Santa Cruz / Capitola / Felton
An old-fashioned seaside amusement park at one end and a steam train through redwoods at the other.
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Places with a real train ride
8 destinations from the Dublin, CA area. Steam trains, narrow gauge, and skunk trains. If you have a train-obsessed three-year-old, start here.
| Destination | Kids | Drive | Days | Cost (2 nights, family of four) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz / Capitola / Felton | 4.4 | 1h 17m | 2–4 days | $1,200–2,500 |
| Sonoma / Santa Rosa | 4.3 | 1h 18m | 1–2 days | $1,200–2,500 |
| Sacramento | 4.2 | 1h 46m | 2–3 days | $1,500–2,500 |
| Sonora / Columbia State Park | 3.7 | 2h 14m | 1–2 days | $1,000–2,000 |
| Fort Bragg | 3.5 | 4h 10m | 1–2 days | $1,000–2,500 |
| Napa Valley / Calistoga | 3.2 | 1h 08m | 1–2 days | $1,500–3,500 |
| Virginia City, NV | 3.2 | 4h 51m | 1–2 days | $1,000–2,000 |
| Carson City, NV | 3.2 | 4h 32m | 1–2 days | $1,000–2,000 |
Sonoma / Santa Rosa
A miniature railroad children can ride and a Peanuts museum, in a walkable plaza town.
Sacramento
A capital city with a railroad museum, a storybook park and a zoo within a couple of miles.
Sonora / Columbia State Park
A Gold Rush town preserved as it stood, with stagecoaches, gold panning and a working steam railroad.
Fort Bragg
A beach of sea-polished glass and a steam train into the redwoods, in a plain working town.
Napa Valley / Calistoga
Wine country that works for children: a real castle, an erupting geyser, and roadside burgers.
Virginia City, NV
The best-preserved Wild West mining town in America, with a steam train and a mine tour.
Carson City, NV
A cheap, central base for Tahoe and Virginia City, with two state museums and a replica mine.
Costs are a fixed yardstick: 2 nights, family of four, lodging, food and activities. Not the cost of the stay we recommend.