Hi fellow travelers! I hope you all are exploring! My four year old loves trains and constantly asks to go on one. I don’t mind bringing him, but some railroads are hours away by car and can be very expensive for kids that want to just ride a train for fun. It’s hard to know which train rides are going to provide the excitement my kids want, the prices I need to stay on budget and let us enjoy the beautiful Colorado landscape. Here are a few that I have tried, want to try and think will be the best options for your little conductors!

The Georgetown Loop Railroad and Mining Park–

My parents took me on this train when I was a kid and let me tell you, it is a beautiful ride. I love Georgetown, it’s close, it’s small and quaint and sits below a huge mountain. Plus, if you stop there, don’t forget to eat at the Happy Cooker, oh so good for breakfast! Anyway, because Georgetown is so close you won’t be driving for miles just to get to the railroad and you can make a day trip out of it, instead of needing to spend the night somewhere. You can start in Georgetown and head towards Silverplume or vice versa, but you hit Georgetown first on the highway and it is a nice place to shop before or after your trip. The ride is only 30 minutes, which is a perfect amount of time for kids, they can look out of their car at the mountains and not get too restless. It’s also not a very expensive ride, adults are $25.95 and kids are $18.95. It’s a great introduction to riding a train and you get to see the beautiful mountain scenery.

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad-

The Royal Gorge Route Railroad is the perfect way to see the stunning gorge from a more solid point of view. Below it. More my style if you ask me, but this train is for the go-getters’ of train rides. I am talking a two hour ride through the incredible gorge, and even in coach class, which is still pretty fantastic, you can dine on delicious breakfast or lunch items, like breakfast burritos and pancakes or sandwiches and burgers. It is a pretty long ride for the kids, but, they do have an open air car car, where you can experience the gorge to it’s full effect. The prices are much more expensive, adults are $49 and kids are $44, but you get so much bang for your buck aboard this train, for a special treat, it may be well worth it!

The Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad–

If you are looking for a railroad that provides a little less excitement, but still enough steam to impress the little ones, then this railroad is for you. Located in Cripple Creek, CO, which is not a far drive from Denver, you can experience the grandeur of riding on a steam locomotive while traveling close to the historic mines in the area. It’s only a 45 minute ride and you can get off and on the train for pictures. The trains run every 40 minutes between 10 am- 5 pm, so you can pick the perfect time for your family to enjoy the gorgeous mountain terrain. Tickets are incredibly cheap as well, adults are $15.00 and kids are $10.00, you can definitely have it all on this train ride.

The Belleview Park Miniature Train-

If you have never been to Belleview Park, or the Airplane Park as my kids call it, then you are missing out on a great little day trip. There are play sets, a small wading creek, a petting zoo and of course a train! The train is the best part of the whole park, your kids can ride all day at only $2/ride. It’s a short little loop around the park, but the kids feel like they are on a journey of epic proportions. They even go through a dark tunnel at the end, which they just love. Belleview Park is in Englewood, CO which isn’t too far from Denver and you can even bring a picnic lunch and sit under the trees. If you need to cool off a little bit after the train, the park is located next to Pirates Cove!

So, there you have it, don’t wait another minute to get out and see how beautiful Colorado is in the Spring. Traveling by train is such an enchanting way to experience the history of Colorado from years ago and kids love anything they can ride on. It is fun for the whole family and you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy it!