If you’re like us, you may have a train lover in your home! We’re lucky here in St. Louis to have access to several whimsical spots where spotting a train is guaranteed, even moreso during the holiday season! Here’s a roundup of local spots where we love to see trains with our littles, during the holidays and beyond!
Dan’s Emerald Forest
8851 Windom Ave, Overland MO 63114
Your train loving kiddos (or adults!) will love this unique multi-level, residential light display!
December Hours (subject to change)
Wednesday – Thursday, 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Friday – Saturday, 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Closed Monday and Tuesday nights
* Christmas and New Year’s weeks, open all week
Frisco Train Store
24 Front St, Valley Park, MO 63088
Monday – Closed | Tuesday – Saturday 10 am – 5 pm | Sunday 12 pm – 5 pm
The Frisco Train Store has a free indoor play area with wooden trains and accessories to keep your train-loving, imaginative child entertained for hours! There are multiple levels in the store with elaborate train tables, vendor demos, a kitchen play area, and even a birthday party room for celebrations. Play for a while, see what your child falls in love with, then shop for the perfect gift (trains, puzzles, crafts, games, wooden playsets, engineer hats, etc.) on your way out! All aboard!!
Holiday Season at The Museum of Transportation
Museum hours and Creation Station sessions
2933 Barrett Station Rd St. Louis, MO 63122
See all the things that GO at the Museum of Transportation! Trains, cars, even a streetcar grace this fun museum. They also host a Creation Station play area with set playtimes. Here’s a full lineup of all they have going on this holiday season!
Big Bend Railroad Club
8833 Big Bend Blvd, Webster Groves, MO
We are a 2-Rail O Scale (1/4″ to the foot) model railroad club that started in 1938 and have been located in the same building at 8833 Big Bend Boulevard, just west of Elm, in Webster Groves, Missouri for the whole time. The building is a former passenger depot for the Frisco Railway that was constructed in 1910.
We operate for the public on the first Tuesday of the month (Except holidays) from 7:00 PM until around 8:30 PM, with extra nights in December, and other days for special occasions.
West County Mall
This darling, trackless train is sure to be enjoyed in a climate-controlled setting and will allow you to take in the beautiful holiday decor at West County Mall during your ride! Open noon – 5 Monday through Friday / 11 am – 7 pm Saturday / noon – 6 pm Sunday. The train is located on level 1 under Barnes & Noble.
Polar Express at Union Station
Union Station, 1820 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103
THE POLAR EXPRESS™ train ride is back! Santa and his elves are full steam ahead for a trip to the North Pole for THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride at St. Louis Union Station this year! This is such a whimsical holiday experience to be lived at least once! Dress up in your coziest jammies and hop aboard the Polar Express for a trip to the North Pole! You’ll enjoy a narrated reading of the classic book, warm up with hot chocolate, and a yummy cookie! Once at the North Pole, Santa Claus himself will board your train to visit each boy and girl!
Santa’s Magical Kingdom Train Ride
Santa’s Magical Kingdom is one of our favorite local lights displays to enjoy during the holiday season, but did you know there’s a whimsical train ride to enjoy onsite, too? “From their website:
“Train rides will seat 24 persons and are available MONDAY-THURSDAY ONLY at 5:30 pm, 6:00 pm, and 6:30 pm from Nov 18 – Dec 5.
$17 PER PERSON
Children two and under are free as long as they ride on the lap of an adult
Train Ride to Washington from Kirkwood
There’s nothing more charming than the Kirkwood Train Station decked out in holiday decor! Surprise your train lover with an Amtrak train ride from St. Louis to Washington, we promise they’ll love it!
Special Events
Holiday Flower and Train Show
Missouri Botanical Garden:4344 Shaw Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63110
November 16, 2024 – January 1, 2025
Immerse yourself among festive installations of poinsettias and other seasonal favorites presented alongside the newly planted permanent displays of Mediterranean species throughout the Emerson Conservatory.
Please note: trains are currently operating between 10 a.m.–2 p.m. daily and 5–9 p.m. during Garden Glow and may experience additional downtime required to repower engines.
Tree Lighting Ceremony
O’Fallon Municipal Centre
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
While your children enjoy holiday games and contests, parents can take a stroll through our Holiday Market and shop for festive home décor and unique artisan creations. Add a little cheer to your evening with hot drinks, treats and snacks while you search for that perfect gift for your loved ones! All aboard! Don’t forget to enjoy a ride on the City Train!
Holiday Train Display
1630 Heritage Landing, St. Peters, MO 63303
November 30, 2024 – January 5, 2025
Wednesdays – Saturdays: 10 am – 5 pm
Sundays: noon – 5 pm
Explore local history this holiday season when you visit the St. Charles County Heritage Museum’s annual train display! Bring your family and friends to see the whimsical scenes and St. Charles County landmark model buildings. Adults and children of all ages delight in the sights and sounds of the trains as they make their way through part of the museum. The Heritage Museum is accepting donations for Toys for Tots again this season, so spread holiday cheer by bringing a new, unwrapped toy to the museum to donate to a child in need.
Metro East Model Railroad Club
Holiday Open Houses:
November 30, December 14, December 28 | 10 am – 3 pm
180 Summit Avenue, Glen Carbon, IL
The Metro East Model Railroad Club holds open houses several times a year; and admission is FREE! Everyone is welcome, so please stop by.
The Great Train Show
December 7-8 | 10:00am-4:00pm
Gateway Convention Center – One Gateway Drive, Collinsville, IL 62234
“The Great American Train Show is the nation’s only coast-to-coast model train show. The show is designed for the general public, modelers, hobbyists, families, and the just plain curious. Each show features hundreds of tables of trains and accessories for sale, huge operating exhibits, activities for kids, and more. ”
Play area for kids with hands on trains to play with, train videos to watch and a
riding train for kids!
Great St. Louis Christmas Train Show
Saturday, December 7 | 9 am – 3 pm
4300 Hoffmeister Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63125
Show is open to the General Public Refreshments, Operating Displays, All Gauges Represented
St. Charles Model Railroad Club TRAINFAIR 2025
January 4, 2025 | 10 am – 3 pm
St. Charles West High School: 3601 Droste Road, St. Charles, MO 63301
St. Charles Train Show
January 25-26, 2025
St. Charles Convention Center1 Convention Center Plaza, St. Charles, MO 63303“The train show is designed for children of all ages; for modelers, collectors and enthusiasts; for families in search of good old-fashioned fun; and for the simply curious. Each show features hundreds of tables of trains, accessories, scale models and collectible toys for sale as well as huge operating exhibits, activities for kids, free seminars and educational opportunities, and much more.”
It’s worth mentioning the Wabash Frisco and Pacific Railroad and St. Louis Iron Mountain Railway also come highly recommended from the St. Louis Mom team, but both are either closed or sold out for the holiday season!
Hello, I am a member of a train club in Webster Groves, Big Bend Railroad club. We have a layout that we open to the public the first Tuesday of every month and Saturdays in December. It is free to enter although donations are welcome. We are trying to restore our very old train depot. Thought I would share in case you would like to add to your list.