Visiting Cincy during the holiday season? From the North Pole Express to interactive holiday toy train exhibits, these are the most festive holiday train exhibits and rides to help you and your family celebrate the holidays!
Holiday Junction featuring the Duke Energy Holiday Trains
This holiday season you can celebrate 76 years of winter whimsy at the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal! Explore this beloved train exhibit, featuring more than 300 rail cars and 60 locomotives, during the annual Holiday Junction event. Visitors can enjoy a bird's-eye view of the whole display from an elevated walkway. Don't miss the OMNIMAX® film Rocky Mountain Express, where you can immerse yourself in the rugged beauty of the Canadian Rockies aboard a historic steam locomotive. Mark your calendars for Friday, November 24 when Santa is coming to town! Holiday Junction runs from Nov. 10-Jan. 8, 2024.
Christmas at EnterTRAINment Junction
EnterTRAINment Junction features the world's largest indoor train display depicting every era of American railroading, and the A-Maze-N Funhouse (which features a mirror maze and hilarious tilt room), provides tons of fun all year long for little engineers. During Christmas at the Junction, step into 80,000 square feet of holiday fun with a special Christmas cityscape display, seasonal lights, and decor. Christmas at the Junction opens on November 18 and runs through January 2, 2024.
North Polar Express at PNC Festival of Lights
Head to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and witness a wonderland of dazzling holiday lights and festive cheer. Hop on the train and take a ride around the zoo and marvel at the Wild Lights show on Swan Lake - plus, experience a longer-than-ever light tunnel! There is an additional cost to ride the train. Reservations to visit the zoo are required. The PNC Festival of Lights takes place from November 17 through January 7, 2024.
Golden Days of Yule, a Cincinnati holiday at Krohn Conservatory
Krohn Conservatory (Photo: @unikornjes)
Lush green foliage, red poinsettias, and holiday trees greet visitors at Krohn Conservatory in Eden Park during this year's holiday show. As is tradition, a model train chugs through a scenic wonderland of holiday florals and miniature recreations of the Cincinnati region’s most iconic landmarks. The event will open November 11 through January 7, 2024.
LM&M Railroad Holiday Express
All aboard! During this festive roundtrip ride on a vintage LM&M Railroad train, elves make holiday balloons and share stories about the North Pole in a decorated heated train car. After the Holiday Express train ride, families will be guided by elves on a magical visit with Santa Claus! Advance reservations are required. Train dates and times vary, from November 17 through December 23, 2023.
Holly Jolly Days at Behringer-Crawford Museum
There's something for everyone during Behringer-Crawford Museum's Holly Jolly Days! Don't miss the annual Holiday Trains exhibit featuring vintage Lionel and Plasticville trains, Thomas the Tank Engine, and more than 30 moving, interactive displays that are carefully built at kids’ eye level. A Window Through Time highlights antique Christmas decorations dating back to the nineteenth century and the Winter Wonderland is a magical holiday light display on select evenings. Holly Jolly Days begin November 11-January 7, 2024.
Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad at Winterfest
Miami Valley Railroad train at Kings Island (photo: Kings Island)
The authentic steam-spitting engines of the trains in this fleet are actually 1/3 scale replicas of famous locomotives from the 1800s. Ring in the holidays by taking a ride on this train through Kings Island as it's decked out for Winterfest with millions of lights. Winterfest begins November 24 through December 31.
From ice skating to holiday lights, find more things to do during the holiday season in Cincy
