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Train Rides, Displays, and Museums in New York State

1. The Railroad Museum of Long Island – Riverhead and Greenport

This local Long Island train museum has two locations and both are a hit with kids. The Riverhead site has interactive exhibits and guided tours, while the Greenport site has a passenger train, railroad dock, and one of the last remaining turntables in existence! Children ages 4 and under enter for FREE. Be sure to visit during the holiday season to enjoy a holiday open house and visit Santa.

2. New York Transit Museum – Brooklyn Heights

Located in downtown Brooklyn, this train museum is located in a decommissioned subway station. On display, and sure to be a hit with your train lovers, is a selection of restored vintage train cars and buses. This hands-on museum lets imaginations run wild as kids "drive" a bus and board vintage subway cars! Kids under 2 enter for FREE.

3. New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show – Bronx Park, the Bronx

This popular annual train show is a must-do holiday event in NYC. Visitors can watch model trains zip by more than 200 famous New York landmarks meticulously crafted from a botanical bounty during the holiday season. An after-dark visit means the display twinkles with holiday lights and the grounds outside are ablaze with a seasonal light show. Up the ante by taking the Metro-North to the NYBG stop—it drops you just outside the gates.

RELATED: Metro-North Day Trips for Family Fun

It's hard to describe the scale of the train displays at Northlandz, but it's a sight to behold! Photo courtesy of Northlandz

Day Trips for Train-Lovers in New Jersey

4. NorthLandz – Flemington

Nestled in the Watchung Mountains, Northlandz is the world’s largest model train wonderland! With 8 miles of model train tracks, your family will be in awe of the miniature mountains, forests, tunnels, towns, and bridges. This track truly is one of a kind and is featured in the Guinness Book of World Records! When you are done watching the miniature trains, head outdoors to ride on a replica 1890s steam engine. Holiday events, Santa train rides, and haunted Halloween train rides are all operated at Northlandz, too.

5. Jersey Shore Live Steamers – New Gretna

Live Steamers is a national organization and nonprofit that connects train enthusiasts, so you can find locations nationwide. We visited the Jersey Shore Steamers, and the kids had fun at this cute destination. These small, electric trains are built to a 1/8th scale and pull miniature cars you can ride. Following our 10-minute ride, we walked on the trails surrounding the train tracks and other families enjoying a ride. This was a cute experience, the people running it were knowledgeable and kind, and best of all, it was FREE, though donations are appreciated. It's a great addition to your itinerary if you find yourself in the area. It's open weekends only.

6. New Jersey Museum of Transportation – Farmingdale

Located in the lovely, activity-packed Allaire State Park, a visit to the New Jersey Museum of Transportation includes both museum admission and a train ride! Enjoy a tour of the shops, car barns, and machine shops, which includes train equipment from all over the world. When you're done, it's all aboard a World War II-era locomotive for a 15-minute train ride. Enjoy the rest of the amenities and hiking trails in this beautiful state park.

7. Delaware River Railroad Excursions – Phillipsburg

From May through the end of October, enjoy a seasonal train ride along the Delaware River with this outfit. The company offers a few different excursions to choose from, including the River Train, which takes you to Riegelsville, where you can detrain and explore the area before taking the train back. The Mine Train takes you to the Susquehanna Mining Company, where you will have two hours for a tour of the site. It also offers many holiday train rides such as the Great Pumpkin Train, the Corn Maze Train, The Polar Express, and an Easter Bunny Train Ride. It also offers Dino Days and hosts A Day Out with Thomas on occasion!

8. PATCO Station – Haddonfield

Haddonfield is an adorable town with a very nice main street that's lined with shops, restaurants, and even a family-friendly brewery. For the train lovers in your family, there is a PATCO station where you can board the passenger train into Philadelphia for the day, or just stand on Kings Highway or Lincoln Avenue where they intersect with Washington Avenue, and watch the PATCO trains run underneath you. A wave to the conductor almost always solicits a whistle, which gives the kids an extra thrill.

RELATED: Polar Express Train Rides and Christmas Trains in New Jersey

Little train-lovers are dwarfed by the collection of vintage train cars at Steamtown. 

Day Trips and Scenic Train Rides in Pennsylvania for Families

9. Steamtown – Scranton

My family loves Steamtown. We accidentally happened upon this national historic site during a long drive to visit family in upstate New York, and now it is a regular stop for us. Located in downtown Scranton, it has a large parking lot, bathrooms, a picnic spot, and is FREE! Our favorite thing about Steamtown, though, is that you can climb on and in many of the historic trains. The kids can’t help but run around and imagine themselves serving dinner in the dining car, sorting mail in the mail car, shoveling coal in the coal car, and ringing the bell in the steam engine. And yes, kids can actually ring the bell, so be prepared for constant noise as you wander the site.

There's even a turntable and roundhouse, and because it is a national park, kids can fill out a booklet—pick it up in the visitors center—while you are there to earn a Junior Ranger Badge. There is a cute movie on the top floor, and multiple indoor areas with exhibits on the history of trains. From spring through fall, you can ride a real train. Steamtown offers short 30-minute train rides and full-day excursions on the weekends.

10. Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway – Jim Thorpe

Only 45 minutes from Steamtown, another train adventure awaits in the absolutely picturesque town of Jim Thorpe. This train ride is one of the most scenic rides I have taken, especially in the fall. The ride is about an hour long and meanders along the Lehigh River and over a bridge. Guests are surrounded by hills and trees. Recent rains create picturesque waterfalls. There is ample parking in the pay lot near the station. Tickets can be purchased on-site or at the station, though expect a crowd in peak leaf-peeping season. Make a day of it with a walk around the beautiful town, and find a cute café for a meal. Extend your stay overnight and enjoy one of the local family-friendly hikes.

11. New Hope Railroad – New Hope

New Hope, Pennsylvania, is just across the Delaware River from Lambertville, New Jersey, and these two towns are also absolute stunners! Both are quaint, beautiful towns with an old-timey feel and lots of restaurants. And best of all, you can walk across a lovely bridge to visit both towns in one trip! Of course, the train ride and an adorable train station are other options. We booked a 1-hour excursion, and although our children were thrilled to be on a train, I was a little disappointed. I expected the ride to be more scenic, but felt like we went through a lot of backyards. Given it was late November, perhaps a different season or longer excursion would have offered more eye candy. Consider visiting for its holiday offerings, like a Mother’s Day brunch train ride and Santa’s North Pole Express.

RELATED: Bucks County, PA with Kids: 30 Top Things To Do as a Family

Model trains zoom by at the Morris Arboretum's Holiday Garden Railway. 

12. Morris Arboretum Holiday Garden Railway – Philadelphia

This Holiday Garden Railway has always been a hit with our train-loving crew. For Philadelphia fans, this exhibit miniaturizes many of the tourist attractions in Philly. During the holiday season, they completely dress up the model train track with lights and decorations. Older kids, can embark on a Garden Railway scavenger hunt during the evening viewings.

13. Longwood Gardens – Kennett Square

Another option to get in the mood for the holiday season is a visit to Longwood Gardens for its spectacular Christmas train exhibit. This stunning garden is even more impressive when completely decorated for the holiday season.

Connecticut Train Rides and Train Museums

14. Railroad Museum of New England – Thomaston

This museum's mission is to preserve the rich railroad history of the region. It has a vast collection of vintage train cars and a full schedule of excursions. Chocolate lovers will especially enjoy a scenic train ride along the Naugatuck River pulled by a vintage diesel locomotive that stops at Fascia’s Chocolate Factory. The entire excursion lasts about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Other excursions include the Chocolate Decadence Tour and Autumn Colors, plus there are many holiday rides including the Easter Bunny Express, and four different winter holiday-themed train rides, like the Santa Express.

15. Danbury Railway Museum – Danbury

This museum is housed inside a train station and offers a collection of train-related artifacts and objects to help illustrate the impact railroading has had on New England. Just across the tracks from the museum is Danbury Railyard, a 15-track yard with 60 train cars and a turntable. You can also take a train ride tour of the 10-acre rail yard on weekends in April through December, with seasonal special trains offered for Easter, fall, and Christmas.

16. The Essex Steam Train Polar Express Train Ride – Essex

This extremely popular, 90-minute train ride is an unforgettable experience with live musical performances as singers dance down the train car aisles, and there is even a visit from Santa himself! Kids are encouraged to wear their holiday PJs. Tickets sell out quickly, so bookmark your calendar for early September if you'd like to climb aboard this Christmas season.

Unless noted, all photos by author