Our family recently climbed aboard the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. We boarded in Bryson City, NC and took a round trip to the North Pole.
My mom, Nana, has wanted to take her 4 grandchildren for some time. We waited until the perfect year to ensure everyone was ready for the experience. The kids were 6, 4 ,3, and 2 for the ride. These ages seemed to be just right as the oldest was still into the magic and the youngest were able to stay awake and enjoy all aspects of the ride.
We arrived to Bryson City early to check into a hotel close to the city's center. We headed over to the train to check in to find a quaint little town with lots to keep us busy while we waited for our time to board the train. Shops, food, train museum, and an opportunity to meet Santa were some of the options around the boarding area.
The boarding process was smooth and before we knew it we were on our way. The old train car was stunning with nice lighting and Christmas cheer throughout. We enjoyed our table seats though there were 3 level of ticket options. Two ticket options offered table seating and one standard style seating. I highly recommend the table seating because it allows you to have conversations and it serves as a nice place to hold all the yummy treats.
As the trip began the train staff quickly introduced themselves and got right into the story. We had visits from Polar Express characters throughout the journey and heard many of the songs from the Polar Express movie. The hot chocolate song came on and with it came warm beverages for everyone. We received a nice souvenir cup that our kids are still using at home weeks after the journey. There was also chocolate bars and cookies!
Train staff carried large versions of the Polar Express book for the children to help turn the pages. This was a great connection back to the original story for our kids. We had been reading the book for weeks. When we did arrive to the North Pole we passed Santa's workshop and sleigh. Santa's home and other North Pole locations were pointed out before we headed back South.
On our journey home Santa visited our train car. The children were delighted to see him and eager to see if they would get to leave the Polar Express with a jingle bell. Graham loved meeting Santa and though hesitant, he decided to tell Santa his wishes. Caroline hid her face but held her arm out to make sure she got her bell!
Our family, especially Nana, were so happy that we took this journey to the Polar Express. Do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have questions or would like more information!
Merry Christmas!
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