FROM OUR FRIENDS AT DULLES MOMS – CHECK OUT THESE AWESOME HOLIDAY TRAIN EXHIBITS –
Holiday Train Show at Fairfax Station Railroad Museum
11200 Fairfax Station Rd., Fairfax Station, VA 22039
December 5, 2015, 10 am-5 pm
December 6, 2015, 12-4 pm
This year marks the museum’s 26th annual holiday train show, which is their most popular event of the year. Model trains of all sizes can be seen among special displays by various railroad clubs in the area. Complete with a visit from Santa, this event is guaranteed to be memorable for all train lovers.
Chantilly Bible Church’s Model Train Display
4390 Pleasant Valley Rd., Chantilly, VA 20151
December 5, 2015, 10 am-3 pm
Designed to bring joy to the whole community, a wide-variety of trains are represented at this impressive display. Enjoy HO-scale, “O”-scale, “G”-scale, wooden play trains, and LEGO trains (the LEGO display includes an interactive hunt for specific items. Every child that finds all the items receives a small logo prize!). Plus, kids can build their own train empire and play at the wooden train display while parents watch.
Northern Virginia Model Railroaders Open House
231 Dominion Rd. NE, Vienna, VA 22180
December 12, 2015, 1-5 pm
Visit the historic Vienna depot of the W&OD Railroad, as well as the Vienna red caboose. Young visitors are often offered a souvenir ticket as they enter the depot. All railroad equipment, towns, buildings, names, and other features are based on the real WNC Railroad as it existed in western North Carolina in the mid-1950s. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.
Herndon Holiday Model Train Show & Depot, Museum, and Caboose Open House
Herndon Municipal Center, 777 Lynn St., Herndon, VA 20170
W&OD Museum, 717 Lynn St., Herndon, VA 20170
Caboose, across from 742 Lynn St., Herndon, VA 20170
December 12, 2015, 10 am-5 pm
December 13, 2015, 11 am-4 pm
Located in historic downtown Herndon, the 10th annual holiday train show is an important part of Herndon tradition. Trains and railroads have played an important part in Herndon’s history, so make sure to check out the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) Depot Museum and Caboose after viewing all the cool model trains. Free parking and admission to all three venues.
Winter Wonderland Train Show at the Center for the Arts at the Candy Factory
9419 Battle St., Manassas, VA 20110
December 16-20, 2015
Gaze upon the sights and sounds of the railroad as you take in the majestic snowy landscape of mountains, bridges, rivers, cities, and villages that the National Capital Trackers have created for their “O”- and standard-gauge model locomotives, and for you to enjoy. Admission is free, but please bring non-perishable food items, unwrapped toys, and/or cash donations to benefit SERVE during the holiday season.
Gingerbread Village at Hyatt Regency Reston
1800 Presidents St., Reston, VA 20190
December 5-31, 2015
Gingerbread Village has been a favorite every year at the Hyatt Regency Reston since the hotel’s opening in 1990. Sure to be a hit with the whole family, see a variety of Gingerbread houses and a model train that runs throughout the display, located in the hotel lobby.
Garden Railway Model Train Exhibit at US Botanic Garden Conservatory
100 Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20001
November 26, 2015-January 3, 2016, 10 am-5 pm
Season’s Greenings! The railroad is married with botanicals as trains travel among lighthouses and replicas of the most recognizable buildings of our nation’s capital, which are created with real plant materials. To add to your whimsical experience, the Conservatory offers extended hours on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for live seasonal music from 6-8 pm. Both the train exhibit and music are free of charge.
The B&O Railroad Museum’s Magical Holiday Express
901 West Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21223
November 21, 2015-January 3, 2016
Only an hour away, the B&O Railroad Museum is a definite must-stop for any train-lover, young and old! Boasting one of the oldest and most historic American Railroad collections, this museum makes for a perfect day trip — especially around the holidays!The Baltimore campus of the B&O Railroad Museum is hosting a Magical Holiday Express! This spectacular holiday celebration will feature visits with Santa, Frosty the Snowman, and friends, crafts and activities, model train layouts, trains rides, and much more!
Union Station’s Holiday Train Display
2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20002
November 24, 2015-January 1, 2016
Whether you drive and park in the Union Station parking garage or take the Metro’s red line, you won’t want to miss this beautiful, giant model Norwegian train display either before or after your holiday shopping. The elaborate mountain landscape as well as the vintage cars, people, and animals make for a realistic Norwegian setting that is sure to impress both grownups and kids alike.
Brookside Gardens’ Garden Railway Exhibit
1500 Glenallen Ave., Wheaton, MD 20902
November 28, 2015-January 3, 2016, 10 am-5 pm
Closed December 25, 2015
Sights, Sounds, Action! This marks the 10th season of the holiday partnership between Brookside Gardens and the Washington, Virginia & Maryland Garden Railway Society, which brings you a fantastic world of miniature town and country scenes via train travel. Beautiful and bright winter-blooming plants decorate the model train route inside the South Conservatory. Admission is free.
College Park Aviation Museum’s Holiday Trains & Planes
1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Dr., College Park, MD 20740
December 12-19, 2015, 10 am-5 pm (Saturday & Sunday)
The National Capital Trackers provide a captivating display of model locomotives to the museum, complete with villages, tunnels, and depots that bring history to life. This exhibit is free with museum admission.
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum’s Holiday Festival of Trains at Ellicott City Station
2711 Maryland Ave., Ellicott City, MD 21043
November 27, 2015-January 24, 2016, 11 am-4 pm (Wednesday-Sunday)
December 28-31, 2015, 11 am-4 pm
Closed December 24-25, 2015, & January 1, 2016
This holiday season offers up an extra special reason to visit the oldest surviving railroad station in America. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum’s Ellicott City Station hosts the Holiday Festival of Trains, including a multi-level, 360-degree LEGO layout courtesy of the DC Metropolitan Area LEGO Train Club! Little ones will love the lights, motors, and sounds on this masterpiece made completely of LEGO toy pieces! For hours and more information on this special event, please click here.
National Capital Trolley Museum’s Holley TrolleyFest
1313 Bonifant Rd., Colesville, MD 20905
December 5-27, 2015, 12:30-4:30 pm (Saturday & Sunday)
The National Capital Trolley Museum, open since 1969, not only provides a chance to learn about historic streetcars in Washington, DC, but also an opportunity to take a trolley ride in one of eleven original cars! The museum has a wide collection of street cars including originals from Washington, DC, American Streetcars, and International Streetcars. The Winter in Washington special exhibit celebrates the season from December 5, 2015-January 31, 2016, recalling the season with streetcars in the nation’s capital. On December 5-6, 12-13, and 19-20, 2015, the Museum will feature Holly TrolleyFest with toy trains and Santa riding on streetcars. Continue to enjoy the toy trains and trolley rides on December 26, 2015, and December 27, 2015, as well.
