There are a lot of wonderful holiday options around the Denver metro, but the Polar Express Train Ride Experience might be my favorite. My family visited Golden last week to check it out.
The Polar Express Train Ride Experience is much more than just a train ride. So first, let me walk you through what exactly this “experience” is so you know what to expect!
The Polar Express experience is located a few hundred yards north of the Coors Brewery at the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden. So while it’s relatively easy to get to, the road to the museum is a smaller two-lane road and can take a few minutes to find since it’s well off I-70.
Once you arrive, you’ll head into the heated Polar Express Pavilion where a number of talented performers re-live the Polar Express story through songs and dances. You can write letters to Santa, grab hot chocolate, and take pictures. Be sure to arrive early or you’ll miss the pre-show!
You then hop on a vintage coach, pulled by a coal-fired steam locomotive, and visit the North Pole (not really, but that’s part of the magic!). The train ride is circular around the museum grounds. While it would be nice to climb into the mountains, the whole experience is self-contained on the museum grounds so the circular route makes sense.
Toward the end of the ride, the train stops in the “North Pole” and actors reenact the book scene where the children meet Santa.
After coming back from the North Pole, you hop off and visit Santa on another train.
So a couple quick tips!
You’d be surprised how many people wear pajamas and other fun holiday outfits! My husband Alex didn’t dress up, but he finally gave in when he saw many of the other parents wearing fun holiday gear. So don’t be shy – break out that holiday onesie you only wear at home!
Also, be sure to dress in layers. You start the experience in a heated – but somewhat drafty – temporary pavilion. Add in hot chocolate and things get warm quickly! Next stop is the train yard for another performance, which depending on the weather could be very cold. The train ride itself is warm, and then you’re back outside before entering another train to meet Santa.
So be prepared for a variety of temperatures!
Last but not least, I have two younger boys, and as we were driving over we briefly told them about a few of the things they’d be seeing and doing. We didn’t want them to be scared, but mostly we wanted them to know that when we said it was time to move on to the next performance and/or experience they’d be ready to go. The train won’t wait long, so be ready to move on when you’re told to!
So there you have it friends! According to the Polar Express website tickets are still available while I’m writing this Scoop post.
Happy Holidays!
-Mariel
