We finally made it out to ride on the trains! We got there right at 10a and there was a crowd already lined up waiting to ride the trains, however the lines went pretty fast as there were multiple trains running. We enjoyed the scenic 15 min ride on the train around the park. Please note this is on every third weekend of the month. Rides are free but donations are gladly accepted. Plenty of parking. If you don't want to wait long or want to avoid the heat I would suggest going early. Also be sure to check their website or social media account before going to make sure they are open :) read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Amazing experience for children whether first timers or experienced. Only open on specific weekends so check before going. Rich and Bill made the experience very pleasant. The train ride is roughly 15 minutes long and you go the surrounding land filled with trees, flowers, and greens. Very fun time and will definitely come back next month! read more

As a fully-grown adult, I had a great time! I never knew how much fun model train cars could be until I got to ride on them at Goathill Junction Railroad. It is such a treat for the organizers (OC Model Engineers) to offer free rides the 3rd weekend of each month for the general public from 10am-3:30pm. The 1.25-mile loop is roughly 15 minutes and takes you under bridges, past beautiful palm trees, and other surprisingly scenic parts of Costa Mesa. En route it is also not unusual to see hikers out for a stroll with their dogs as well. The line queue is relatively fast with this definitely being a family-friendly experience but kids need to be at least 31 inches tall to ride. Please make sure to donate since the hosting 40 y/o nonprofit is volunteer-run with all funds going to overall maintenance and program support. Highly recommend to all! read more

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Came here many years ago and the train broke down half way through our ride. 2 kids (possibly teenagers) ran out to help jumpstart the train again. Went again today with the youngest kiddo and the train did not break down. There are now 4-5 trains running at the same time. Line looked long but we only waited 15 minutes. The actual ride was maybe 10-15 min too (very long for a train ride like this!) which was awesome. The LA Galaxy was there today with their mascot Cozmo, and there was an iceeee truck on site too. Fun times. Free parking on the dirt. All rides are free this weekend, but we chose to donate some $ to support this good cause and pay for our rides. read more

What a cool spot if you love trains! First time sitting on a mini size train and it was amazing. They only come on the 3rd weekend of every month so I guess 24 times a year. I wouldn't say it's worth it just to drive down for the experience but if you live nearby or are already in Orange County it's worth checking out. It's a free experience so there not much to complain about. The line took about 50 minutes to 1 hour to get to the front. I arrived at 2:15 and road at approximately 3:05. The train ride was about 15 minutes and they took us around two loops which was fun. No seatbelts or anything so definitely don't mess around! Parking - They have a dirt lot but it was very plentiful. read more

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Such a fun little hidden gem in Costa Mesa for families and their little ones. They offer free train rides on the 3rd weekend of ever month from 10am - 3pm. The ride lasts about 10-12 minutes long. Staff here is extra friendly and they do accept donations to keep the trains running. Definitely recommend! read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - Fun experience - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

non stop rides, Sunday Funday 6 different miniature trains on 13 + tracks. If you ride, please donate $ as well, they operate on donations. Great family fun read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - one of the many - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Free train rides every 3rd full weekend of the month! Plus, this month they have a Toys-for-Tots drive which is always nice to participate in. There are multiple trains that run, so the line goes fairly quickly. We got to do two laps on two separate tracks, which was great. In total, it was about 15-20min. The kids loved it, and we had a blast! The scenery around there is nice and open as well, and the conductors are friendly. There was even a "bandit" waiting at the station interacting with the guests. This is volunteer- and donation-based, and there's a small shop that sells small trains, tracks, and other goodies. Also, when we were there, Kona Ice truck was also there, which was a nice treat! See photos for policies. Parking is on gravel road. Great experience - we'll be back! read more

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My little one loves going to Goathill Junction for train rides! They offer free rides every 3rd full weekend of the month. We also attended a birthday party hosted here and the kids had so much fun! read more

Fun, free, kid friendly activity to take your kids on a weekend who is obsessed with trains! The line moved fast to get on the train and the 2 loops around the park had a lot of good views. Bought some toys and donated money to make it worth their while too! read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - Free train ride every 3rd weekend of the month! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

If you are looking for a fun kiddie train ride that is long (a few miles), then checkout the orange county model engineer train ride once a month. read more

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Surprisingly the line wasn't long for a holiday weekend, so that was a relief. And there were tons of parking spaces available. I took my kids ages 3-16 and they all enjoyed the ride. No complaints, it's got a wonderful piece of history and it's free. Every 3rd weekend of the month. I think dependent on the weather. No parking fee. There's Kona Ice on the property so the kids can enjoy an icee after their ride, I paid with cashapp but they do take card or Zelle. And there's bathrooms available. My 3 year old absolutely loved it! She kept yelling "this is so fun!" I wouldn't recommend it for a kid who moves a lot though, because if you're riding behind someone chances are they're more comfortable than you are. I believe there's a weight limit I think around 225 lbs? You may want to double check, but it does say you can check with them- just wanted to put that as fyi. You get to go around twice so you can get a better view of the park. read more

This is easily a 10 star location in my book. Pro's: -Come if you're a cheap Asian like me because the train rides are FREE. There is 1 donation box as you enter the line and as you exit. It's recommended to give $2/person but the people are so nice you kind of just open up you're wallet to give more. -Great for the kiddos that loves his/her choo choo trains. Also great for adult train enthusiasts! -There are benches everywhere so pack a picnic so you can ride the train multiple times, break for lunch, and than ride again! Tips: -Open every 3rd weekend of the month Sat-Sun 10-3:30. -There are about 3-5 trains going at once so a long line that wraps around can go quickly or slowly. Each train has varying amount of seats. One train can have 3 cabs and another has 6. -Come early around 9:40 or go late. I've actually seen the line dwindle after 1:30 pm. Just remember it closes at 3:30 -Each ride lasts less than 15 minutes -Bring a hat and wear sunblock! A little information too on this neat place. These orange county modal engineer guys had asked the city a while back if they can use this goat hill land to build their tracks and play with their trains. The city allowed them this, but on the condition that they allow free rides for everybody that wanted to come. So most of these guys are retired and of course love their modal trains. They put a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and a lot of their own money into this place. The only thing they ask from the riders is some donation to help with supplies to manage the train and tracks. We love this place and can spend the whole day here. We hope that you give this place a try and love it as much as we do! read more

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Our granddaughters (4 & 2) loved it. A bit boring to us with little to see but worth it for a donation. read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - Granddaughters watching Train engine and engineer - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I really can't think of a better activity for families to take their kids to. I just wish it was open more than one weekend a month. But, given that it is owned & operated by volunteers/mini train enthusiasts, I get it. Just make sure you're leaving a tip when you go to help them out. You can tell these people love what they do & sharing their passion with people of all ages, but that doesn't mean they should have to do it for free. The track is kept up really well & is sprawling over a beautiful hill that gives wonderful views on clear days. It's just so tranquil as you travel around the looping track. There is much more track available than the loop, so changing the route every once & awhile would be a wonderful treat for repeat visitors such as our family, but I don't know what that entails for the people running things. I guess that's just a dream of mine. I have 2 kids and have been taking our eldest since he was tall enough to ride & now that our 2nd child is tall enough, we love bringing him along as well! Despite being hyper boys who love to run around, they are so still and calm on the route. You can just tell they are having a blast & soaking it all in. We also love bring any cousins who are visiting along with us as this is just such a unique experience. I really can't recommend Goat Hill Junction enough. Yes, they can get busy & the lines can get long, but it's still worth it. Once again, it's free! Why not? You really can't complain at that price. And I can almost guarantee if you go once, you will go again (& again & again) read more

One of the best experiences my daughter had in OC. It is completely free and only open during the 3rd weekend of every month. It loops around twice making it about 10 mins long. A child must be 31" tall and able to walk on their own to ride the train. In the summer, make sure you bring a hat for the little one~ Also, don't bring your best, black stroller. The parking lot is loose gravel and dirt, so any time a car passes through all that dust rises and sticks to the stroller. read more

Just the facts ma'am: Parking: ample and secure Ambiance: so perfect Value: ridiculously good every third weekend of the month is free, come on does it get better? My 2 cents: This is so cool for the preschool to maybe second or third grade set. Mine are getting too cool now that they are fourth graders, but they humored me for a last run. It is so wonderful that these amazing people volunteer their time and share their passion for trains with the rest of us. I hope I get to take my grandchildren here someday, in the very distant future. Make the effort to enjoy this super cool thing these people do for us all. read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - Donation box - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Train rides for children and adults. I really enjoyed our early Saturday morning ride here. As did my toddler. He's a big train guy now. Choo choo! read more

How did I not know about this till now! Wow! What a great activity for the family and it's for free (suggested donation) The parking lot will get full so the parking I wasn't very comfortable with but looks like there are other lots where you can walk over as well. They have a taco stand and Kona ice there to help pass the time before or after you wait. There were lots of trains so it moved fairly decently. You go around the track twice. Very cute and fun! Highly recommend! SYOY! read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

My son really enjoyed riding the mini trains. I highly recommend making a donation to help keep this fun experience alive. When we arrived a little after 10 am, we had to wait 45 minutes to ride. When we returned at 2 pm, the wait was only 15 minutes. I was impressed by the views and the duration of the ride. read more

This place is a god-send for anyone with young kids looking to have some fun in the sun. One doesn't even need to be a kid to enjoy something like this. I am still in awe while writing this review, as I've never seen anything like it. I came here on their public ride weekend (the third of every month) with a bunch of relatives and their little ones. The fact that this perk is still free on the third of every month is insane. Of course, the good kind of insane. When it was initially pitched to me, I was under the impression this is a amusement park kind of deal with folks watching their young ones enjoy a choo-choo train. Turns out this train operation is legit: there is a conductor up front, seating for everyone including adults, and an extensive amount of track laid out in the countryside of Costa Mesa. 5 miles of track to be exact; which amounts to just over 10 minutes of riding. The ride along experience was fun, though a little nerve racking since no one is strapped into their seat. The California sun makes it a pleasant ride overall and the cars weren't going fast enough to induce any kind of motion sickness. There isn't much to see beyond the highway and some general weeds / random trees, but it's still a very cool way to kill some time no less. Plus, any kid would love this experience. As always with anything free and executed well, the lines were endless. The wait was a solid 45 minutes and that can feel especially long when being surrounded by a lot of children. Parking isn't too difficult as there are vehicles going in and out all the time. Since it is on a dirt / gravel surface, it can get really dusty. There are some food tents outside of the facility serving food, typically Mexican fare. Honestly the food looks bangin'; I'd probably just sit around and watch the line move while shoveling a few tacos or enchiladas down my throat. Too bad I can't do so while cruising on the mini-train. 5 stars all the way. read more

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This is fantastic how they do it in OC. Donations are welcome, but it is offered for FREE. Let's keep the train running. Even we grownups loved riding this train, which is excellent for children. You can also ride as much as you wish. They are pleasant and cordial. read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - Held every 3rd week of the month - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Perfect for family outdoor fun activities plus its FREE! Highly recommended and staff are friendly read more

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Get there about 10-15 minutes early and you'll be fine. Dirt parking lot but does not affect anything. The staff and even everyone attending is nice. Every adult there is amazed right along with the kids. Cute gift shop and the frozen ice truck was a great treat after the train ride. We were there probably a total of an hour, max 1.5 hrs. Was a fun and great way to start the morning- be sure to do your part and tip!! There are jar's everywhere for donations- it's making this all possible and you can't help but smile after your adventure. Btw i was impressed we got to go around twice during the 1 Ride... would really like to return again. read more

So Awesome that this train is a hidden gem right in the heart of Costa Mesa. It is Free with small donation. Great For the whole family. read more

Fun local gem only on the third Saturday of every month. Who doesn't love riding a cute little train around the back hills of Fairview Park?

Pretty fun place to take your kids. I would definitely recommend it. It seems like a small time operation with a cool local people. read more

I (not just my toddler) had so much fun. All the staff that I encountered were friendly and look like they love kids and their job. The long line moves fast since there were 2-3 trains running at the same time. And while waiting there are nice picnic tables for the kiddos to snack/rest while one adult stands in line. I highly recommend this activity for families with toddlers who meet the height requirement. read more

Great place for family fun day to enjoy relaxing and FREE train ride! Volunteers are awesome at keeping this place a smooth operation. Free trains rides are offered to the public on 3rd weekend of the month. The lines go by pretty quickly as there are multiple trains operating on the track. The train ride runs over 10+ minutes and goes through the track twice; the little train is a small but mighty machine! During the ride, the breeze could be a little chilly, so recommend to bring a light jacket to adjust to the weather. After the train ride, stop by the taco stand and the gift shop to conclude the day. Don't forget the donation box! Parking: There's plenty of space for free parking, but exercise caution driving into the unpaved/pebbly lot. All train enthusiasts will love this place, young and old! read more

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Awesome experience! My three year old had a blast, as did I. She sat with her grandpa. He's been into trains most of his life and wanted to do this with her. Everyone was friendly. The wait was short. The scenery is beautiful. I'd ride all day if I could. The gift shop has a nice variety of souvenirs and other trinkets. I just wish they had t-shirts in size 4T. read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - My daughter and father-in-law on one of the model trains. - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Very fun! Took our son and he is obsessed with trains. Staff was super nice and we went on a day that rides were free so we ride multiple times. Overall lots of fun and very good experience. read more

For a real treat and some great family bonding time, the scale model trains that you can RIDE can't be beat. The location is in the middle of a dry field with views of the adjacent golf course and the city street. With several miles of tracks, an honest to goodness trestle (bridge for us city folks) and genteel engineers and conductors, this FREE attraction is on our regular rotation of things to do on the third weekend of every month. There are at least 4 different trains, with the steam engine the perennial favorite. Little ones must be able to walk and be at least 31" tall to ride. Closed toe and heel footwear is recommended for those kids who tend to throw off their sandals and only one train has seats with a low backrest. The other cars you just have to straddle on industrial grade carpet. The sun's rather hot beating down on the field, so a good sun hat is recommended. There are picnic tables and a taquero making fresh tacos and burritos if you forget to pack a lunch. It's location, across from Estancia High School means that it's minutes from local fast food and grocery stores if you want to make pit stop before or after riding. The parking lot is unpaved so lower cars might have a challenge. SUV's and minivans, the de rigueur vehicles of choice, abound, so take that into consideration when contemplating which car to take. The thought that these grown men and women love model trains enough to let perfect strangers ride on them for FREE once a month is amazing in this day of self-centered extremism. It truly is one of my kids' most favorite past times and a wonderful way for all of us to get together and enjoy the outdoors, a picnic and a most refreshingly quiet ride home, as the excitement, heat and full bellies all add up to create the perfect recipe to relax overactive children... read more

Before the pandemic, we visited here almost monthly. Now that our son is older, we come less often. Coming after 1 o'clock is best since the line is not as long. We rode five rounds during some visits. read more

My family walk these tracks all the time but finally today we finally had the chance to ride the train today. Everyone was so incredibly nice and the train lasted for a good while. My kids are still so happy they were able to ride the train. It won't be our last. read more

Orange County Model Engineers Inc. is a non-profit club that operates a 7 1/2" gauge railroad over a 5 mile layout of track at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa, CA. Free train rides for the public on the third weekend of every month. Timings 10am -3.30pm. Last train ride at 3.30pm. Very friendly staff / volunteers. We got here at 9.55am on a Sunday morning and there were about 15 people waiting in line. The queue went quick as there were 3 trains ready to go. The ride was 15 minutes long and takes you past the golf course, over and under a bridge and the driver is not shy with the train horn which my toddler loved. When we got back to the station, the queue was much larger. We were told we could wait in line for another go on the train if we liked. There isn't much else here except for a gift shop and restrooms. We were done by 10.30am before the heat of the sun became unbearable. Definitely worth going early and being there before 10am. Enjoyable experience! PS. Remember to contribute your donations. read more

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It was so fun! We went on a free Sunday. There was a line but it moved pretty quickly. The train does two loops (one over the bridge and one under). The kids wanted to get in line and ride again! read more

One of the best outings for a family in Orange County and perfect for those on a budget. The kids loved it and so did the adults. Friendly staff and quite an amazing experience. The food is also amazing - try the papusas! read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

All aboard the choo choo train!!!!!!!!! FREE train rides every 3rd weekend of each month 10 am - 3:30 pm! =) FREE parking and there's also a park across the street. Whether you're young or old, anyone can enjoy the mini-size steam train rides! There are various models and it's just so cool to ride on them! They go around the big loop 2x. They offer FREE popcorn while you wait in line. There's music playing as well. A couple of picnic tables nearby if you want to enjoy the music, relax or eat snacks. The lines can be long, but it's worth the wait. I recommend coming here by 10 am to avoid the long lines and in case if it's going to be warm day. My little one LOVES riding the train and we've gone on the train 2x when the lines are short! The volunteer workers are so nice and friendly. It's not a very shaded area so remember to wear hat (esp for the little ones), wear sunscreens, and stay hydrate. Be sure to donate $$ in the donation box. The volunteer workers are working for free and would sure appreciate your donation. =) read more

It's been awhile since I've been over here but I took my dogs on a hike and found myself walking through the railroad tracks off Fairview park of the Orange County model engineers. We had brought our kids here when they were littles and had so much fun. If you are a train lover, looking for a volunteer hobby or have little guys, you should check this place out. I believe they do rides the 3rd weekend of every month but they do private birthdays, etc. check out their website or if you're just looking for a nice morning hike/run area this area is an oc gem often overlooked. http://www.ocmetrains.org/index.html read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - Great area to hike and check out the tracks. - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

An awesome place to bring your train loving kids to! On the third weekend of every month, they offer Free train rides (donations accepted)!!! There is also free parking, a taco stand with reasonably priced food available, as well as a gift shop! There are also plenty of picnic tables for a snack break and restrooms. We loved that the train ride was nice and long and actually took us around two loops! read more

Goathill Junction Railroad - Amusement Parks Near Me - Costa Mesa, California