Do your kids like trains? (What kid doesn’t?) In Southwest Ohio, there are so many options for tiny train enthusiasts. From the world’s largest miniature train display to dinner trains, to interactive train tables to historic train rides, you can find it all right here!
Check out Southwest Ohio Parent’s Guide to Everything Trains – and indulge your kids’ locomotive love this summer!
Train Rides (of all sizes!)
AMTRAK – Consider traveling by rail on your next trip
Carillon Park Railroad – 1/8th scale railroad for kids.
Cincinnati Dinner Train – Eat dinner while taking a 10-mile tour of Cincinnati on this beautiful train!
LM&M Railroad (Feature Image) – Real trains; kid-and-adult-specific rides and themes.
The Cincinnati Zoo – Take a train tour trough the Zoo on this kid-sized train!
Whitewater Valley Railroad – This Indiana railroad travels through some of the most picturesque land in the Midwest!
Year-Round Train Displays
Behringer-Crawford Museum – This Devou Park museum is one of our favorite hidden gems in the city; its train display features a bubble where kids can get an up-close view!
Carillon Park – The indoor mode train at Carillon is awesome! Then, of course, there are the real train cars at the transportation museum.
EnterTRAINment Junction (pictured)– The biggest miniature train display in the world is right here in Cincinnati! And totally worth a visit. Click here for tickets!
Highfield Discovery Garden – this outdoor train traverses through a kid-sized world of wonder.
King Arthur’s Court Toys – this local toy store features several train tables where kids can play.
Krohn Conservatory – Krohn’s Christmas train show is a holiday highlight, but this Cincy gem boasts trains that run year-round in its conservatory.
Train/Transportation Museums
Indiana Transportation Museum – We’ve heard rave reviews about this Indiana museum, which also features rides on authentic trains!
Carillon Historical Park (pictured) – Just 45 minutes from Cincy, this Dayton gem needs to be on everyone’s list. The transportation museum is sure to leave your kids in awe.
Kentucky Railway Museum – In addition to themed train rides, this KY museum houses an exhibit hall that is a must for train enthusiasts.
Ohio Museum of Transportation – This museum is all about buses; you’ll see buses from the 1940s and beyond, from transit systems all over Ohio.
The Railway Museum of Greater Cincinnati – This outdoor museum features a really cool collection of old trains and equipment.
Whitewater Valley Railroad Museum – Whitewater Valley is a living history lesson, dedicated to preserving the Penn Central track between Connersville and Brookville.
So — turn off Thomas and take your kids on a train-tastic trip to one of these fun places!
For more links, literature, pictures and information on railroads, check out the Cincinnati Railroad Club’s website.