Holiday lights sparkle through the windows while the sweet aroma of peppermint drifts from the warm mug between your hands. The whistle blows. The cars lurch forward, and the ride begins. Excited voices whisper that a jolly man in a red suit is making his way from car to car, checking his list, and dropping off a gift for all of the good boys and girls along for the ride. It’s a scene straight out of a storybook, and it’s waiting for you at one of five holiday trains in North Carolina.
Whether you’re enjoying the season against a backdrop of the blanketed Appalachian hilltops or the rolling Sandhills, North Carolina winters are postcard-perfect. Add a holiday train ride to the scene, and it’s like stepping inside a snow globe.
Throughout the state, trains are whisking sugarplum-dreaming passengers through magical worlds; no face-off with the Rat King required. Fill in your North Carolina holiday events calendar with one more activity and jump aboard a train for a round-trip excursion this holiday season.
Tweetsie Christmas, Blowing Rock
Location: 300 Tweetsie Railroad Lane, Blowing Rock, NC
Dates: Select evenings, November 27–29; December 4–6, 11–13, 18–23 and 26–30
Ticket to Ride: $65 for adults ages 13 and older; $45 for children ages 3–12; free for ages 2 and under.
This Wild West attraction trades its swagger for holiday cheer each winter during Tweetsie Christmas. Bundle up for a 20-minute, open-air ride behind a historic steam locomotive, looping three miles through thousands of glowing lights as passengers belt out carols along the way. Back on solid ground, step inside Santa’s Gingerbread House, a giant candy-covered cottage where the big man poses for photos. Don’t forget to bring a letter for his mailbox!
Next, catch the Festive Christmas Show at the Tweetsie Palace, roast s’mores by the fire, or warm up with hot chocolate and homemade fudge. For even more festive fun, spend some time catching the park’s amusement offerings because your ticket includes four additional attractions. Bonus for Santa’s hardest-working elves (mom and dad!): parking is free!
Visitors who want to see Santa need to pick a date through Dec. 23, as he’ll be busy the following weekend!
Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway, Aberdeen
Location: 120 S. Sycamore Street, Aberdeen, NC
Dates: December 10–13 and 17–20
Ticket to Ride: $100 for Holiday Mix and Mingle; morning, afternoon, and evening holiday rides from $60; Holiday Tea from $200.
Who says Christmas magic has to end in adulthood? In fact, as an elf in “The Santa Clause” puts it, “Seeing isn’t believing; believing is seeing!” Tap into your inner child with a little grown-up fun aboard the Aberdeen, Carolina & Western Railway. Historic train cars, including a restored Mission Santa Ynez Pullman, feature luxurious furniture and plush carpets, creating a lovely setting for an adults-only night out. The train’s Holiday Mix and Mingle rides include holiday music, sparkling lights, and savory and sweet bites.
Not all rides are designated for grown-ups, though. The Aberdeen, Carolina & Western Railway offers plenty of fun for the whole family, including morning rides, holiday teas, and even interactive performances.
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride, Bryson City
Location: Bryson City Depot, 45 Mitchell Street, Bryson City, NC
Dates: Select dates, November 6 through January 3
Ticket to Ride: Coach, $50.85 for adults (13+) and $33.52 for children (2–12); lap infants under 2 are free. Upgraded options: Crown, $57.50 per seat; Premium Crown, $66.16 per seat; First Class, $71.94 per seat. Prices may be higher on peak dates, steam-engine trips, and Christmas Eve.
Chris Van Allsburg’s award-winning picture book-turned-movie leaps right off the page in Bryson City, where the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad brings THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride to life in delightful detail. Passengers (pajamas welcome!) settle in for a 75-minute round trip through mountain wilderness, reading along with the story throughout.
Dancing chefs serve hot chocolate and sweet treats, and when the train reaches the North Pole, Santa climbs aboard to greet each child and hand out a silver sleigh bell. Carols carry everyone home on the return trip. Want to make it extra special? Book a room at Three Little Bears Retreat to experience the lodging’s Appalachian Christmas. The property is just five minutes from the train station, and stays include meals as well as a guided morning reindeer safari.
Meadow Lights, Benson
Location: 4546 Godwin Lake Rd., Benson, NC
Dates: Nightly, November 20 through December 31, from 5 to 10 p.m.
Ticket to Ride: $4 per person, all ages.
For more than 40 years, Roy Johnson and his family have been transforming their Benson grounds into the largest and oldest Christmas attraction in eastern North Carolina. Today, Meadow Lights sprawls across more than 30 acres, with displays reaching as tall as 37 feet. Every bulb is visible from the road, but the best views come from aboard the train.
Johnson, a longtime train enthusiast, bought his first one in 1999 for a simple two-minute loop. Now a whole fleet winds through 10 acres of shimmering scenes, and one is even pulled by a fire truck! Windows on three sides keep riders cozy along the way.
Afterward, take a spin on the carousel, share your wish list with Santa (nightly through Christmas Eve), and save room for the Old Country Store, stocked with more than 300 varieties of old-fashioned candy.
Santa Express, New Hill
Location: 3900 Bonsal Rd., New Hill, NC
Dates: December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, and sensory-friendly day on December 9
Ticket to Ride: $16 per person; children under two are free.
Triangle families have kicked off the holidays aboard the Santa Express at New Hope Valley Railway for three decades. Diesel locomotives pull vintage open-air cars through holiday-decorated piney woods on a 50-minute adventure, as riders play an “I Spy” game to find festive surprises along the tracks. Santa rides along, too, greeting every passenger.
For a calmer outing, book a sensory-friendly ride on December 9. Those trips have no music, crew members signal before the horn sounds, and Santa waits in the railyard instead of on board.
Before or after the trip, warm up by the fire pit, keep an eye out for Frosty, and grab a bite from the food trucks. Plan also to explore the museum’s garden railroad, where miniature trains wind past tiny depots, bridges, and water features, and kids can push buttons to bring various vignettes to life.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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