West Chester Macaroni Kid features a Road Trip column to help families find fun outings and adventures that are driving distance from the Chester County area. In this "road trip" column I'll include a "family's eye view" on the attraction and will aim to provide you with practical tips to make travel enjoyable for your family.
My family was recently a guest of both the Strasburg Railroad and the Choo Choo Barn for a train ride through the Lancaster County countryside and a visit to a spectacular model train museum. It was a terrific family outing and is just a short ride from the West Chester and surrounding area. The Strasburg Railroad is just a scenic 30 minute drive from the West Chester area. As we pulled into the lot the kids were already spotting train after train, and admiring each one. We arrived at Strasburg about 30 minutes prior to our scheduled departure which I would recommend, partly to give yourself time in case you run into traffic delays - trains run right on schedule - but also because there is so much to do once you are there; you may appreciate the extra time to walk around.
Before boarding we made our way to the playground area located at the end of the station, near the toy store and restrooms (complete with changing station)! This area has a miniature train to play on and a terrific swing set and play area as well. We figured we would get some energy out before sitting on the train for a bit. We boarded our train and traveled the 45-minute scenic ride through the Lancaster County countryside. Did you know you can enjoy the picnic groves along the Strasburg Railroad? Pack a picnic lunch, ride the Strasburg Railroad, disembark at one of the picnic groves and enjoy your lunch and some playtime at the picnic grove. Simply get back on-board about an hour later to return to Strasburg. The Groff's picnic grove has picnic tables, swings, seesaws and a small merry-go-round. What a great way to enjoy some train time and a leisurely picnic with your family!
When you return to the Strasburg Station you can enjoy a ride on the pint-size Pufferbelly Train or test your skills on the Cranky Train, an arm powered scooter-like ride around a small track. The station offers several food options including meals at the Trackside Cafe, Ice Cream as well as drinks and snacks.
You can also find shopping opportunities for your train enthusiasts. The gift stores and toy store have every train item you could dream up from t-shirts to toys, trains, ornaments, kitchen items and beyond. The Railroad has many riding options, including a Dining Car and some special themed train rides. Find more information on the Strasburg Railroad website that will help you plan your train adventure.
After finishing up at Strasburg we headed just a short drive down the road to the Choo Choo Barn to see the model train display. It is a spectacular design, and I am pretty sure you could visit over and over again and see something new each time. We walked around the display several times and spotted new things each trip. I can't count the number of times I heard my kids yell, "Mommy LOOK!" It is a 1,700 sq. ft display with 22 operating model trains. The display changes from day to night and even has a "fire and rescue" scene that happens every few minutes while you are there - so exciting to see! You can see recreations of the Strasburg Railroad and Dutch Wonderland, and so much more.
This trip was so fun for the kids AND adults and we loved that it was so close-by and yet so different from what we do day-to-day in the area. We all enjoyed a lot of fun, nostalgia and train excitement.
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