Highly recommended!! My daughter loves trains, and this place is the perfect spot for her. This was our second visit, and I'm so glad we came back to ride the train. My daughter couldn't stop smiling, and seeing her so happy made the trip even more special. The tickets are very reasonably priced, which is a bonus. If your child enjoys trains, this place is definitely a must to visit. It won't disappoint! I do wish it was open during the week as well, but it's definitely worth the trip! read more

Poway Midland Railroad is located in the heart of Old Poway Park. A quaint section of Poway that includes restaurants, shops and of course the community park itself. Train rides are available on weekends and if you work up an appetite, be sure to visit the Hamburger Factory for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's located adjacent to the Railroad station just a few steps away. You can also pack a picnic and bring it to Old Poway Park. It's a perfect place to relax and watch the train make its way around the park. The Poway Midland Railroad is owned by the city and is well maintained by the Poway Midland Railroad volunteers. If you come to visit, be sure to check the latest schedule for current dates and time of operation. These folks love to share their knowledge of old antique railroad equipment and who wouldn't love a ride on an antique locomotive. read more

Poway Midland Railroad - Poway Midland Railroad starion - Trains Near Me - Poway, California

This was a fun little weekend activity! What a gem of a place to discover. My 2 y/o nephew and I had a lot of fun! Tickets were $3.50 per adult and $1.00 per child over 2 years old. Super affordable and the train made 2-3 laps around the park. The volunteers were super friendly and it was such a beautiful day out! Would recommend you take your little ones who loves trains to this place! They only open on certain weekends so check their website for latest updates! Lots to do around nearby as there is a playground and park. Perfect place for a picnic too :) PS- bonus perks as this place is dog friendly! Saw lots of pups enjoying the trains as well (yes! They let the fur babies board too!) read more

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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. read more

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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.

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. read more

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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). read more

Poway Midland Railroad - On the train! - Trains Near Me - Poway, California

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? read more

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Overall, a great experience at the Poway Midland Railroad! Nestled in a residential area is this unassuming park with a hamburger factory restaurant, small stores, museums, picnic tables, charcoal grills and of course, the trains! They also have a beautiful gazebo in the center which is rented out for weddings and special events. A great way to spend a weekend with your younger children. The train goes around the park 2 times normally and if there is a birthday child on board, it goes around 3 times :) Depending on the day, it will be either the speeder or locomotive car. Check their website before you go to see which one is running that day. It tends to get busier on Saturdays because the farmer's market is right next door. The one downside is the trains only run on Saturday (10am-4pm) and Sunday (11am-2pm). Keep in mind they are closed every 2nd Sunday. Current prices are: Speeder / Trolley - $2.50 Locomotive - $3.50 Child Prices: $1.00 Parking is free and easy to find. Come prepared with water, hats, and sunscreen during the summer months because it is HOT in Poway! read more

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! read more

Poway Midland Railroad - Adding oil to the steam engine! - Trains Near Me - Poway, California

Located in Old Poway Park POWAY-MIDLAND RAILROAD VOLUNTEERS INC. run this train operation in Poway. It's basically a few small trains that go around the parameter of the Old Poway Park. Times and trains vary, so you might want to double check on their website before coming here. http://www.powaymidlandrr.org/ Steam: 1st and 3rd weekends of each month (except January and February) Trolley: 2nd Saturday of each month Speeder: 4th weekend of each month Fares run about 2.50 per adult, and .50 cents per child. It makes two ( sometimes three) loops around the park. They also have a Thomas the train store where you buy the tickets. Something fun do to with the kids on a weekend. read more

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. read more

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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:-( read more

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This railroad is so cute. It runs in the center of the Old Poway Historic District and is the perfect weekend activity for the family. It is only $.50 per child and $1.00 per adult, so obviously quite affordable. They change the train daily, but you can find the schedule on their website if you have your heart set on a specific type of engine. The train runs in a loop around the Old Hamburger Factory, the Old Poway Museum, the adorable park filled with fountains, a gazebo, wood bridges, walking path through the trees, banquet hall and large grassy area that is perfect for birthday parties. We brought my nephews, a 6 year old and a 3 year old, last weekend and they really enjoyed the train. The 3 year old definitely liked it the most. It goes around the track twice and the weather was just right. read more

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. read more

Poway Midland Railroad - Trains Near Me - Poway, California

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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 :( read more

Poway Midland Railroad - Don't Trust Website Hours :( - Trains Near Me - Poway, California

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. read more

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The train itself was fun and cute and Wee One enjoyed it alot the first time we rode. We played a bit, grabbed some lunch and then we grabbed 2 more tickets to ride one more time before we went home. We pay for the tickets, hopped in line behind the other 8 or so families in line as the train pulled in and waited for our 5 minutes on the train... But instead of loading the large group of people, the conductor then tells us that they have to take a break for a little bit. They pull the train off the track and put a new trolley on the track so they can test to make sure it is safe when they EVENTUALLY start using it. Meanwhile, Wee One had to wait almost 30 minutes for a train ride I promised him as we watched a bunch of adults circle the tracks repeatedly. The second train ride was not really worth the half hour wait and by the time we left, Wee One was super grumpy and it sort of spoiled our nice, relaxing afternoon in the park since we were both grumpy when we left. Moral of this story: Don't take a Choo Choo train away from a little boy! It is just mean. read more

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. read more

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We came for a birthday party and all the kids ages had a very good time.... enjoyed it, especially my 2 y/o. Also, if it's your birthday or someone's birthday on the train, they go around an additional time. Is that not a gr8 thing? read more

As a Volunteer and Ticket Agent at the Poway Midland Railroad, I recommend this place 100%! - We have 4 different pieces of equipment in our fleet: Steam Locomotive, Yellow Line Trolley, Speeder and Cable Car - Our operations are on Sundays (Except for the 2nd Sunday of the month) and Saturdays (SAT: 10:00-3:45/SUN: 11:00-1:45). To avoid lines for tickets, I recommend coming at least 30 minutes after opening. We also have a fresh local farmers market on every Saturday of the month. Come join us for this wonderful experience that will bring you back to a time when trains were king! Call the Depot (858) 391-0251 or Barn Office (858) 486-4063 for more information! Or visit our website at http://www.powaymidlandrr.org For more information please save yourself some time by checking the information posted outside the Depot doors (It really save us time when we are helping customers) We take Cash/Card. read more

Great place to bring children. There is a large park in the center where people often have gatherings and birthdays. It's on a first come, first serve basis for the tables and grills. We had my son's second birthday party here. It was a hit with all the kids. They run a steam engine and a trolley, and I'm not sure what else, but all the details are on their site. read more

Very cute, family friendly little railroad ride nestled in a tree lined park. Very affordable with ticket prices either$2.50 or $3.50 for adults depending on which train is running that day and $1 for kids. The train goes around the track twice and all in all lasts just a few minutes but you get to feel a nice breeze as you zoom through the beautiful grounds of the park, waving at everyone playing, strolling, and barbecuing. On Saturdays there's a farmers market which we visited after our train ride and picked up some Italian ice treats to cool us off then we spent the rest of the time exploring the park and taking pictures against the backdrop of green open grassy areas, tree shaded pathways, cute little bridges, and of course the railroad trains. read more

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Great area filled with fun family friendly activities including riding the railroad, having a picnic, touring their historical houses/landmarks, exploring the park, and even checking out their farmers market which we were luckily enough to catch on a Saturday morning (only thing was we just had a hearty breakfast a little while ago - at least now we know for next time). The train we were able to ride today was their speeder which did live up to its name. It basically looked like a wagon w/ benches on either side on railroad tracks. It was still early enough that we were able to enjoy a nice cool breeze as it went around the park twice. For its ticket cost ($2.50/adult & $1/child) it wasn't a bad deal. It gives you a chance to see what the park has to offer and then you can plan the rest of your stay. There's ample parking and plenty of shaded area and an abundant scenic background for picture taking. We will definitely be back here and probably a bit earlier to enjoy the farmers market and also be early at the ticket booth which opened at 10am. read more

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One of our family's favorite parks! We have had birthday parties here as well. Hard to get a spot unless you go very early to claim one. Train rides affordable so our whole party hopped on the train together to sing Happy birthday to our daughter! Was super awesome! Always sweet and kind volunteers. Beautiful park to take any kind of pictures in....family portraits, engagement or wedding photos, etc. Parking has improved over time, having the Hamburger Factory right there is also a plus! read more

Super Fun!!!! A must for kids of all ages. The shop where you buy your tickets has a great train table for children to play at while waiting for their ride. Thomas Trains are also available for purchase. A very scenic park where lots of families take professional pics. There is also a fun farmers market on Saturdays. Feeling hungry? Head over to the Hamburger Factory where food is not only comfort but delicious as well. read more

Very cool place to bring young kids for an afternoon. My 5yr & 2yr girls enjoyed the train ride, open play areas, fountain & exhibits. Restaraunt was good & conveniently on grounds. the parking was easy. There were Girl Scouts with a booth selling succulent blossoms for a dollar. Really cool experience for my kids. The train ride changes occasionally so different trains for the kids to experience. Overall I'd recommend for a day out with kids for little to no $$$. read more

I have a baby who is barely walking around and figuring everything out and he loves this place! There is so much for kids to do here, even train rides. read more

It is located in a beautiful and family friendly park . We went there a couple of weeks ago , and will probably go there again . It is an affordable and fun activity to do with young children . Ours loved it ! read more

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!

So disappointed with the train, I had to write a review. We drove 40 minutes or so from Eastlake to take my child on the train. We arrived just as it was ready to set off, so were told to hurry and buy our tickets as the next ride wouldn't be for another 20 minutes - young children are free, adults $1.50. We boarded the train, the driver and his assistant told us the ride would be twice round the track, then the train set off at what seemed like it's top, fast speed. It's only a little train and a small track, so going flat out was a really bumpy, noisy ride, it felt like the train was bouncing off the track and you didn't get a chance to see anything as it was going so fast. My child just sat frozen on the seat and didn't really know what was going on. So twice round the track (which was maybe under a mile), lasted all of a few minutes and I didn't get a chance to look at the park as we went through it, I just focused on how fast it was and whether my child was about to cry or not!! Very disappointing, not in the least bit enjoyable. We got off the train and I noticed the driver and his assistant hurried onto the platform so they could start eating their lunch and I overheard them saying that if the train was full, they would take the train out, but if "there were only three people waiting to go on it, we wouldn't go, as we don't want to start a taxi service or anything"!!! - so much for providing a nice family attraction!! I was so disappointed at the experience, especially having driven so far, that I had to mention something to the driver. I told him that it was a very fast and bumpy ride, especially for younger children (there were no seatbelts or restraints considering how fast he went), it would have been nicer for it to be a little slower so we could enjoy it, considering how short a trip it is and actually get a chance to look at the scenery and park we were going through, I just got a look and was told "I see", nothing else. The driver was an older guy, who seemed to have an attitude and I just got the impression that taking people on the train was a hassle and not a nice family attraction as it should be. Would not recommend this to anyone, unless they slow it right down. read more

What a fun place. Our kids love to visit and 'ride the train' which is close to the real thing. Very family friendly and my husband loves visiting as much as my kids do. Good places to enjoy lunch, while learned about the history of Poway. We watched a group doing yoga out on the stage and enjoyed the museum. The woman in the museum was very patient with my kids, explaining many things to them. (at five and seven, they have many questions) read more