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Thanksgiving train rides 2026 · United States
Thanksgiving train rides for families, every one in the country
The real list. Every train that serves turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day, every turkey dinner train in the weeks before, the one Thanksgiving train event made for kids, and what Amtrak looks like on the busiest travel week of the year. Each one links straight to the railroad's own tickets.
- 9 Thanksgiving trains and events
- 9 states
- 43 days until Thanksgiving
Last updated · Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026
Find your state
Thanksgiving trains are rare. Only nine states have one, and most are a dinner on the rails rather than a kids' ride. Pick your state to jump straight to it, or scroll for the whole list with dates, prices and the parent notes.
- AZGrand Canyon Railway on Thanksgiving Day
- CANapa Valley Wine Train Thanksgiving lunch
- CORoyal Gorge Thanksgiving Day Train
- FLFort Myers Thanksgiving Feast train
- GABlue Ridge Scenic, Thanksgiving week
- KYBardstown Thanksgiving Dinner Train
- MDThanksgiving by Rail for kids, Baltimore
- NHLake Winnipesaukee Turkey Dinner Train
- WIWisconsin Great Northern dinner train
- MI · NY · OH · VAThanksgiving weekend train shows
- All statesAmtrak on Thanksgiving
Not on the list? Your state has no Thanksgiving train this year. The closest one is probably a drive, so read the FAQ on what to do instead, and know that every state's regular Amtrak trains run on Thanksgiving Day.
From Kelsey
Why Thanksgiving is the one holiday that belongs on a train
Our book is about a corgi who rides the train to see his grandparents. That is the whole plot: pack the suitcase, get a boost up the big stairs, make it through the tunnel, and run down the platform into the arms of Grandmommy and Papa. I wrote it for my mom, who dreamed it up and passed away before she could, and I think about her most on Thanksgiving. So when I went looking for Thanksgiving train rides to take my own kids on, I was surprised how few there are. Railroads go straight from pumpkin season into December. The handful that do something for Thanksgiving mostly serve turkey on the rails, which is lovely, but a four-year-old does not care about a wedge salad.
So this page is honest. It lists every Thanksgiving train in the United States I could verify this week, says plainly which ones are for grown-ups, flags the one that is actually built for kids, and ends with the train most families will really ride this Thanksgiving: Amtrak, to someone's house.
Every Thanksgiving train in the US, by type
Three kinds of thing qualify. Thanksgiving Day trains run on Thursday, November 26, 2026 and serve a turkey dinner on board or run a regular excursion on the holiday. Turkey dinner trains serve a Thanksgiving meal on the rails in the weeks before. Thanksgiving events are kid programs and train shows tied to the holiday. Prices are the operator's posted prices as of October 14 and do not include fees or gratuity; anything I could not confirm for 2026 says so.
Thanksgiving Day trains (Thursday, November 26)
Napa, CaliforniaNapa Valley Wine Train Thanksgiving Lunch
The best known Thanksgiving train in the country. A 3.5-hour trip through the vineyards from downtown Napa to St. Helena and back aboard restored 1915 Pullman cars, with a traditional turkey feast cooked in the onboard kitchen. Two versions: the Gourmet Express (three courses, 11:30 am to 3:00 pm) and the Vista Dome (four courses in the glass-domed observation car, 11:30 am to 2:30 pm). Both start with a glass of sparkling wine for the adults.
- Departs
- McKinstry Street Station, 1275 McKinstry St, Napa. Check in by 10:30 am.
- Length
- About 3.5 hours, 36 miles round trip, never faster than a bike ride
- Price
- Holiday pricing is set per date on the operator's site. Regular Gourmet Express lunches run roughly $280 and up per adult, with a $109 fare for kids 12 and under on standard dates; confirm the Thanksgiving rate when you book.
- Kids
- All ages are welcome on the Gourmet Express. The Vista Dome is the fancy car; bring kids who can sit through four courses.
- Drive time
- About 1 hr from San Francisco, 1 hr 15 min from Sacramento
Parent note: Thanksgiving dates sell out well ahead, and the kitchen cars are open to walk through between courses, which is the single best trick for a restless kid. There is a free lot but it fills; arrive early.
Book on winetrain.comCañon City, ColoradoRoyal Gorge Route Railroad Thanksgiving Day Train
A canyon train through the 1,250-foot Royal Gorge along the Arkansas River, with Thanksgiving dinner served as you ride. The railroad runs three departures on the holiday (12:30 pm, 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm). First Class is a three-course plated turkey dinner with sparkling wine in the Deluxe dining car or Vista Dome at 12:30 and 6:30. Vista Dome, Deluxe and Coach riders can pre-order the 403 Grill turkey entree or order off the regular menu once aboard. Every class gets the open-air car, which is where kids want to be anyway.
- Departs
- Santa Fe Depot, 401 Water St, Cañon City. Free parking in the surrounding lots.
- Length
- About 2 hours for the 12:30 and 3:30 trips, closer to 2.5 for the evening
- Price
- Coach starts at $109 adult / $104 child (ages 1 to 12) before fees, dining extra. First Class Thanksgiving dinner packages are priced per table of four and listed when booking.
- Kids
- All ages. Coach plus the open-air car is the family move; First Class seats parties of four at one table.
- Drive time
- About 1 hr from Colorado Springs, 2 hrs from Denver
Parent note: The operator's Thanksgiving page still shows the 2025 menu and the 2025 date as of this update; the 2026 train runs Thursday, November 26. Confirm the departures when booking opens. Dress for the open car, which is cold in late November even when the sun is out.
Book on royalgorgeroute.comFort Myers, FloridaSeminole Gulf Railway Thanksgiving Feast Train
Southwest Florida's dinner train runs a special early departure on Thanksgiving Day with a traditional New England style turkey dinner (the only menu served that night) and its holiday murder mystery, "North Pole Noir," performed table-side while the train rolls across the Caloosahatchee River and out through Lee County and back. Boarding is 4:45 pm, departure 5:30 pm, about 3.5 hours.
- Departs
- Colonial Station, 2805 Colonial Blvd, Fort Myers. Free parking at the depot.
- Length
- About 3.5 hours
- Price
- Thanksgiving pricing is posted on the operator's events page when it opens; the railroad's other holiday nights this fall run $129 to $135 per person plus tax and gratuity.
- Kids
- It is a dinner theater with a (comic) murder plot and a late finish. Great for tweens, teens and grandparents, a long night for a preschooler.
- Drive time
- About 45 min from Naples, 2 hrs from Tampa
Parent note: Reservations are prepaid and required. Past Thanksgiving riders describe big portions and boxes to take home, so skip the pre-dinner snacks.
Book on semgulf.comWilliams, ArizonaGrand Canyon Railway on Thanksgiving Day
Not a themed train, but the only big scenic railroad in the West that runs its regular trip on Thanksgiving Day (it closes just one day a year, Christmas). In November the train leaves Williams at 8:30 am, reaches the South Rim at 10:45, and gives you more than three hours in the historic village before the 2:30 pm return, back at 4:45. Musicians and cowboy characters work the cars both ways. If your family wants to spend Thanksgiving somewhere unforgettable instead of in a kitchen, this is the one.
- Departs
- Williams Depot, 233 N Grand Canyon Blvd, Williams, behind the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel
- Length
- 2 hr 15 min each way, full day door to door
- Price
- Coach from about $135 per adult including the park fee; kids' fares and upgrades are on the operator's site
- Kids
- All ages. Coach is fine; the Observation Dome is the splurge kids remember.
- Drive time
- 30 min from Flagstaff, 2 hrs 45 min from Phoenix
Parent note: Pack a lunch or plan on the rim restaurants, which run limited holiday menus. Late November at the South Rim is cold and can be snowy; the train is heated, the rim is not.
Book on thetrain.comBlue Ridge, GeorgiaBlue Ridge Scenic Railway, Thanksgiving week
The North Georgia mountain train along the Toccoa River runs its regular daily schedule from October up to Thanksgiving, which makes it one of the few heritage railroads still running family excursions the week of the holiday. Four-hour trips include a layover in the twin towns of McCaysville, GA and Copperhill, TN, where kids can stand with one foot in each state.
- Departs
- Historic depot, 241 Depot St, Blue Ridge
- Length
- About 4 hours with the layover; shorter 2-hour trips on some days
- Price
- Posted per date on the operator's site
- Kids
- All ages; open-air cars on nice days
- Drive time
- About 1 hr 45 min from Atlanta, 1 hr 30 min from Chattanooga
Parent note: Whether the railroad runs on Thanksgiving Day itself changes year to year; the calendar on the operator's site is the only reliable answer. Wednesday before and Friday after are usually safe bets.
Check dates on brscenic.comTurkey dinner trains before the holiday
Bardstown, KentuckyMy Old Kentucky Dinner Train Thanksgiving Dinner Excursion
The only Thanksgiving dinner train in the country with a real kids' menu. A 2.5-hour, 35-mile evening trip in two restored 1940s dining cars past the Jim Beam distillery and across the Jackson Hollow trestle in Bernheim Forest, with a four-course turkey dinner cooked on board. Adults get the fall salad, herb-roasted turkey with dressing, cranberry sauce, four-cheese mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole; kids get a fall fruit cup, turkey, mashed potatoes and green beans; everyone picks pumpkin pie cheesecake, bourbon pecan pie or apple blossom. There is a vegan and gluten-free stuffed squash too.
- Departs
- 602 N 3rd St, Bardstown. Check-in opens one hour before departure.
- Length
- 2.5 hours
- Price
- Children 5 to 12 from $76.50; adult fare listed per date when booking
- Kids
- Ages 5 and up only (under 5 are not permitted on dinner excursions)
- Drive time
- About 45 min from Louisville, 1 hr from Lexington
Parent note: The Thanksgiving run is listed as its own excursion on the railroad's site; the exact November date is on the live calendar. It is a sit-down four-course dinner, so bring a kid who likes to eat.
Book on kydinnertrain.comMeredith, New HampshireWinnipesaukee Scenic Railroad Turkey Dinner Train
New Hampshire's "Turkey Train" is a 2-hour evening ride down the western shore of Lake Winnipesaukee from Meredith through Weirs Beach and Paugus Bay to Lakeport and back, with a full plated turkey dinner catered on board by Hart's Turkey Farm, the restaurant most of the state drives to on Thanksgiving. It runs Friday and Saturday evenings from late September through October, so it is the first Thanksgiving dinner of the season rather than the holiday itself.
- Departs
- Meredith Station, 154 Main St, Meredith
- Length
- About 2 hours
- Price
- Posted per date on the operator's site
- Kids
- All ages; the dining car is the draw
- Drive time
- About 1 hr 45 min from Boston, 1 hr from Manchester
Parent note: The season ends the last weekend of October, so if you are reading this after that, bookmark it for next September. Meredith Station's gift shop sells ice cream and train toys, which handles the wait.
Book on gsscenic.comTrego, WisconsinWisconsin Great Northern Railroad Thanksgiving dinner train
The North Woods dinner train runs a Thanksgiving special as part of its February-to-December dinner train season, served in a converted coach with seven private dining rooms along the Namekagon River. Couples get their own room; families book a room together, which solves the loud-toddler problem better than any other dinner train on this page.
- Departs
- Trego depot, Trego (about 10 min north of Spooner)
- Length
- About 2.5 hours for the standard dinner train
- Price
- Posted per date on the operator's site
- Kids
- Check the operator's age guidance for the dinner trains before booking
- Drive time
- About 2 hrs from Minneapolis, 1 hr 15 min from Duluth
Parent note: The 2026 Thanksgiving date and menu were not posted when this page was updated. Check the operator's calendar, and call if the November dates are not up yet.
Check dates on spoonertrainride.comThanksgiving train events for kids
Baltimore, MarylandThanksgiving by Rail at the B&O Railroad Museum
The only Thanksgiving train program in the country designed for children. Kids move station to station racing to load the right Thanksgiving foods into the right train cars (the tanker, the boxcar, the animal car) and learn how railroads deliver the dinner. Thirty minutes, hands-on, inside the 1884 roundhouse. Pair it with the museum's regular train ride, which departs from the same campus.
- Where
- B&O Railroad Museum, 901 W Pratt St, Baltimore
- When
- November 14, 2026, 11:00 to 11:30 am
- Price
- Check the event page for whether the workshop is included with admission
- Kids
- Preschool through early elementary is the sweet spot
- Drive time
- 45 min from Washington, DC, 1 hr 45 min from Philadelphia
Parent note: It is a single half-hour slot on a Saturday. Arrive early, do the workshop first, then ride the train and let them climb through the roundhouse afterward.
Details on borail.orgThanksgiving weekend model train shows
Not rides, but if your kid is the one who presses their face to the glass at every layout, these are the Thanksgiving-named shows on the calendar this year. They are cheap, indoors, and happen on the exact days when everyone needs to get out of the house.
- Nov 14TCA Lake Erie Chapter Thanksgiving Time Train Show, Berea, OhioOperating layouts, vendors, and a second TCA Thanksgiving show the same day in nearby Middleburg Heights
- Nov 28Packard Proving Grounds Thanksgiving Weekend Toy Train Show, Shelby Township, MichiganFifth year of the Saturday-after-Thanksgiving show in the historic Packard buildings
- Nov 28 or 29Rochester Thanksgiving Model Train & Vintage Toy Show, Rochester, New YorkThanksgiving weekend; confirm the day on the organizer's listing
- Nov 29SVMC Thanksgiving Train Show, Redford, MichiganSunday of Thanksgiving weekend, outside Detroit
- Thanksgiving weekendModel Railroad Show at the Science Museum of Virginia, RichmondA decades-old tradition on the weekend after Thanksgiving in the museum's former train station; 2026 dates post on the museum site
Dates come from the Train Show List and each organizer; check the listing the week of for hours and admission.
The Thanksgiving train most families actually ride: Amtrak
Thanksgiving is Amtrak's busiest week of the year. More than 1.2 million people rode during the 2025 Thanksgiving season, the Northeast Corridor runs extra cars from the Wednesday before through the Sunday after, and most routes switch to a holiday timetable on Thanksgiving Day itself. The trains run. They just fill up.
What matters if you are taking kids to a relative's house by train this year:
- Book now. Amtrak opens reservations 11 months out, and popular Thanksgiving departures sell out weeks ahead. Wednesday afternoon and Sunday are the worst; Thanksgiving morning and Friday are the easiest to get and often cheaper.
- Kids 2 to 12 ride half price, under 2 ride free on a lap. That holds through the holiday.
- Reservations are required on trains that are normally walk-up during the Thanksgiving window, Wednesday through Monday. Do not plan to buy at the station.
- Pick the right route for the trip, not just the destination. Our Amtrak with kids route guides cover kid fares, family seating, bathrooms and what to look for out the window on all 42 routes, and the stop-by-stop trip plans tell you what to do at every station if you have a layover.
The train to Grandmommy and Papa's is the one Rally takes. If your kids are riding Amtrak to their grandparents this Thanksgiving, that is the book to read on the way.
Which Thanksgiving train is right for your family
- You want to ride a train on Thanksgiving Day with little kidsGrand Canyon Railway. It is a daytime trip, every age is welcome, and it ends with the Grand Canyon. Royal Gorge in Coach with the open-air car is the runner-up and the only one with a real turkey plate.
- You want someone else to cook Thanksgiving and you have older kidsNapa Valley Wine Train for a long, slow lunch; Royal Gorge First Class for a canyon dinner; Seminole Gulf if your crew would enjoy a whodunit with the turkey.
- You want a turkey dinner train with a kids' menuMy Old Kentucky Dinner Train in Bardstown is the only one, ages 5 and up.
- You have a preschooler who loves trains and Thanksgiving is the pointThanksgiving by Rail at the B&O in Baltimore on November 14, then the museum train ride.
- Your family is spread across the country and the train is how you get thereAmtrak. Book today.
Before you book a Thanksgiving train
- Count the courses against your kid's attention span. Three courses is about 90 minutes of sitting. Four is two hours. If that sounds hard, choose Coach on Royal Gorge or the Grand Canyon day trip instead of a dining package.
- Check the minimum age. Bardstown is 5 and up on every dinner train. Seminole Gulf has no stated minimum but is a late dinner theater. Napa and Royal Gorge welcome all ages.
- Dress for the open-air car. Royal Gorge, Blue Ridge and Grand Canyon all have open or observation cars, and late November in Colorado, north Georgia and northern Arizona is cold. Hats and a blanket make the difference.
- Ask about allergies before you pay. Every dinner train on this page has one fixed holiday menu. Bardstown lists a vegan and gluten-free option; the others handle requests when you book, not on the day.
- Know that most railroad museums are closed on Thanksgiving Day. Steamtown, the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis and the Western Railway Museum in California all close on Thursday and reopen Friday.
Taking the train to the grandparents this Thanksgiving? Bring Rally.
In our book, Rally wakes up early because something big is happening. He sees the suitcase, packs his turtle, his green bone and his yellow ball, and rides the train all the way to the platform where Grandmommy and Papa are waiting. There is a tunnel in the middle he is scared of, and then there is light on the other side. I did not plan for it to be a Thanksgiving book, but every November it turns into one.
My mom came up with Rally's story and passed away before she could write it, so I wrote it for her, and now I read it to our kids on the train to their grandparents. If your family is doing the same, the free Rally coloring pages are the easiest thing to pack for a long ride, and our story explains why a corgi on a train means so much to us.
Questions parents ask about Thanksgiving train rides
Are there any train rides on Thanksgiving Day in the United States?
Yes, but only a few. In 2026 the Napa Valley Wine Train (California), the Royal Gorge Route Railroad (Colorado) and the Seminole Gulf Railway in Fort Myers (Florida) run trains with a turkey dinner on Thursday, November 26, and the Grand Canyon Railway in Arizona runs its regular daily trip on the holiday. Nearly every other tourist railroad in the country is dark on Thanksgiving Day, and most railroad museums are closed.
Is there a Thanksgiving train ride that is actually for kids?
The closest thing is Thanksgiving by Rail at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore on November 14, a 30-minute hands-on workshop where kids load Thanksgiving foods into model train cars, paired with the museum's regular train ride. Of the real trains, the Grand Canyon Railway day trip and Royal Gorge's Coach class with the open-air car are the most kid-friendly. My Old Kentucky Dinner Train in Bardstown is the only Thanksgiving dinner train with a children's menu, for ages 5 and up.
How much does a Thanksgiving dinner train cost?
Plan on $100 to $300 per person. Royal Gorge Coach starts at $109 for adults and $104 for kids with dinner extra; Bardstown's kids' fare is $76.50 with adults priced per date; Napa's regular Gourmet Express lunch runs roughly $280 per adult and $109 for kids 12 and under, with holiday pricing set separately; Fort Myers' holiday nights this fall are $129 to $135. Fees, tax and gratuity are added at checkout on every one.
My state has no Thanksgiving train. What can we do instead?
Two good options. First, ride a regular train on Thanksgiving weekend: Amtrak runs on the holiday in every state it serves, kids 2 to 12 ride half price, and a short round trip to the next city and back is a real adventure for a four-year-old. Second, find a Thanksgiving weekend model train show; Ohio, Michigan, New York and Virginia all have one this year, and most communities have a local club open house that weekend. Search your town plus "train show November."
Does Amtrak run on Thanksgiving Day, and is it a bad day to travel with kids?
Amtrak runs on Thanksgiving Day on a holiday timetable, and it is one of the easier days of the week to travel. The crowds are Wednesday afternoon and Sunday. Reservations are required on every train from the Wednesday before through the Monday after, so book ahead; kids 2 to 12 are half fare and children under 2 ride free on a lap.
Can I bring a toddler on a Thanksgiving dinner train?
On Napa and Royal Gorge, yes, all ages are welcome, and Royal Gorge's open-air car gives a restless toddler somewhere to go. Bardstown does not allow children under 5 on any dinner excursion. Fort Myers is a late, seated dinner theater that runs past most toddlers' bedtimes. If your child is under four, the Grand Canyon day trip is the better Thanksgiving Day train.
When do Thanksgiving train tickets sell out?
Earlier than you think. The Napa Valley Wine Train's holiday dates and Royal Gorge's First Class tables are usually gone weeks before the holiday, and the Fort Myers Thanksgiving train is a single departure with a few hundred seats. For anything on this page, book by the first week of November. Amtrak's Thanksgiving-week trains sell out on the busiest routes a month or more ahead.
Are railroad museums open on Thanksgiving Day?
Most are closed on Thursday and reopen Friday. Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis and the Western Railway Museum near Suisun City, California all list Thanksgiving Day as a closure. The B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore and the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento are good Friday-after options; check each museum's hours page before you drive.
- Verified this weekEvery train, date and price on this page was checked against the railroad's own site on October 14, 2026. Anything not yet posted for 2026 says so.
- We are a listing, not a sellerEvery button goes to the operator's own booking page. We never sell tickets and have no affiliation with any railroad.
- Thanksgiving onlyThis page lists Thanksgiving trains and nothing else. No December trains, no pumpkin trains, just the holiday.
Pack a book that ends at the grandparents' platform
Rally Takes the Train is the ride to Thanksgiving, start to finish. Real watercolor on every page.