Photo courtesy of Hocking Valley Scenic Railway
All Aboard!
Yuletide train rides offer families a special holiday experience
Under the right circumstances, by train is the only way to travel.
Railroads in and around Ohio offer holiday-oriented train rides that provides passengers of all ages a unique way celebrate the Christmas season.
Photo courtesy of Hocking Valley Scenic Railway
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Hocking Valley Scenic Railway
Located in Nelsonville, this railway hosts the annual Santa Train event. Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 28 to Dec. 20, the train ride lasts about two hours, nearly 20 miles.
Along the way, children will have a chance to tell Santa Claus what they want for Christmas, as Santa visits with each child. After meeting with Santa, children will be given a special candy treat.
“It's an unforgettable experience for families to share,” says Karen Raymore, executive director of the Hocking Hills Tourism Association.
Departure location: Nelsonville Depot
www.hvsry.org
Photo courtesy of Stephen J. Shaluta
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Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad
The Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad in Elkins, W.Va. offers the Polar Express Train Ride from Nov. 6 to Dec. 20. Passengers relive the 2004 animated Tom Hanks film and the Chris Van Allsburg children’s book on which it was based.
Passengers, encouraged to wear pajamas, will have their tickets punched by conductors, enjoy treats served by dancing chefs and be taken to the North Pole, where Santa will be waiting. Each passenger receives a free souvenir cocoa mug, and children receive sleigh bells from Santa.
“It gives them a reason to jump in the car, or even rent a bus, to travel to a place they have never been and experience an event of a lifetime together,” says railroad Marketing Manager Bonnie Branciaroli.
Durbin & Greenbrier is one of more than 30 other officially licensed Polar Express Train Ride events across the country. About an hour away, Stonewall Resort, also in West Virginia, offers the Polar Express Package for lodging purposes, which allows residents to experience the train ride as well as holiday-related activities at the resort, says Samantha Norris, community outreach director for Stonewall.
Departure Location: The Elkins Depot
www.mountainrailwv.com
Photo courtesy of Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
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Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in Peninsula, near Cleveland, also offers the official Polar Express ride on select dates from Nov. 13 to Dec. 20.
“It has become so much more than a two-hour train ride,” says Kim Gillan-Shafron, senior director of marketing strategy and customer experience for the railroad. “It is an opportunity for families to stop and take a breath during the holidays.”
The railroad has been offering this ride for more than 20 years, and it is rated one of the best in the country by Polar Express company Rail Events Inc., Gillan-Shafron says.
Passengers eat cookies, sing carols and witness the storytelling of the book while traveling to the North Pole to meet Santa. There, Santa will arrive in his sleigh, Gillan-Shafron says.
“This has become an iconic tradition in northeast Ohio,” Gillan-Shafron says.
In addition, the railroad offers the Christmas Tree Adventure, in which passengers go to Heritage Tree Farms to select Christmas trees for their holiday on Nov. 28.
Departure Location: Rockside Station in Independence and Akron Northside Station in Akron.
www.cvsr.com
William Kosileski is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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