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    Poway Midland Railroad

    4.5 (32 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 2 months ago

    Poway Midland Railroad Photos

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    Irish C.

    If youre looking for things to do on a weekend with kids , this place is a good option. Its a short trainride but the kids enjoyed it. Its 2$ for kids and 5$ adults.. Theres also lots of picnic tables around ( theres bid picnic area) and its dog friendly.

    Poway Station -- Western Union Window
    Norbert K.

    I've been interested in checking out the Poway Midland Railroad on a weekend when it operates. I like the layout in Old Poway Park with track essentially following the park perimeter. Everything looks well-maintained by the Railroad volunteers. This Saturday they were offering rides on a restored/converted San Francisco cable car. I did not get into the Car Barn, but peeked inside from the open doors. This is a very small operation, but worth a visit.

    On the train!
    Jessica G.

    It's a real train with a few cars attached to it. Our kids love trains, so this was an absolute blast for them! Pick up tickets at the booth there and get ready! It's a great way to end the morning after checking out the Poway Farmer's Market (Saturdays: 0800-1300).

    JohnAndrew R.

    Amazing Hidden Gem. A slice of Old Poway. Let's take a train ride down memory lane. Train rides on rustic trains are available on Weekends around the park. Tickets are limited. Farmers Market is available on Saturday from 0800-1000. Be cautious of parking. There is adequate FREE parking around the entire park but limited closer you get to the entrance. Vast amount of space with tables, benches and fire pit for events which can also be reserved for special occasions. Creek trail is accessible for your enjoyment if you choose to get closer. Playground is available adjacent to the train tracks. A great size for the little ones to blow off some energy without it being difficult to keep track of them while sitting down to rest our old bones. Veteran memorial. Outstanding! Pay homage to all those who served past and present. Restaurants are available to dine; I highly recommend the Burger Restaurant. Overall; my family and I had an amazing experience and would highly recommend you stop by. What do you have to lose?

    Adding oil to the steam engine!
    Jennifer C.

    Breathtaking! A train enthusiasts dream come true! Open only on the weekends. We came during the weekend where the steam engine was operating and what an amazing experience. The sight of the steam pillowing up from the train, the smell of the engine and the loud toot brings a smile to people of all ages. The line goes quick so kids don't have to wait too long to board the train. While you are in the area, take a stroll around old Town Poway, it's very cute!

    Nice view from the line
    Maritess C.

    My daughter wanted to do something fun so we stumbled upon this train station. I didn't even know they had one in Poway. I don't normally venture this far out. There's a track that goes around a burger restaurant and a park which you can have picnics and just relax on the benches. I believe they offer this ride every weekend. Not too sure of the hours. Check out the website. It will give you more information about the train rides. It's a cute location and there's plenty of parking throughout the place. I definitely enjoyed the ride with my daughter. She thought it was cool. Beautiful scenery of trees and places that surround the train tracks. I highly recommend this to those that have kids and if your a kid yourself, I think you would enjoy the ride. A must visit if you're in Poway.

    Rice o Roni the San Francisco Treet
    Kevin C.

    Who doesn't love to ride on a classic train. We went there today and took our beautiful daughter to ride on the train. Today schedule was a classic 1907 San Francisco cable car. It was a nice few laps around the track and we all enjoyed the ride. Tickets were $3.50 for Adults and $1.00 for Children. They sell Bottle water for $1.00. There is a nice shady park to have a picnic and nice clean restrooms. Parking is easy to find and there is a hamburger place in the middle of the tracks. The trains change weekly so please check their website for the latest info. The Steam Engine will be out of commission until next year because it's boiler needs to be replaced:-(

    Allison J.

    I'm surprised I barely found out about this place! The train rides are awesome for little ones. We came for a birthday party and all the kids ages 0-8 really enjoyed it, especially my 2 y/o. And if it's your birthday or someone's birthday on the train, they go around an additional time. The cost is only $2 for adults and $0.50 for kids. You can even buy an annual pass for 2 adults and up to 4 or 5 kids for $35/year, which I may soon purchase. This is a better deal than the train by the zoo and they have bigger trains (trolley, cable car, steam engine). They only operate on Saturdays and most Sundays, but if you go on Saturday, you can make a day out of it, since the Farmers Market is right next to it.

    Don't Trust Website Hours :(
    Jojo V.

    We absolutely love this park and rail road but what we don't love is driving 50 miles round trip on easter for a special train ride with four kids to find that even though the website specifically stated they are open april 16, they were closed, I saw multiple families with little ones in tow being disappointed, crying etc over and over again due to this website foul up. Pretty sure that this place is ran by volunteers but please understand how much you disappointed small children and inconvenienced parents and be more courteous next time :(

    The Orange Empire and Campo railroads are amazing and blow this place out of the water. I was excited when I walked up and saw a really well done barn, but quickly learned it was off limits. Not much to see here and train ride is pretty short. Would like to see a proper rail museum here.

    Thuy N.

    Cool place to hang out with the fam! Place has a small town feel and looks like in the Wild Wild West times. You feel like a cowboy when you're here. Has a historic feel and exhibits with real and toy trains. A paradise for people who are obsessed with trains! And there's a park nearby to hang out, a river and a restaurant.

    Beautiful park

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    Little one loved the train and conductors smile and wave you can hear his "wow" from station all the way around.

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    15 years ago

    I have 2 boys, a 3 and a 6 year old. They both love going to ride on the trains. It's also great for a birthday party!

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    Ask the Community - Poway Midland Railroad

    Review Highlights - Poway Midland Railroad

    This is a better deal than the train by the zoo and they have bigger trains (trolley, cable car, steam engine).

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

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    Totally Thomas' Toy Depot - Store Front.

    Totally Thomas' Toy Depot

    3.8(32 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    What a fun little toy store!…read more It's hard shopping for toys in person these days when really the only options you have are Walmart and Target. I miss the days of Toys "R" Us. But this little toy store is a nice breath of fresh air. It's a smaller store, but it has lots of unique toys for all different ages. We came in here looking for a few small gifts for a school gift exchange and found lots of fun things. My son picked out a magnet toy and my daughter sound some watermelon pink slime. And our 2 year old found a wooden Thomas Train he didn't have. And surprisingly, they had Pokémon cards which my son appreciated. I hope they continue to carry sports and Pokémon cards because it's always fun taking my kids to pick out cards, rather than just buying online. The store manager was super sweet and helped. She explained their exchange policy if a Bruder toy broke and how they'd get the part for free for you. She was also open to suggestions of other toys to carry I highly recommend this place if you're looking for a toy, give them a shot. I'm sure you'll find something. Its also awesome supporting small business

    Wow. New in the Promenade. Across from the Apple store…read more Cute specialty toy store in the promenade section of the mall. Great service and selection of toys for newborns to adults. This is a second location from Totally Thomas in Escondido. They do a great job here. Be sure to check them out.

    Photos
    Totally Thomas' Toy Depot - Dog. My best friend. :D

    Dog. My best friend. :D

    Totally Thomas' Toy Depot - Train Tables.

    Train Tables.

    Totally Thomas' Toy Depot - Little Chick.

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    Little Chick.

    Balboa Park Miniature Railroad

    Balboa Park Miniature Railroad

    4.4(88 reviews)
    12.0 mi

    Holiday Nights at Balboa Park With the many people at at…read morethe ZOO the sounds of the Park Train the bell you can hear as you walk over to the front gate. The night of a million lights that creates magic over the park you can hear the bells of the train as it rolls through the tracks. Friday evening at the park when you come to Balboa Park the hidtory of the park wgen you come through the history of the park the archetecture to the rose Gardens you see across from the park. The Minature Railroad the kids would go with their parents the Red and White colors the train cars that you would see at the railroad station the size of the cars designed for the kids . As a young kid when I was with my dad he took me on the train the whole 2 mile train course the many statues of the animals being on a classic train its one of the biggest adventures it brings back memories. The train yard hasbeen around since 1935 the historical events that the train has been here since the train exposistion thet showcased many of the larger trains of San Diego. The History of the train yards have a very long hlstory the connection to Balboa Park the many areas around the San Diego Zoo had the use of the first Railroads to the electric cable cars serviced the park. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer the San Diego Zoo the historical Carousel and the train that have been at the park since the world exposistion that has given the park a foot hold in history. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer the train park and the zoo is the best place for students and family.

    Cute little zoo. If you have kids they will love it. Adults can also ride. It is $4 to ride on the…read moretrain. It does a little loop looking at animal sculptures and into a tunnel. Good fun ride. Looks like a train. No seatbelts but it does not go very fast. Not a scary ride. Located close to the San Diego Zoo. Enjoyable train ride.

    Photos
    Balboa Park Miniature Railroad - Exiting the tunnel

    Exiting the tunnel

    Balboa Park Miniature Railroad - Engine Roundhouse

    Engine Roundhouse

    Balboa Park Miniature Railroad

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    Santa Fe Train Depot - Check in and baggage claim

    Santa Fe Train Depot

    3.8(224 reviews)
    19.1 miLittle Italy

    Heads up: There's currently a lot of construction going on around this train station, so if you're…read moreubering here I would give yourself extra time as your car may need to circle back around or drop you off at a further point with a bit if a walk. The station itself is older but that gives it some charm. If you're coming here thinking you're going to have a whole bunch of food options, think again. There's one little kiosk with a guy selling a few sandwiches and coffee. Honestly though the kiosk guy was great, really friendly even early in the morning. I wasn't exactly sure how this whole thing worked since I'm not from here, but the attendant was nice and explained that my train would have a line up starting 20 minutes before boarding, then we'd all board together. If you're taking a train out of here I'd give yourself extra time and bring your own food (but stop by the kiosk guy for a coffee, he's a delight).

    The Santa Fe Depot serves Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner service, the MTS Trolley, and regional Coaster…read moretrains. This review is of the station facility and not any of the rail services. The Santa Fe Depot was built by the bygone railroad of that name. I'm old enough to remember the advertising slogan "Ship and travel Santa Fe--all the way!" This is one of relatively few major railway stations that have both been preserved largely in their original form, and continue to serve rail passengers. It is a beautiful Mission-style building from the early 20th Century, and will give you a feel for what rail travel was like in its heyday. Gorgeous tile work and some nice landscaping make this a great place to wait for a train. (Search "Santa Fe Depot (San Diego)" on Wikipedia for more on its history and architecture.) For Amtrak passengers, this is a staffed station with ticketing and checked baggage services. Amtrak staff are courteous and helpful. The waiting room is large and has plenty of old-style bench seating. There is a designated waiting area for seniors and people with disabilities needing assistance in boarding. There are restrooms, but Amtrak often has difficulty in keeping unhoused people from making a mess or using the facilities for things other than immediate relief. So at times, not everyone will find them comfortable to use. In addition to the Trolley, the Santa Fe Depot is also served by several MTS bus lines. There is a paid parking lot run by a third-party provider. No free parking nearby. There is a small kiosk--the Silver Streak Cafe--selling food and drink. See my separate review.

    Photos
    Santa Fe Train Depot - Clean and calm

    Clean and calm

    Santa Fe Train Depot - Santa Fe Train Depot - San Diego, CA

    Santa Fe Train Depot - San Diego, CA

    Santa Fe Train Depot - Santa Fe Train Depot - San Diego, CA

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    Santa Fe Train Depot - San Diego, CA

    Solana Beach Station

    Solana Beach Station

    3.8(148 reviews)
    13.7 mi

    This place is convenient to central Solana Beach. Easy to have a car-free visit if you come by…read moretrain. Track is accessible by stairway, ramp, bridge, and escalator from street level. There is a bit of seating inside and restrooms of moderate cleanliness. Signage inside the station and down at track level provide ETAs for each train. This station is serviced by Amtrak and the Coaster, so make sure you get on the right one!

    My son had driven up earlier in the week to spend time with his sister and since I had planned to…read moresupport the two of them running the Santa Anita Derby Day 5K, I decided to take the Amtrak train for the very first time because I didn't want to have two cars driving back home on Saturday. I had anxiety riding the Amtrak because I had never taken it before, but an experienced young student from UCSD gave me the 411 about the train and he helped this old man navigate my first train trip. I started at the Solana Beach train station and took a scenic, relaxing, no stress, and non-traffic congestion ride to Union Station Los Angeles. After my first trip, I'm sold on taking train rides to Los Angeles. The Solana Beach train station is obviously located in Solana Beach just a short walk from the beach, it's across from a plaza where you can grab a bite from Chief's Burgers & Brew, and a stroll to Pizza Port on the west side of the tracks. The main reason I chose the Solana Beach station was that you can park your car in their free public parking lot over the weekend. There is plenty of parking at this station. There are two tracks here at this station. Track 1 is southbound and Track 2 is northbound. If you're traveling to Los Angeles, take the elevator down to the waiting area for Track 2. There aren't that many concrete benches to sit on, so expect to stand while you're waiting for the train. I purchased my Amtrak ticket from the Amtrak website where you can choose to ride Coach for $31 one way to Union Station or Business Class for $46. I highly recommend taking Business Class because for $15 extra, you'll have a higher chance to have a seat, the seats are more comfortable, you have more space, and you get free snacks and drinks. When I got to my business class seats, I noticed that there were many riders who had a snack box. When I went to grab some snacks and drinks, they had run out of the snack box. All they had left at the time were Goldfish crackers, sodas, and water. One of the train staff was able to find extra snack boxes and I was able to grab one. The snack boxes come with pretzels, beef jerky, fruits and nuts, a mini fig bar, and cheese spread. A good snack to hold you down until your last stop. During my trip, I saw beautiful sights, really cool stops, Angel stadium, and I didn't have to worry about navigating through LA traffic. It only took a little over 2 hours to go from Solana Beach to Union Station. I really enjoyed my first Amtrak trip, the comfort of it, the beauty, the free snacks, and the stress-free experience.

    Photos
    Solana Beach Station
    Solana Beach Station
    Solana Beach Station

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    Eagle Mining - Eagle Mining Co., in Julian, CA

    Eagle Mining

    4.6(455 reviews)
    26.7 mi

    This is a cool hands on history lesson of the area of Julian, circa 1870…read more Many times we have gone to Julian, many times we have played in the snow, eaten apple pie, had pizza and beer. But somehow we never knew there was a mining history there and that it was very prolific in the 1870s. The tour is worth the cost, and starts with a history of the equipment and the area as well as the information about how the mining equipment and the mine were preserved. There is a demonstration of how to pan for gold, and there is a lot of old equipment as well as a shop with relics, books and western style homestead-ish goods. A nice variety of options. The walk through the mine would have been better with a smaller group where we wouldn't feel rushed. It was cool that down in the mine there is still equipment, and you can view down into the hole where the miners would be lowered to work for the day. The mine is very dark - but also well lit and as your eyes adjust there is no problem watching where you walk and seeing the historic equipment down in the mine. The tour is actually 2 shafts that connect, as you finish one mine area then the tour guide takes you into the other mine shaft and at the end of the tour you exit on the other side of the mountain- pretty cool. You must be mobile, not claustrophobic, this is a child friendly tour but please impress to your kids that listening is key, some portions of the tour it may be more difficult to hear the guide. At one point they lights are turned off so that the guide can demonstrate the use of a candle to iluminate the way, it's a short period but might be scary to young visitors if not reassured. I recommend this tour for tourists, locals, adults and kids - great to learn the history of Julian and the mines that were there during the gold rush. I believe they said - more than 200!

    Really cool and interesting. The road is super bumpy and full of pot-holes to get there. There is a…read moretour inside the mine and I've done it several times, still just as cool every time.

    Photos
    Eagle Mining - Eagle Mining Co., in Julian, CA

    Eagle Mining Co., in Julian, CA

    Eagle Mining - Eagle Mining Co., in Julian, CA

    Eagle Mining Co., in Julian, CA

    Eagle Mining - Eagle Mining Co., in Julian, CA

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    Eagle Mining Co., in Julian, CA

    Poway Midland Railroad - trains - Updated June 2026

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