A Little Kid's Dream Day - The PA Railroad Museum!

Hi everyone, all tens of you!  ;)  Last week I took my boys on our monthly trip to the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum in Strasburg, Lancaster County.  If you haven't taken your kids there yet you have to do it.  You're thinking...."Trains, Emily?  Trains?  BORING!".  It's honestly not boring at all, this place is awesome for kids, and when our kids are happy, we're happy!  It's totally cheap, you can spend all day there for one fee, and when the weather is nice visitors are free to have lunch at one of their picnic tables overlooking a picturesque farm. 

Upon entering the main hall of the museum, you'll be shocked by the size of the retired and beautifully restored trains. 

Another highlight is the old-fashioned train station, including an office with a telegraph station, and the main street of a little town they've reproduced.  If you like history you'll love it (even if you're not a fan of history, you'll still think it's cool).

Every time we get to the museum my boys run right for Stewart Junction, which is the kid's "building".  Stewart Junction is a hands-on area that includes a model train set with a huge town, a lego table with a motorized lego train town layout, Thomas and Geotrax tables with fun layouts, and tons of educational stuff.

You're probably wondering where the pictures of the trains are in this post.  Here are a few, including the inside of a boxcar that smelled like the inside of my great-grandfather's shed....it was wonderfully nostalgic.



Of course, the highlight of every visit for my boys is pretending to be the firemen and shoveling the coal into the firebox.

Finally, this is just a super cute picture of Peter Pan gazing at a model train while Captain Hook takes a picture with his big boy camera.

If you've never visited the railroad museum, I highly suggest taking your kids and making a day of it.  The Strasburg Railroad is directly across the street also.  Just a tip, if you'll be visiting the museum and riding the train, be sure to buy a combo ticket which will save you some loot.  :)

Have fun!!