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Northwest Guide to Trains

Stay in a Caboose, Ride Trains for FREE, Mini Steamer Rides, Dine in a Train Car & More!

If you are someone who loves trains or have kids who love trains, here are some fun ideas on where you can enjoy them in the Northwest. This is our guide to All Things Trains here in the Northwest! Sleep in a caboose, visit a train museum, ride on a mini steamer train, or enjoy train tracks by bike, as well as more ideas.

I remember growing up, and at one point, we lived on Whidbey Island. There was this spot we would go to down on the beach to buy our fish bait, and I would always see this train car on the beach, and I dreamed of being able to stay in something like that one day. It turned out that the parlor car had a name (Parlor Car 1977), and it now resides at the Northwest Railway Museum. When I was young, it was a private residence, so all I could do was dream of visiting it, and these days, anyone can visit it in real life at the museum! Something about those memories draws me to unique places to stay or visit these days, and train cars are one of those things.

Not only will you find trains you can stay in for an overnight getaway in the Northwest, but you will also find trains to ride, eat in and and train museums and other train attractions that are fun for all ages to explore. Jumping on the Amtrak can be a fun way to see parts of the Northwest, but it is certainly not the only way to enjoy trains in this area of the country. Here are many ideas for all of you train enthusiasts to enjoy.

If you are interested in trolley rides, be sure to check out 7 Trolleys to Explore the Northwest!

And since lots of this info can change from time to time, always confirm times and prices on their websites or by calling. 

Train Rides To Enjoy :

There are a number of trains throughout the Northwest that you can book for all kinds of train rides. These include themed train rides, general train rides, mini train rides, urban transportation options, and more.

Amtrak Rides

One highlight for families is the Kid Ride FREE on the Cascade Amtrak Route in Washington! If you want to get out and enjoy a fun train ride, then taking advantage of this offer might be the way to go!

In addition to the Kids Ride Free Cascade route option, there are a few other options on this mainliner. You can book sleeper cars if you want to travel overnight. One popular route for its beauty is to enjoy the Northwest portion of the Empire Builders route, which runs from Glacier National Park.

Other locations in the Northwest to book a train ride:

Washington Trains

• Chehalis-Centralia Railroad and Museum. Try out their Summer Bash & BBQ, which offers “a buffet-style three-course meal catered by Joy’s Once Upon a Thyme following the excursion. A full bar will be available on the Train.” Or take a scenic trip for as low as $29 for adults!
• Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad. These guys recently experienced a devastating fire, so it would be a great time to get out and enjoy one of their train trips to have fun and continue to support them. You will enjoy the beautiful foothills of Mt. Rainier on a journey powered by their historic steam engine. The other thing that is great about this one is that it departs from Elbe (and we share below where you can stay in a train car, and eat in a train car – so you could make it an entire train-themed trip!
• Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie offers quite a few different themed train rides, as well as scenic rides. One that is particularly popular for families is the Day Out with Thomas (a Thomas the train-themed train event) in July. Find all of their train options here.

Oregon Trains

• Oregon Rail Heritage Center Saturday Train Rides are some of the most affordable options, with rates as low as $17 for adults and $12 for kids! Every Saturday, they offer train rides through the Springwater Corridor along the east bank of the Willamette River.
• Mt. Hood Railroad. Their Polar Express is one of the most popular Winter train excursions we share, but they run summer, fall, and spring trains too. Plus, you can do a combo of the train + trolley experience with them as well.
• Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad. This one is unique in that it offers an Oregon Coast trip as one of the options. You can also book a moonlight excursion if you want to take a night train!
• Sumpter Valley Train Rides. They offer Christmas trains and scenic trains, but their Robbery Train Rides look fun to me!

Kid Favorites – Mini Steamer Train Rides!

• Kitsap Live Steamers schedule here! And if you are headed over there, check out this Kitsap Peninsula Itinerary for more ideas on what to do in the area.
• The Great Northern and Cascade Railway. They offer FREE, unlimited, miniature train rides are available Saturdays only, from the first weekend in May to the last weekend in October, from 10 am to 4 pm.
• Pacific Northwest Live Steamers at Moalla Park. These guys are held in a park and run every Sunday from May to October. The gates open at 11:00 am, allowing visitors to board the train promptly at 11:30 am (plus a couple of full weekends)!
• Train Mountain Museum – in Klamath, Oregon! My family had a great time visiting this train museum. There is exploring to be done on the grounds, and then take the small train tour. We had a great time!

Amusement Parks with Train Attractions in the Northwest:

• Silverwood Express – a fun train ride attraction at the Silverwood Theme Park in northern Idaho, for the entire family. This is not just a train ride, but also a show. Find everything you need to know about visiting Silverwood in our Silverwood travel guide here.
• Remlinger Farms Steam Train Ride – This is a steam train ride for all ages that offers a 10-minute tour around Remlinger Farms.
• Wild Waves Enchanted Railway Ride for younger kids. Find out how to get discount tickets to Wild Waves here.
• Enchanted Forest – The Tiny Tune Train, another option, fun for younger children.

Train Track & Train Tressel Attractions

These are options that use existing train tracks, so you get that train feel, but not a real train.

• Spend a day biking the railroad rails in Shelton with Vance Creek Railriders! This makes a fun day for the entire family, and you get some exercise to boot. This can be a popular event, so you may want to book early.
• Rail Cycle Mt. Rainier offers an experience where “you explore the historic rails of a former logging route while taking in breathtaking views of old-growth forests, glacial streams, and scenic mountain vistas”.
• Joy Rail Bikes out of Chehalis is a new option, where you will “open-air rail experience brings you even closer to the beauty of the Chehalis River Valley, as you pedal your way west and take in the panoramic views of our lush countryside.” They offer an upgrade option to e-bike assists as well.
• Mt. Hood Railbikes, what is unique about this option, is that they offer 2-person battery-assisted rail bikes. That means it might be a better option for someone who might need some help with the pedaling.

Train Excursions & Holiday Trains

And long gone are the days of the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train, but that does not mean you cannot still find a great excursion train, for a new fun experience. There are a number of excursion trains year-round. The Holiday Trains are some of the most popular.

Holiday Trains

• Mt Rainier Railroad Christmas Train – Most dates are sold out, but there are a few left (note they have changed to Christmas with the Clauses this year, instead of the Polar Express, but we share the review from the Polar Express here, to give you an idea of the quality of this train ride), tickets for this event always sell out fast. They generally go on sale at the beginning of September and sell out for most dates very early in September. It is the most popular Polar Express event we share each year.
• Mt Hood Railroads Train to Christmas Town – Tickets Still Available – this one is the second most popular offering we share, after the Mt. Rainier Polar Express, and it can sell out too (but not usually nearly as fast). Still a good idea to get your tickets early.
• Northwest Railways Santa Trains – The Yuletide Trains are sold out, but Santas Train still has tickets – out of Snoqualmie or North Best. We did this one when my kids were little, and had a good time. There are two options you can pick on this one, short or long (Yuletide or Santa Train), so there are more budget friendly options. Christmas is beautiful in Snoqualmie too, and if you want to turn it into an overnight stay, the Snoqualmie Casino just added a new hotel this summer!
• The Polar Express on the Chehalis Centralia Steamtrains – Still tickets available.

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  Where to Eat on a Train – Perfect Way to Enjoy a Great Meal!

  Did you know there are a couple of restaurants in the Northwest area that exist in train cars? Here are a couple we know about.

  Frank’s Diner is one I love, and they have two locations in the Spokane area. This spot is not only fun, but the diner food is great too. It is a popular spot and gets crowded. Chances are there will be a wait time, but we thought it was worth it. They have two locations, one in downtown and one in North Spokane (I prefer this one, but both are great). We share more about it here in our Spokane Restaurants roundup.

  The Mt Rainier Railroad Dining Car is in Elbe, WA, and is part of the Hobo Inn. They serve breakfast on the weekends, and lunch and dinner Wed through Sunday. You can find their menu here.

  The Seattle Orient Express is a train-themed Chinese restaurant in Seattle. I have never personally been here, but the reviews look good. Google the name of this spot, and check the images out to get a better idea of what to expect here.

  The Chuck Wagon Drive-In in Mount Vernon (not a drive-through, but a sit-down diner-style spot) is not a train car, but you will find model trains running through the restaurant, and a pretty extensive burger and hot dog menu.

Where to Stay in a Caboose for the Overnight Train Experience

It has always been a dream of mine to book an Amtrak Trip in a Sleeper Car. You can read about the time we stayed in an Amtrak sleeper car on our way to Montana to get a better idea of what that is like. To be honest, I realized I think I would rather book one of these trains to enjoy in a stationary spot. The reason was that our car was booked in the winter, and there was an avalanche that covered the tracks, so we ended up not being able to get back onto our return train to get home. it ended up being quite the ordeal, and we decided that some of these other ways to enjoy trains might be better suited for us (that is until we can afford something like the Rocky Mountaineer Luxury Train – I would jump at a chance to enjoy a trip on that. All of that is not to say that I do not love a great Amtrak ride – I do. I think I just prefer the day trips. For example, I have enjoyed a couple of trips on the train up to Vancouver and found that a fun way to travel.

If you are looking for places you can stay overnight on a train, but without booking a trip on a moving train, here are some ideas.

This is the Olympic Railway Inn in Sequim

Washington Trains You Can Stay Overnight In:

• Hobo Inn Mt Rainier – Elbe, Washington. Check out reviews on TripAdvisor here to see how this one might work out for you. Not only can you stay in a train car, but you can eat in one here, too. The Mt. Rainier Railroad Dining Co. is onsite, and a popular destination to eat at. These are only rustic train cars, with model amenities, and they boast of having the largest number of cars in the area. You will need to call these guys to make reservations.
• Olympic Railway Inn – Sequim, WA. These guys offer 10 themed cabooses that you can rent to stay in, just 3 minutes from downtown Sequim, with a game room onsite!
• Iron Horse in Cle Elum, WA These ones will sleep up to 5 people, so they offer a little more sleeping space than some. They offer a rustic bed and breakfast option, with a hot tub, breakfast, and even animals on-site.

Oregon

• There is an Airbnb that looks like it could be fun for train lovers in Joseph, Oregon.

Northern CA.

• Jubilee Wilderness, in Dunsmuir, CA (about 95 miles south of the California-Oregon border) offers this fun location where you can stay in a caboose or dine in a dining car. It is also an RV park, so there are many more amenities too.

Train at the Union Gap Agricultural Museum!

Train Museums

The Northwest Railway Museum

This is one of my favorites in the area, and build it into a visit ot Snoqualmie Falls too.

• Model Railroad Exhibit at the Washington History Museum
• The Issaquah Depot Museum
• The Tenino Train Depot
• Visit the train car at Heritage Park in Lynnwood, or the Lehigh Business Car in Black Diamond (I have walked this one with the kids before heading over to Black Diamond Bakery!)
• The Whiteriver Valley Museum in Auburn has a train caboose and other railroad-related exhibits the kids can explore.
• The Agricultural museum in Union Gap has this train you ride in to go through a small part of the museum, that my kids loved when they were young.

And in Oregon:

• The Train Mountain Museum in Klamath, Oregon.
• The Oregon Rail Heritage Center
• Willamette Valley Model Railroad and operating museum

Let us know if we missed any of your favorite places to enjoy trains!