One thing you can say for sure about Oklahoma City, we certainly know how to celebrate the holidays! If you take a look at our 2012 Holiday Fun Guide, you'll see tons of family-friendly events to help you celebrate the season and make some great memories with your family.
You may have experienced ice skating or snow tubing as part of Downtown in December, or even see the fantastic production of The Nutcracker that OKC Ballet performs every year. But there is another Christmas tradition that you family may not have experienced—Christmas Train Rides at the Oklahoma Railway Museum.
Where to Go:
The Oklahoma Railway Museum (located at 3400 NE Grand in Oklahoma City ) is worth a visit any time of year—from their weekly train rides available for families on the 1st and 3rd Saturday from April to August, to the Halloween Train Ride, to their annual "Day Out with Thomas" event at the end of September. If you have a train lover in your family, this museum should be on your "don't miss" list. The museum is open Thursdays-Saturdays from 9:00 to 5:00 year-round, and admission is free. (They also hold really neat birthday parties during most parts of the year—and trust me when I say that eating cake in a real caboose is pretty awesome!) You can also get a free child's train ride with paid adult admission with our Kids Pass! (Please note that the Kids Pass coupon is not good for special events, like the Christmas train, but can be used for the regulat season train rides.)
What to Do:
My son is a huge Thomas the Tank Engine fan, and my mother loves the story of The Polar Express. So, for our family, the Christmas Train was an event that appealed to everyone. We loaded up expecting just a quick train ride, and we were pleasantly surprised by the candy canes and hot chocolate we were served upon boarding. The conductor read the story of The Polar Express as the train made it's trip and we watched the beautiful landscape roll by. The highlight for us was at the very end of the ride, when the door to our car opened and Santa himself came in. For our family, it was a sweet, low-key and memorable way to spend a Saturday morning—a brief moment of togetherness before the full mania of the holiday season hit!
If you would like to take your family to the Christmas Train, tickets are $15 per person, and children under three are free. Train rides are held on Saturday, December 15th at 9:00, 10:30, noon, 1:30, and 3:00 and advanced ticket purchase is required. Click here to purchase tickets, or call 424-0504 or visit www.oklahomarailwaymuseum.org for more information about the Christmas Train.
Enjoy the ride!
Brooke