Christmas in the Twin Cities: Planes, Trains, & Sleighs

We have a unique opportunity in the Twin Cities to enjoy the holidays on trains and planes and sleighs, and we’ve rounded up all we can find just for you and your family!

It’s Fest! Merry Mansion, the season for affordable family fun at the American Swedish Institute. Don’t miss the Kids at the Castle playdates every month. Join in a musical story with Julglädje “Christmas Joy” performances on Nov. 25-26. Explore the decorated Nordic holiday rooms during our Making Traditions weekend music/craft series, FIKA’s food for kids, a Family Gallery and a FREE Holiday Open House on Dec. 13. Click here for our calendar and visit ASI at 2600 Park Ave., Mpls.

Now-2/24/17: Night Trains | Twin City Model Railroad Museum, St Paul | Saturdays, 6-9pm | $15/pp, family rates available, kids under 5 FREE | Enter a magical world of model trains. Overhead lights are turned down low and the models’ streetlights and buildings are glowing.

11/24/17-1/2/18: Flyover Holidays | Mall of America | Mon-Sat, 10am-9:30pm & Sun, 11am-7pm | $14.95-$18.95/pp | Ride will include a flight over America and an extended scene over Santa’s North Pole.

11/30/17-12/3/17: North Pole Express | Union Depot, St Paul | $19.95-$23.95, kids 3 and under free | Take a one-mile train ride to the North Pole and write your letter to Santa on the way. Santa will board the train and ride back to the Union Depot, greeting kids and collecting letters with treats and other activities following.

12/2/17-12/3/17: Holly Trolley | Como-Harriet Streetcar Line, Minneapolis | 12:30-3:30pm | $4/pp | Ride the rails with Santa in a streetcar decorated for the holiday. Then, warm up with a campfire and roast a marshmallow.

12/2/17-12/3/17: Santa’s Train Shop and the Holiday Express | Minnesota Transportation Museum, St Paul | 10am-4pm | $5-$12/pp | The museum is transformed into Santa’s Train Shop with live music, face painting, train rides on the Holiday Express, pictures with Santa, and lots of museum fun. Additional dates for this event are 12/2-3, 12/9-10 & 12/16-17.

If you are looking for the feeling of trains in your shopping experience, don’t miss the European Christmas Market at Union Depot, December 1-3 & December 8-10.

12/8/17-12/10/17: Canadian Pacific Holiday Train – The brightly lit train will roll into the following Twin Cities-area stations accompanied by live music from Kelly Prescott and Colin James:

• 12/8 – Hastings, arrives 8:30pm
• 12/9 – Cottage Grove, 5:45pm
• 12/9 – Minneapolis, 7:45pm
• 12/10 – New Hope, 3:35pm
• 12/10 – Golden Valley, 4:50pm
• 12/10 – St. Louis Park, 6pm

If it’s a horse-drawn sleighride you’re after, trot on over to our Twin Cities Holiday Festivals page – many Twin Cities-area communities are hosting their own holiday shopping galas downtown, complete with roving Santas, carolers and those sleighbells.