You don’t need to be a train buff to want to see one of the holiday train shows. There is something magical about watching trains zip by you, dipping in and out of miniature NY landmarks with dizzying speed. The most beautiful of all the train shows is that at the NY Botanical Gardens. You can watch the trains and trolleys chug beneath the boughs of a 30 foot evergreen tree twinkling with lights, across bridges, through tunnels and around NY landmark replicas and plants. The train exhibit at Grand Central Terminal is much smaller but wonderfully festive and easily accessible. While you are there, don’t forget to see the laser and light shows in the terminal as well as take a spin around the holiday market. Last, but not least is the Lionel Train’s trains which run year-round in its store. However, at Christmas time they add a Christmas tree to the display to make it more festive. While you are there, check out the real tree at Rockefeller Center: it’s a beauty! (the Rockefeller tree is up but won’t be lit until Tues, Nov. 30th)
Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show (Sunday, November 20th – January 9th, 2010)
The Holiday Train Show began last weekend at the NY Botanical Gardens in the Bronx. We have done this for 2 years now so I have some thoughts on it below. But first, it is free with garden admission. The train display is in the conservatory and it is wonderful to see the train dip in and out of plant beds, whizz overhead on wood tracks and speed by the Statue of Liberty. The entire display is made out of natural materials. You can watch the trains and trolleys chug beneath the boughs of a 30 foot evergreen tree twinkling with lights, across bridges, through tunnels and around NY landmark replicas and plants. You can also participate in the Gingerbread adventures , where kids use their senses to taste, smell and touch the spices and other plant parts that make up a gingerbread recipe. You can make spices, sachets, ornaments and decorate gingersnap cookies.
What you should know: the gardens make you check your stroller outside the building to the train show and only water is permitted inside. Depending on when you go, the line will either be short or long. I have been on a weekend and will never do that again, and on a weekday and will always do that again! We got there at 4 pm on a weekday, there was no lines for tickets or entry and it was magical in the gardens because the trees were lit up as well as the entire conservatory. If you go during peak hours, you walk in and wait in a long line that eventually winds it way into the conservatory. As you make your way through the building, you get progressively warmer and there is no place to put your coats- let alone your children’s’ coats, bottles, etc. Last year I was weighed down by 3 coats, 2 bottles, an Ergo and an antsy kid. Be prepared. Layer, layer, layer and see if you can bring another adult with you. Tickets are available in 15-minute increments. When you purchase tickets online, you can choose your date and start time in advance. Once you enter the Conservatory you can take as much time as you want to view the show. It is truly the best train show in the country. I have also been to the famous one at the Chicago Botanical Gardens and liked it as well, but this is truly large in scope. You’ll also salivate at the handcrafted gingerbread houses created by some of the city’s most imaginative bakers, and take an up-close tour of the spices used to make the houses. Save room for some samples—decorating gingersnaps is part of the fun.
And more you should know: So, for my experience there one year: I called in the morning of a school holiday to buy tickets to the train exhibit for the same day, but they said they weren’t available online or on the phone at such late notice. When I inquired about reserving a spot for that morning, they said, “Oh, just come in, there aren’t lines until 12:30 pm.” Well, you guessed it- bad advice! We got there at 11:30 am and couldn’t get tickets until an hour later. We messed around in the beautiful gardens (even in the winter) and went to see the gingerbread house. The house was a disappointment to us. We expected a really large construction with natural bounty decorating it. It was just a small little toy house.
Review: Once we got into the display the children were mesmerized. Trains zoomed overhead and through mysterious tunnels, they circled at every moment so if you happened to miss one, another one equally as fun chugged by. There were ladybug trains, high-speed trains, old-fashioned trains: it was magical. The sets were incredible. The only bummer is that you have to push by people if you want to go at a faster pace- and with children that is inevitably the case. My advice: don’t go on a weekend and if you do, plan to arrive earlier than 11:30 am. Try and go on a weekday and late afternoon so you catch the beautiful lights outside.
Details: the NY Botanical Gardens: http://www.nybg.org/ 200th Street and Kazimiroff Boulevard Bronx, NY 10458. The hours are Sundays 10am–7pm; Tuesdays 10am–6pm; Wednesdays 10am–6pm; Thursdays 10am–3pm; Fridays 10am–7pm; Saturdays 10am–7pm through Jan 9, 2011.
Lionel Train Store’s Sales and Train Display (November 12th – January 5th, 2010)
Okay, so this is a store’s train display, but it’s good. This is Lionel Trains second annual train display for this iconic 109-year-old brand. The store has operating trains whizzing through the store along with a Christmas tree to get you in the spirit. Don’t forget to get a Magnolia Bakery cupcake while you are nearby. They are the best! Store hours are 10 am – 9 pm weekdays and 11 am – 7 pm weekends, but will often have extended hours for special events and celebrations.
Details: The Lionel Store is at 30 Rockefeller Plaza- 50th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue. For additional information, please visit: www.Lionel.com.
Grand Central Holiday Train Show, Market and Light and Laser Show (November 22nd – January 17th, 2011)
This free train show is especially fun as it takes place in a real train station: Grand Central. You can see the train go from New York to the North Pole. It all takes place in the New York City Transit Museum Annex. This is free, easy and, in general, no lines. It is totally worth it. Don’t forget to check out the holiday market in Vanderbilt Hall too. Grand Central Holiday Fair (November 15th – December 24th,2010). This is a holiday fair that is on a lot of people’s lists. They have quality high-end vendors in the classy Vanderbilt Hall. The Holiday Fair hours are: Mon-Sat: 10am-8pm | Sunday: 11am-7pm
(**closed on Thanksgiving Day).
Details: For additional information about the Grand Central Holiday Train Show, please visit: www.grandcentralterminal.com. While you are there, check out the light show at Grand Central Terminal, too. Images of winter wonderland are projected on the famous Astrological Ceiling in the main concourse. The Holiday Laser Light Show (not shown since 2005) is back this year. A series of six (6) individual six-minute shows will be presented every half hour, between 11:00 am and 9:00 pm, over the course of six weeks- through December, 24th. Details: Grand Central Station is located at 42nd St between Vanderbilt and Lexington.
Kaleidoscope Light Show and Holiday Fair (November, 30th – January 1, 2011)
Check out the light show at Grand Central Terminal. The interior shows take place in the Main Concourse every half hour from 11am-9pm daily. While you are there, you might check out their Holiday Fair in Vanderbilt Hall at the Terminal. That runs Mon-Sat: 10am-8pm | Sunday: 11am-7pm until December, 24th. For additional information, please visit: www.grandcentralterminal.com.
Grand Central Terminal Holiday Light Show (November 30th – January, 3rd, 2010)
Images of winter wonderland are projected on the famous Astrological Ceiling in the main concourse. The Holiday Laser Light Show (not shown since 2005) is back this year. A series of six (6) individual six-minute shows will be presented every half hour, between 11:00 am and 9:00 pm, over the course of six weeks.
Details: The opening day ceremony, on November, 30th at 11am. While you are there, check out Grand Central’s holiday fair that is on a lot of people’s lists. They have quality high-end vendors in the classy Vanderbilt Hall. The Holiday Fair hours are: The Holiday Fair hours are: Mon-Sat: 10am-8pm | Sunday: 11am-7pm (closed on Thanksgiving Day). For more information, please visit: www.grandcentralterminal.com.