Sing along to seasonal carols while sipping hot-spiced cider, listen to musical entertainment, and enjoy a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. The train ride lasts 1 hour. Continue the merriment at Santa’s Kingdom at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.

Colorado

• Georgetown Loop Railroad. Denver, CO. Santa’s North Pole Adventure will be there for all to enjoy. You will join Santa and his helpers aboard our decorated and lighted enclosed heated coaches starting the weekend before Thanksgiving. There will be free hot chocolate, candy canes and cookies for all and a souvenir gift from Santa for the children. These trains will operate on weekends starting November 19th through December 18th and then daily through December 30th.

Connecticut

• Essex Steam Train and Riverboat. Essex, CT. Board our locomotive-powered sleigh…for a magical nighttime journey to the North Pole. Every coach becomes a stage for a live, musical performance of The Night Before Christmas. Celebrate the spirit of the season with Santa and Mrs. Claus, sing-a-longs, hot chocolate and sugar cookies.
  

Iowa

• Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. Boone, Iowa. As we leave the station, your car attendant will greet you, and briefly tell you about our operations, and maybe find out a bit of information about the passengers. We will then read a new story, written just for us, “Santa’s Scenic Valley Ride”. You can preorder the book if you want to have one to read along with and see the pictures better. We will have an “elf” walking up and down the aisle, showing pictures from the book as the attendant reads the story. We should finish the story about the time we arrive at the “North Pole”. At the “North Pole”, Santa will get on the train. He will walk through the train, and greet each child and give him or her a bell. While he is doing that, the car attendant and elves will pass out cookies, as other servers pass out hot chocolate. When Santa gets through the train, he will deboard and stand by his “workshop”. We will wave goodbye to him and head back to town. During the ride back, we will sing seasonal songs, tell holiday riddles and jokes, and maybe have a pajama fashion show if the kids have worn their pjs.
  

Georgia

• Blue Ridge Scenic Railway.Blue Ridge, GA. Night excursions to the Christmas Pavilion at McCaysville, GA – Various Dates- November 24th to December 18th.This is a late afternoon departure (4:00pm) on various dates from the Blue Ridge Depot for the 1 hour train ride while Santa visits with the children in each car and gives each child a Blue Ridge Scenic Railway Christmas memento and candy cane. Santa will pose with the passengers for pictures on the train or in the Christmas Pavilion during the two hour layover.Take time to eat and shop the many store and antique galleries while in McCaysville, Ga./ Copperhill, Tn. Then reboard the train for the hour return trip arriving in Blue Ridge at 8:00pm.

Michigan

•  Michigan Steam Train. Owosso, Michigan. This exciting four-hour journey includes hot cocoa, visits with Santa, holiday rides, model railroad displays, live entertainment, holiday crafts and shopping in the Kris Kringle Mart. Passengers will enjoy the nostalgic ambiance of riding the American rail while viewing the winter scenery of Mid-Michigan.

New Hampshire

• Journey to the North Pole. Lincoln and North Conway, NH. The original Polar Express Event. A magical Journey to the North Pole! The Polar Express Event of New England® offers this truly unique adventure as a four dimensional interactive experience that only happens here in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We are the original Polar Express Event that includes a wonderful train ride, a sea of elves, and of course, Santa himself! With exclusive treats and gifts, your two-hour holiday journey will include a wonderful walk to the North Pole Theater, where the little boy in Chris Van Allsburg’s story has grown old, and will read the Polar Express book to explain his journey when he was young. This journey will make true believers out of all ages, reminding us that gift of giving is truly the best gift of all. We encourage reading the Polar Express book by Chris Van Allsburg, giving you insight to this memorable experience.

New York

• Adirondack Scenic Railroad. Utica, NY. Inspired by the award winning book by Chris Van Allsburg, come experience the magic of The Polar Express™. read along with the story as the train makes its round trip journey to the North Pole. Meet Santa Claus and enjoy caroling, hot chocolate and a treat. And for those who believe, a special gift for each child. Kids are encouraged to wear their pajamas!

North Carolina

• Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Bryson City, NC. The 1 ¼ hour round-trip excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a special visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Children’s faces show the magic of the season when the train arrives at the “North Pole” to find Santa Claus waiting.

Oklahoma

• Dry Gulch Christmas Train. Dry Gulch, OK. Enter a world of wonder and delight this holiday season, dine and shop in a place untouched by time, and take a wagon ride through a winter wonderland. Amidst the Old West setting at The Christmas Train, you will find lots to see and do, and Old Claus himself will be on hand to greet you. Aboard an old-fashioned steam train, you and yours will witness an unforgettable retelling of the true story of Christmas. Tickets are SOLD OUT.

 Tennessee

• Three Rivers Rambler. Knoxville, TN. The Christmas Express train ride will operate Thanksgiving weekend and the first three weekends of December, 2011.

Texas

• Texas State Railroad. Palestine, TX.

Washington

• Chehalis-Centralia Railroad and Museum. Chehalis, WA. It’s that time again! This Holiday Season, come ride the train with Santa! Our star event is the return of the Polar Express, where kids and adults get a nighttime ride to the North Pole to meet Santa, with plenty of singing, cocoa, and other events along the ride. Also available, we offer Santa Steam Train rides, shorter runs in daytime that include a visit from Santa on board. Tickets are SOLD OUT.