New York Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post as I was invited to attend the NYBG Holiday Train Show. All opinions expressed here are my own. —

My family had the opportunity to go down and visit the New York Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show when it opened this past weekend. What a sight! There is plenty to do so make sure that you plan for the whole day. Tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for kids ages 2-12. You wait for your timed entrance in order to avoid traffic jams along the way, strollers are not allowed inside the train show, but are ok in the garden, and it sells out so plan accordingly. Parking across the street was easy, and cost $15, you can also take the train in easily.

The setups are amazing. Made out of natural materials (leaves, sticks, bark and the like) are many of our most famous and beloved landmarks are reproduced in great detail. From first sight (A) was mesmerized. He could not wait to see the next part. He was following the trains in and out of each of the little areas, marveling at the different cars and the paths that they took. He was totally engrossed. Around one of the first bends was a staff member who had samples of some of the materials that the artists used to create the scenes. He was very excited to be able to hear about them, and touch them. As we walked through his favorites included Yankee Stadium and JFK Airport, but he did truly stop to look at everything (even at 3!).

After the show inside the observatory we walked around the path and stopped to read some of the poetry walk that they currently have. We ended our walk at the Streets of New York food tent that they have set up behind the show. There we had street style hot dogs and talked about the awesome trains that we had seen earlier.

The fun continues in the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. If we were to go back I would probably go earlier in the day so that we could make more time for this portion. They have several different activities that are at train station stops for children to complete including: an artist’s station, an engineer’s station, and a builder’s station. There is another educational display of the Holiday Train show houses. On weekends there are also Holiday Parades and Ralph Lee’s Artist Station, which is a craft studio where families can create their own trains, people and animals to put onto the train landscapes.

If your child has an interest in trains, or art this is a great activity to take them to, just make sure that you have lots of time because there is a lot to do!

Here’s (A) in front of JFK Airport!