The greater Seattle area is one of the best places to visit with kids who love to ride the rails. Between the historic trains in the region's rural areas and the high-powered city trains in downtown Seattle, your kids have the chance to ride and learn about a wide variety of trains. Most train rides in the area also offer picturesque scenery and cool sights to check out along the way, making the experience worthwhile for the whole family.
Take your train-loving kids to Snoqualmie, Washington, about 30 minutes east of Seattle to visit the Northwest Railway Museum. The museum operates the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad, taking visitors on a 75-minute round-trip excursion on a vintage diesel train. The experience includes views of Snoqualmie Falls and the lower river valley. Special events specifically for kids include the holiday Santa Train and the occasional Day Out with Thomas event, which features characters from the "Thomas the Tank Engine" series. You can also take the kids down to Elbe, Washington, to ride the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad. About 90 minutes south of Seattle, this restored steam engine locomotive takes visitors on a two-hour ride along the base of Mt. Rainier, with a stop at Mineral Lake. Kids can see how steam engines work and check out other old trains in the depot museum.
Miniature train rides might be the best option for very young children, who may not be able to sit for a longer train ride. Remlinger Farms, about 40 minutes from Seattle in Carnation, Washington, features a number of children's attractions, including the Tolt River Railroad Steam Train ride. This miniature steam train travels around the farm and the along the Tolt River. About 25 minutes north of Seattle, in Bothell, Washington, hop aboard the Iron Horse Railway, for a train-style ride around the shopping center, though it is actually a tram on wheels. Kids can choose which part of the train they want to sit in, such as the covered caboose, or the open-air freight cars.
Hop aboard the Sounder commuter train from King Street Station, giving your kids an opportunity to experience a real modern-day train. Take a northbound train to the Seattle suburb of Edmonds or further to Everett, which travels along the Puget Sound. You can also hop aboard an Amtrak Cascades train at King Street Station, which travels from Eugene, Oregon, to Vancouver, British Columbia. Take the train north or south to the next stop for a short trip, or make a day of it and take a longer ride, such as to Bellingham, Washington, the last stop before Canada. Tour the train with your kids during the journey, visiting the bistro car for a snack. Point out sights along the way, such as Skagit Bay and Snoqualmie National Forest.
Show your kids other types of train service in Seattle, such as the Seattle Monorail. The monorail links the Sea-Tac airport with downtown Seattle. Hop on at Seattle Center and ride to the airport and back. Explain to your kids how, unlike traditional trains, the monorail runs on a single track. Another local train service is the Central Link light rail. You can pick it up from several stations in the downtown area. Point out the electric lines that power the train. Get on a Seattle Streetcar, a smaller light rail service in certain neighborhoods like South Lake Union. Talk to your kids about the differences between Central Link light rail and the neighborhood streetcars, such as how the Central Link tracks are separated from other traffic, while the streetcar tracks are not.
