Great place to visit with the family. It is called a museum, but I'd call it more of a train ride with some train exhibits. The bulk of the visit is a 40 minute (90 minute round trip) ride on their train through Manatee County to the Willow station. There are three passenger cars -- two with windows and AC, and one that is made out of wood and is open to the elements. Weather-permitting, it is absolutely wonderful to sit in the open-air car. However, if you want to learn more Florida railroad history, you probably should try to sit in one of the other cars, as the volunteers will give lectures, and you really only can hear them when sitting inside. We stayed mostly outside as not everyone was wearing masks, and with COVID, it's safer to stay in the open-air. Also, the middle passenger car probably shakes the most. My kids enjoyed the ride, and they loved running around the Willow station, which has a large open field and many hay bales for sitting (or jumping, if you're a kid). They also liked the interactive toy train set up in one of the museum cars. Parking is free and plentiful. The volunteers on the train are very knowledgeable. Currently, they run the train twice a day on Saturdays and Sundays, but check to make sure they have availability and/or if it is a normal day or a special event. Trains are pretty punctual, so show up early and browse the "museum" while you wait to board, or risk missing your boarding time. read more

This is a review specifically about the North Pole Express from 12/17/22. This ride to the North Pole has been a tradition for my son and I for the past 3 years making this year 4 and I am really sad to say, I probably will not come back again. We paid for the first class service, car 214, which had no A/C and the windows didn't open. It was stuffy and uncomfortable. The seats were facing each other, so we ended up paired with other guests that we didn't even know. Usually all the rows are facing the same direction. The snack/drink that comes with First Class didn't arrive until we were 5 mins from the North Pole, we were literally getting our drinks as we were getting off the train and the event stop. The reindeer food station was unattended and they had completely run out of oats by 730PM. That has NEVER happened before. The toy/play area was a nightmare. Last year they had train tables and train tracks but no trains. So this year we brought our own trains and it turns out they had tables but no tracks! There was a corn hole station and kids were hurling the bean bags OVERhand hard at each other and hitting people around them. My son got hit twice and I ducked at the last minute to avoid getting hit in the head. Some parents were wildly irresponsible and did not watch their kids and endangered many others and it really took away from the experience, big time. On the way home, the same situation with the First Class car 214 persisted. No A/C. Usually on the way home the lights are turned down so kids start to wind down or even sleep... The lights were OFF on the way to the North Pole site and ON during the ride back. Completely opposite. The food was good. The carolling under the tent was good. The cookies and hot cocoa were good and the s'mores making area was good. I paid $175 for two tickets for this experience and this was absolutely not even close to the value for what we pay. Sadly, this will likely be our very last time on this train. I'll have to find another way to continue our train ride tradition and seeing Santa. read more

What a fun excursion. Very low key. A cute train robbery and nice ride on a Sunday. The entertainers seemed to enjoy what they were doing and interacted with the passengers. read more

We had an amazingly fun trip on the Florida Railroad Museum ride to the North Pole! Kids had a blast chatting with Santa and roasting marshmallows. The adults enjoyed a fun ride, delicious food and watching the kids have a blast! read more

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Drove up from Ft Myers this past weekend and we had the best time! The train, of course was awesome. But we were also fortunate to get on the train with the acting group who performed a train robbery for us. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend you pick a day when the show is included for maximum fun! read more

Florida Railroad Museum - Met new friends on the ride. - Museums Near Me - Parrish, Florida

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Perfect place! Kids liked it and everything is included in the ticket. I recommend to visit this place read more

Florida Railroad Museum - Museums Near Me - Parrish, Florida

Took my fiancé and dad here for Father's Day . Staff was extremely friendly and all work as volunteers . Very sweet to my 3 year old who was a little hesitant about trains . Loved the educational experience and seeing some of the old circus cars was great too . Would definitely go again . read more

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The pumpkin patch train ride was a great time and a unique experience. They put on a hayride and had lots of games and fun for the kids. The staff that puts on the events are friendly and welcoming. The model train was even decked out for halloween. We were thrilled with the whole event. This organization is such a gem. read more

My grandsons had the time of their life. Great staff and lots of fun. It will be a great family tradition in years to come.

This was the worst trip I've been on. I literally think I'm reliving hell. The train was so old, dungy, and dirty. It had no cleanliness esp with covid and it put random people so close you were touching knees. No one wiped anything down or even walked around. They had no snacks or waters so please bring your own on the train. Ours was 30 mins late and waited on people showing up past the time they said was too late. We left the station at (6) was supposed to be 530 then we got there and the train ride home was supposed to be 755 boarding. At 825 if finally started coming around. We left by 845 to be stuck on the tracks at 930 for them to tell us they were checking the brakes all the sudden after cruising. We didn't even get to the parking lot until 1015 (825 was the time we were supposed to get there). There was only one actual food vendor at the North Pole. The line for Santa was 2 hours long. The hot chocolate was cold. There were funnel cakes that were undercooked didn't even try the pretzels for that case. There were no hand sanitizer stations by any of the activities where 10000 people were touching it. There wasn't enough activities for the amount or people they packed in. It was like a trashy carnival with really no holiday spirit. Skip this!! read more

Florida Railroad Museum - Museums Near Me - Parrish, Florida

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My girlfriend purchased the cab ride as a Christmas gift for the two of us. Dan the engineer was absolutely great and knowledgeable! The museum at Willow Station was nice to see before the return trip back to Parrish. Cab view was great straight down the tracks for the both of us. Very cool that we ran the engine around before Willow Station (pulled the train close to Willow Station, then disconnected and moved the engine on a side track around to the back of the train and pushed the train in, so we were ready to pull it all the way back to Parrish) which added some excitement. Highly recommended! (5/13/23) read more

Florida Railroad Museum - Museums Near Me - Parrish, Florida

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Great fun for the entire family. Authentic-time period costumes on those acting out the train robbery. Get your picture taken with either the bad guys or the good guys!! Lots of fun! read more

We had such a nice time. It was hot so I recommend getting there early to grab an air-conditioned car. But you can take your children strolling to the back to get a better view or grab a window seat. It was a bit of a travel for us so we didn't get to look around much. Staff was nice and I think all volunteers. A husband wife retiree couple as well as a few other staff we encountered. It can be quiet except when there are excited children. We had a great group of people and I even had a nice family sit down with us and share a table and talk a bit. All in all a positive experience but a short one. Good day trip if you live within an hour or two but if you have older or techie kids who don't enjoy such things you can avail yourself of the snacks (low cost) and coloring books for donation. read more

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Such a great day riding the train to Willow and back with my granddaughter. It was all about the ride and the train experience and it was a great one. The staff were welcoming and very knowledgeable. If you haven't had a chance to go for a ride outside of the Polar Express, make a nice afternoon out of it. Loved it! Let's help keep them around by supporting them. The tickets are reasonable and the ride and nice getaway from the daily stresses. read more

My toddler had the time of her life! We met Santa, had cookies and hot chocolate, played in the "snow" and went on the train! read more

Florida Railroad Museum - Museums Near Me - Parrish, Florida

Wow what a great time at the Florida Railroad Museum this past weekend. I was there for my nephews birthday who is 7 and loves Thomas the Train and they had the Thomas Train Experience. My nephew Henry was so excited and everyone at the museum was super friendly and nice! We arrived off of 75 South and the directions took us in a pretty strange direction. When we arrived we were greeted by some volunteers and they were super friendly and nice. They told us where to park. We parked in a big grass lot and then went inside. We had a train ride scheduled at 3 and we went right on the train. We did make sure to stop and see Thomas before getting on the train. While on the train the people were super friendly. We sat in the open air car. They train took us about 5 miles down and brought us back. We passed orange groves, strawberry fields and some pretty landscape on the train. After the ride was over we heard some music and ate some fair food. They had a bounce house, petting zoo, tattoo station, and you could also meet Sir Tophm Hatt. This was a great event for kids and a great way to teach them about trains and for them to learn some awesome stuff! I would highly recommend taking anyone who is train lover to this and they will for sure have a good time! read more

We decided to have my two year old son's birthday party here and it was a blast. My son is obsessed with trains so enjoyed seeing them in person and riding on it. He especially enjoyed the car that had the layout (train set) in it. The conductors and engineers were wonderful! There are 3 cars: 1 open air car, one "dining" car, and one coach. The dining car and coach have a/c which is great. The seats also recline as an added bonus! Definitely will return here for more fun! read more

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Attended the Murder Mystery dinner play. Dinner and the 30 minute train ride were $65/person. The venue was a tent setup in a field. It was very cold on this particular day and there were only a few heaters in a large tent. The food was sub par, the acting was okay, the train was filthy dirty inside with bugs crawling all over and lots of dust. For $140 I expected more...‍ read more

Great location. They have several events throughout the year. We've been to the pumpkin patch and they are starting their polar express. We went to the Hole in the head Train robbery. It was entertaining for the kids. A lot of interaction with the audience. They have little handouts and things for the kids. There is a train museum to look at while you wait. There is also a souvenir shop and snacks at the train station and on the train as well. Bathrooms at both locations too. The employees are passionate about what they do and you can tell through their work. A great way to spend an afternoon. read more

Awesome ride,interprets were fun. Gondola car was fun. One of the best train rides I have been on.

This was a surprisingly awesome fun experience, and I highly recommend it. The costumed actors stayed in character and mingled with the passengers on the train. The robbery and gun battle was fun to watch, and the all kids on the train loved it. Well done, and thank you to all the volunteers who make this possible, because their passion for trains and the Old Western days is evident. We will definitely do this trip again. read more

Another fun afternoon with my 5-year old grandson. He loves the excitement of anticipating the train ride, the activities, taking home a pumpkin, and the gift shop (which has a nice assortment of souvenirs, reasonably-priced). This year, there were more activities for the kids. A real plus! They loved the bounce house! And the tattoos. And the not-so-scary haunted house. I've been taking grandchildren for 20 years. A great childhood experience. Remember, all the "workers" or "staff" you encounter are volunteers. They love what they do and try to make the experiment as pleasurable as possible. This is a great addition to Old Florida activities. read more

Great experience, we have year passes due to a lot of different events. We've just been at pumpkin patch and we had so much fun. Cool and great things to do like: maze, petting zoo, tractor ride that was among really old trains. Everyone likes trains! Full for all family! read more

Florida Railroad Museum - Pumpkin patch train decoration - Museums Near Me - Parrish, Florida

This is highly overrated and overpriced for what is included (and not included). I feel it was very expensive for what you get and how poorly everything was planned out/executed. I expected to hear Christmas music on the train, but all we got were "carolers" walking up and down the aisle which personally I just thought was awkward. Almost every bathroom on the train was out of order. Everyone had to go to the front of the train to use the bathroom and they were definitely not nice whatsoever--Worse than airplane bathrooms and completely disgusting. Everything is old , wobbly, broken and there were many mosquitoes. Upon arriving to the "north pole" we immediately bought food which is essentially just fair food. We also thought we were gonna be listening to Christmas music, but all we got were three teenagers from a high school choir singing on stage that sounded like a horrible karaoke event. For as much money as we paid, I guess I was expecting way more. Thankfully, my kids still had fun so it wasn't a total waste. However, we didn't get back on the train until 10:20 pm and back home until midnight on a school night. Seeing Santa was pretty cute and done up pretty nice in the little room he was in. You have to either pre-buy your s'mores kits or buy them there. There's multiple fire pits with hay bales to sit on and roast your marshmallows. There's an area to make "reindeer food", which is essentially just oatmeal and glitter and a cute little maze lit up with Christmas lights. The kids can run through. There was also a train ride which was super cute and my kids loved it. If you've ever been to any pumpkin patch or farm Christmas event it's basically the same thing you would see there. Also, there were unlimited (publix) cookies and hot chocolate which was included in the ticket. read more

I love that there's a historic railroad so close to Sarasota. This is a great experience for both kids and adults. There's something really cool about riding such an old locomotive. The volunteers are usually seniors and really add to the experience by dressing and acting the part, one guy in particular (pic posted, he's great). We've been here for the Polar Express and the Day Out with Thomas, and both were just perfect. They have private rentals and a calendar of events, so check it out. The Polar Express always sells out and the caboose (personal bathrooms!) and tents are hard to rent, but your kids will be happy just to ride to the North Pole, eat smores, play with elves, and of course meet the nicest and best looking Santa. Both events had their usual food stands, tender fried chicken, fries, drinks, funnel cake, etc...the usual fair fare. read more

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There was a big mix up with the seating. we were assigned seats but when we got on the train others were in our seats so we sat somewhere else. That created a domino effect and it was all very confusing. The train ride was fine and I loved looking at "old Florida". When we got to where we ate, we didn't realize that it was all outdoors. It was 87 degrees out. The conductor said there would be fans but there weren't any. The food was OK but nothing to rave about. The show was cute though and we enjoyed that. That's why I only rated it a 3. read more

I loved the Hobo Campfire. I didn't know what to expect. I really didn't need extra smore. I can't wait to make this an annual event. The conductor said they are volunteers. read more

Florida Railroad Museum - Museums Near Me - Parrish, Florida

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I went on the North Pole express with 4 children, 1 baby and 3 adults recently. We specifically paid for the pricey seats in the first class cabin solely because they had air conditioning and we had 4 kids under the age of 5 dressed in long sleeves and wanted to be comfortable. The price of this air conditioned cabin was $623. The regular tickets would have been approximately $254. this is a serious price difference just for AC. We all sweating immediately upon entering the train, I assumed that the AC would start once the train ride began. We had arrived 45 minutes early as instructed and were on the train about 5PM with the plan to depart at 515. We did not depart u til 535. So we had already been sweating for over 30 minutes. About 5 minutes into the trip, we were notified that the AC didn't work. We were offered water, apologies, and to go to another car.. however if we did that, we would be split up. This was not an option because we had so many small children with us. So we were stuck in this train with no ventilation or air circulation for over an hour, as well as the thirty minute ride back. I emailed the FL railroad and they offered me a gift card for half the cost of my tickets. I told them I never wanted to go back there again. We also live 1.5 hrs away and have no reason to come back. I would not recommend If you plan on paying first class with the expectation of an AC cabin. Also, for $623, the activities were sub-par. I 100% would not do it again for $623.. but even the $254 would be questionable. read more

North Pole Express - final night on 12/21/22. The Train- We showed up about an hour early. This was fine except that the train was late so it was a much longer wait. The port-a-potties lacked any lighting and they desperately need an outdoor hand-washing station. This was our first time and most likely our last time for this experience. We are a family of four and we paid for the Excursion Plus seats as well as the family fun pack. The seating arrangements were odd because they had two sets of seats facing each other and only half of my family as assigned those seats. Luckily, the car was not full and we were able to sit together. My children love trains but the ride itself was a bit of a bore. The car was not overly decorated and the carolers didn't visit our car until we had already stopped at the north pole. The singing lasted for about 2 minutes, if that. We've enjoyed another Christmas train (in another state) with hot chocolate, balloon art, coloring, an elf reading a Christmas story, singing, and a visit from Santa -for a much lower cost. We understand that this is a different train but the lack of any festive music (a bluetooth speaker would have been fine) and the very sparse decorations were a disappointment when paying as much as we did. It was noted that the lights were not dimmed for the return ride to the station with tired children. The North Pole- We headed straight for the hot chocolate and cookie table. This was fine but I've never seen hot chocolate served from a gatorade dispenser. The s'mores station was probably my favorite area with plenty of fire pits and seating. The play area was fine for what it was. I did see a lot of unsupervised children being too aggressive and destructive. The reindeer food station was fun but it only takes about 1 minute to complete. The art area was not something my children wanted to do. The foam snow would have been good but the scent was too strong and reminded us of a car wash or of carpet cleaner. The train display was interesting for my children but it would have been nice to have more train inspired toys and activities. Staff- Overall, the staff was kind. I did have one staff suggest they were a bit over it and ready for it to be done. I do wish the staff was more cheery and festive. Length- the time spent at the North Pole was too long. I think 1.5 hours would be better In summary, additional Christmas decorations, Christmas music, and maybe a visit from Mrs. Claus or an elf on the train would have made the experience feel like it was worth the price. read more

We went on the North Pole Express and the family had a great time. I wish they had more tickets as this event usually sells out.

Our family (including kids and grandkids) had a great time! The featured events kept the attention of the young ones, and we also enjoyed the food. read more

For what I paid for these tickets I was very disappointed. My family attended the fall pumpkin patch event, for a much more affordable cost. There were many more activities at the fall event than the Christmas event. While there were wonderful carolers that came through the cabin and a very friendly and fun elf, the overall experience lacked. The decorations in the car could have been improved, the bathrooms were still out of order since October, there was not any music aside from the elf and carolers in the cabin. At the North Pole, the activities were strongly geared towards children 3 years of age and under. The line for Santa Claus was extremely long. ​it would have been nice to have a check in system or sign up time rather than stand in line with the kids for most of an hour. Aside from the smores and fire pits, I overall was disappointed. I do not recommend read more

We had the best time during our North Pole Express ride. It was my daughters first time on a train and she loved every min. There were plenty of activities for kids, the unlimited hot chocolate was amazing! My daughter told me "that was the real Santa bc his beard wasn't fake" lol everyone was super friendly. We will definitely be back next year read more

Florida Railroad Museum - Train, lights, polar express, Christmas - Museums Near Me - Parrish, Florida

I took my family to the North Pole Express Train Ride from Parrish, FL recently and we all had an amazing time! There were fun Christmas activities, good food to purchase, and a Snores area that was so well thought of! It's a wonderful experience for children and families!​ read more

This was disappointing. We expected polar express vibes. The man taking tickets doesn't punch them, no one tells all aboard, the train didn't whistle when we took off. There was no Christmas music at all, it was silent for the whole 35 minute ride aside from Carolers who sang two songs and went to the next car. We were seated in separate rows even though I bought all our tickets together. No hot chocolate or cookies on the train like the movie, it was at the "North Pole". All the food was very bad, and super expensive so stick to the pretzels and funnels cake instead. It would have been fine and a decent experience if it was priced better, but lacking all that it's definitely not worth $300 for 3 people. Super sad read more

This is an experience the whole family will thoroughly enjoy. This is our second time back, and we will be back again.

We took our 5 year old granddaughter on her first train ride. It was very enjoyable experience for all. Too boot we landed in the Pumpkin Patch and totally enjoyed our time there as well read more

We took our 3- year old grandson to the FRRM yesterday on a ride to the pumpkin patch and we had no idea what to expect. It WAS AMAZING!! From the ride over with Bart as our conductor explaining the history of the cars and tracks to our final destination was first rate. Once we arrived to the patch there was a bounce house, a "tattoo" hut, a "not so scary" haunted house, a gay nail maze and surprisingly delicious food. Not just burgers and dogs but also chicken pitas, tomato and feta salad, sno comes and more. Cannot recommend highly enough. We hope we can get a spot in the Polar Express for Christmas! read more

Florida Railroad Museum - Photo Op at the hay bails - Museums Near Me - Parrish, Florida

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Very, very kind accommodating employees. Highly recommend!! Some cars are open-some are closed with A/C

Not a fan of the Polar Express experience. Little to no signage on where/how to get on the train. The attendants that were supposed to be directing traffic were rude, and snapped at us like we should know where we were going, made my three year old cry before we even got on the train. Not enough to do at the "North Pole" to keep the attention of a three year old. The train back did not leave on time and we were over an hour late getting back to our vehicles. It was 11pm before we left the parking lot. Very disappointed, and will definitely not be spending money on tickets again next year. (They were super expensive) read more