Share |
Print Article
Family Travel Files Ezine Family Vacations Resource
California: Best Santa Trains, Holiday Lights, and Celebrations – Create Your Own Family Traditions. Filmore & Western Railway Santa TrainOne of the best ways to slow the advance of the sometimes hectic, often crazy holiday season is narrow your focus, turn off electronic connections and live in the moment. We have assembled a few suggestions ideal for creating your own family traditions.

Sacramento: California State Railroad Museum – Ride the Yule Train (End of November to mid December). Families are encouraged to come out to the California State Railroad Museum this holiday season to ride “Polar Express” complete with dancing waiters and Santa himself. The Rail Experience: Every weekend April through September, steam-powered excursion trains depart on-the-hour from the Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot in Old Sacramento operating on a 40-minute, six-mile route the train snakes along the banks of the beautiful Sacramento River. Bonus points: Also this holiday season visitors can enjoy the museum itself with its children’s area and fascinating displays and exhibits about the history of railroading. Wait for it! Checkout the museum’s permanent Small Wonders: the Magic of Toy Trains collection. (California State Railroad Museum 111 "I" Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. (916) 445-6645, Museum Front Desk at (916) 323-9280 or www.csrmf.org)
 
Fillmore: Fillmore & Western Railway - Dine with Santa Train (Late November to mid December). There are several holiday choices – each including a memorable rail experience. Take the Christmas Tree Train to a tree farm to select and cut the perfect tree. Or ride to the "North Pole" with Santa’s elves. Listen to a story, sing Christmas carols and enjoy cookies and chocolate milk. Wait for it! Begin a family tradition onboard having “Dinner with Santa.” The Rail Experience: Pastoral vistas frame the route through the Santa Clara River Valley with century-old citrus and avocado orchards hugging farms and fields. The passenger coach cars and dining cars are from the 1930's and 1940's, and many restored locomotives used to power the train are all pre-1950.  (Fillmore & Western Ticket Office 364 Main St. Fillmore, Ca. 93015. (805) 524-2546 or www.fwry.com)

San Francisco Bay Area: Niles Canyon Railway - Train of Lights (Late November to January). The annual Train of Lights evening experience takes place on vintage trains decorated inside and out with holiday lights. Each ride is about an hour long, covering a 13-mile round trip. The Niles trains depart early so passengers can see the canyon and sunset. The Sunol trains will depart later and the trip is all about the lights. The Rail Experience: Niles Canyon Railway and the Western Railway Heritage Museum operate the route as a living history museum interpreting the importance of heritage railroads in the development of California and the nation. (Western Railway Heritage Museum Depot  6 Kilkare Road  Sunol, CA 94586.  Niles Station  37001 Mission Blvd.  Fremont, CA 94536. (925) 862-9063 or www.ncry.org/ToL-top.htm)

Anaheim: Disneyland - Christmas Wonderland and Holiday Magic Disneyland California Mickey Mouse Christams(Early  November through early January). Celebrate the holidays at the Disneyland with special parades, shows and entertainment including 'Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle' and the three part show which takes place each day. There’s also "Santa's Reindeer Round-Up" located at Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland. Join Santa, Mrs. Claus and their Reindeer for Christmas ‘Western Style’.  Real reindeer in the corral, crafts, reindeer games and dancing make this a Disneyland Holiday must see for the children in your family. Wait for it!  Each the evening guests are awed by  "Believe...in Holiday Magic Fireworks Spectacular." (Disneyland Resort Disneyland 1313 S. Drive Anaheim, CA 92802.  (714) 781-4565 or www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/)

California: Carlsbad, LEGOLAND– Holly Jolly Holidays with Snow (Mid November to January). During the holiday season LEGOLAND California celebrates with a Christmas tree made out of 245,000 green DUPLO bricks as well as thousands of twinkling lights, jolly holiday music special entertainment and nightly fireworks spectacular that celebrates holidays around the world. Visitors are invited to search for the miniature Santa and reindeer delivering toys throughout Miniland USA and catch a performance of "Let it Snow' the musical. Bonus points: On selected nights in December enjoy fireworks lighting up the sky at closing time. Wait for it! This year the park will feature Holiday Snow Days with the first-ever snow fall in Fun Town. (LEGOLAND One Legoland Drive, Carlsbad 92008. (760) 918-5346 or http://california.legoland.com/)

About the book, The Polar Express. On Christmas Eve, a boy boards the mysterious train bound for the North Pole. During the story Santa gives the boy a bell from the harness of the reindeer. On the way home, the bell is lost but in the morning the boy finds the bell under the tree. While his mother thinks the bell is broken, he knows it is not but only true believers can hear the sound of the bell. The book received the prestigious Caldecott Award.  More great reads by Van Allsburg. Other delightful stories include Two Bad Ants, Ben’s Dream, and The Wreck of the Zephyr and Jumanji which became a movie starring Robin Williams. More details at www.polarexpress.com and www.chrisvanallsburg.com

Content researched and created by FTf. Images provided by respective locations. Copyright 2011.
Share |
RELATED ARTICLES
California/Nevada: North Lake Tahoe, Wacky Winter Fun for Friends at the SnowFest 2012.
North Lake Tahoe’s annual SnowFest is a 10-day winter carnival and one of the region’s most popular family celebrations.
California: Los Angeles, California Science Center - 1001 Inventions: Discover the Golden Age of Muslim Civilization.
Do not miss this exhibition - it is inspirational, educational, entertaining, and definitely fun worth sharing with your kids or grandkids.
California: Carlsbad, Family Fun - Holiday Snow Days at LEGOLAND.
This holiday season the popular family theme park is gearing up for biggest, brightest and perhaps coolest holiday celebration ever including real snow.
California: Napa Valley, Enjoy Spirited Holiday Events with Your Family.
Share wine country with our kids. Why not? Welcoming communities, combined with the Napa’s exceptional wines and fine foods, offer visitors the perfect hometown holiday experience with a touch of panache.
California: Los Angeles, “Pacific Standard Time” – A Celebration of Art and Artists.
Learn about the birth of the L.A. art scene from the people who shaped it. This unprecedented cultural and artistic collaboration showcases how Los Angeles imagined the world.How cool is this?

Read More Articles

FAMILY VACATION IDEAS
Best Western Raffles Inn & Suites

Come to us for Disneyland® Resort Hotel Packages, free nights, family suites, and vacation fun. [Read More]
Lodge at Calistoga

Enjoy tranquility and leisure in the heart of California Wine Country. [Read More]
Maple Tree Inn

Check out our Sunnyvale Vacation Packages, perfect for families. [Read More]
Best Western Stevenson Manor Inn

Take a tour of wine country while staying with us. [Read More]
Biltmore Hotel & Suite

Great America Vacation Package family fun. [Read More]
Fairfield Inn Ontario

Enjoy a contemporary lodging, small-town charm, urban amenities, and family - friendly service plus Dodgers fans receive 10% off. [Read More]
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites

The Central Coast’s ideal family vacation base featuring the Hearst Castle Tour Package. [Read More]
Crowne Plaza SFO Int'l Airport

We offer a family friendly atmosphere and easy access to Bay Area fun. [Read More]
Julian Gold Rush Hotel

Queen of the Back Country Travel back in time to the 1890s Gold Rush Era with an Apple Pie Package. [Read More]
Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort

Combine the ideal beach vacation with interactive family play, hands-on delights, and entertainment for young fun seekers. LEGOLAND California Package. [Read More]
Quality Inn Palo Alto

An unbeatable value for your next family vacation in the Bay Area. Hiking Package available. [Read More]
Comfort Suites SFO Airport

Experience bed and breakfast service at our hotel near San Francisco Airport. [Read More]
Hawthorne Suites Alemeda

East Bay’s newest all-suite hotel offering elegant accommodations in a warm, inviting atmosphere. [Read More]
Ramada Silicon Valley

Two family packages to choose from. [Read More]
Comfort Inn Mountain View

Great America California Park & Hotel Package Deal. [Read More]
River Terrace Inn

Napa Valley Wine & River Adventure Tour Package. [Read More]
Holiday Inn Express Salinas

Close to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. [Read More]
Big Bear Lake Cabins

A four-season mountain resort, surrounded by National Forest. [Read More]
Welk Resort San Diego

Minutes from SeaWorld, San Diego Zoo, Legoland, San Diego Wild Animal Park and beaches. [Read More]
Wyndham Oceanside Pier Resort

A terrific place to enjoy plenty of fun, and sun. [Read More]

See More Family Vacation Ideas


Use of Travel Communications, Inc., websites constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use.
Site designed and hosted by Tempest Technologies, LLC