New York Botanical Garden Train Show

The New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show is considered one of the top "must see" attractions during the holidays in the NY area.  So on one of the non-peak visiting dates (after the holidays, and tickets are cheaper too) my family made the trip out to the Bronx for a fun family day and we were not disappointed! 

We started our visit in the morning posing by the holiday decorated trees at the entrance.  The grounds were truly a winter wonderland with the trees and ground beautifully covered in snow.

A Visit with Thomas the Tank Engine:
First on our agenda was to see Thomas the Tank Engine.  After watching a Thomas movie my son received his "Honorary Engineer" certificate along with some tattoos and activity sheets. 

Then we waited in line to pose with Thomas.  My husband noticed that Thomas had his own armed security guard...maybe to protect him from those crazy kids who might attack him or try to kidnap him.  Luckily the line was not too long but my son was sorely disappointed that we couldn't ride Thomas.

Holiday Train Show:
Our second stop was to the Holiday Train Show in the conservatory.  It was pretty amazing to see replicas of NYC's landmark buildings made completely of natural materials: twigs, leaves, pinecones, nuts, etc. Model trains chugged in and around the buildings and above us on bridges.



Penn Station

 They even replicated the angels that are out in front of the Rockefeller tree!

Rockefeller Center & Radio City Music Hall


Narrated Tram Tour:
After a pit stop into one of the cafes, we boarded a tram for a narrated tour of the gardens.  For my son, this was as good as riding a train.  For me, it was a nice break from walking.  And for my husband, it was a chance to rest his back from carrying around our little one.   

Gingerbread Adventures:
Our last stop was the Gingerbread Adventures. 

I think my son loved that the gingerbread people were his size because he went up to every one that we came across.


The Discovery Center had several great learning activities for the kids to get an up-close lesson in the ingredients and spices used to make gingerbread.  I think there was a gingerbread decorating section too but we forgot about it.

L decorating his field notebook with spices and grains

Magnifying glasses and microscopes to look at spices and their plants

On display were several gingerbread houses and holiday scenes prepared by famous, local bakeries.

I think it would be fun to live in a gingerbread house...but I imagine it would be difficult to keep myself from licking the walls and floors of candy. 


Outdoors, we saw artwork made of items from natural materials like this caterpillar made of pinecones.

If the weather were warmer, we would have loved to stay longer.  But what we did get to see and do still made for a full morning for us and a quiet car ride with both kids fast asleep.  Next year, we won't forget the earmuffs, gloves and extra layer of clothes!