The Indiana Insider Blog

All Aboard for Holiday Fun Statewide

by on Nov 30, 2011

Posted in Big City Activities, Cities & Counties, Family Activities, Indiana, Indianapolis, Places To Go, Richmond, Rural & Small Towns, Things To Do

Picture-postcard American Christmas scenes often have electric trains set up and running circles around the base of the Christmas tree. Several Indiana cities, attractions and organizations are working to recapture that excitement with railroad-themed holiday activities.
Indiana Santa Train
December 2-4
Various locations
Presented by the Indiana Rail Road Company, the Santa Train will make stops in 12 small Indiana cities and towns.  Children (and kids at heart) will have the opportunity to board the train at each stop to visit with Santa and friends and of course leave their wish list with the jolly old elf. There is no charge for this activity. Click here to view the schedule of towns and arrival times.

Christmas Train Fantasyland
Daily through December 2011 except for Dec. 25th, Noon to 5 p.m.
Richmond Furniture Gallery, 180 Fort Wayne Ave., Richmond
Discover the magic of trains with free kids train rides, model train displays and more. Presented by the Richmond Railroader Society. This is a free event. For more information, call (765) 939-3325 or visit www.InHistoricRichmond.com

 

Jingle Rails
Through January 8, 2012
Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
Indianapolis
Jingle Rails is a journey to the Great American West – the real West and the West of the imagination. Watch eight trains wind past the local treasures of downtown Indianapolis, including the Eiteljorg Museum, Monument Circle and Union Station, through the national parks of the American West, passing legendary sites, including grand railway lodges, Northwest coast Native villages, and wonders both natural and human-made—Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite Falls, the Rocky Mountains and more.  Every part of the Jingle Rails display is made with natural materials.
For admission fees and hours, click here.

Watts Christmas Tree Farm & Train Shop
9180 E 700 South
Zionsville, IN
Watts Tree Farm started as a dream of original owner Jim Watts to pursue his love of landscaping. Watts and his wife and children bought the Christmas tree farm in 1961 and that first year sold trees door to door.  Jim’s wife Dottie made ornaments to sell in the cabin of the farm. More than a dozen years later, Jim and Dottie were in Europe to buy Christmas ornaments, when Jim convinced his wife they should buy a large scale German train to entertain young visitors to the shop. When a customer wanted to purchase the train, Watts became a Christmas tree farm and a train shop.  The shop sells complete train sets as well as individual pieces (cars, tracks, you name it) to railroad enthusiasts. For the kiddos, there is a large selection of Thomas the Tank Engine trains, as well as Playmobil and Papo figures.

For store hours, call 1-800-542-7652.

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Written by : Amy moved to Indiana for college in 1988 (Go Bulldogs!) and has never left. Married with three children, she's always on the lookout for fun and affordable things to do in Indiana. Elsewhere on the web, you can find Amy at The Fourth Frog Blog and All Things Aging. Amy receives compensation from the Indiana Office of Tourism Development for blogging. For more information, see our FTC Disclosure page.