California Family Destination Guide

May 9, 2009  is National Train Day and all across California there are free events perfect for a family outing.  Activities included tours of trains, live entertainment, free engineer hats and paper train models and even a free train ride at some locations.  Here is a list of all the events going on for National Train Day in California.

Los Angeles, CA
Travel Town Museum Foundation
10:30 AM – 03:00 PM
5200 Zoo Drive Griffith Park
We are hosting docent-led tours through our historic passenger cars at the FREE Travel Town Train Museum in Griffith Park! We accept donations for these tours to help with their restoration and the preservation of railroad history. Gift shop and scale model train ride around the museum are also open for business!
www.traveltown.org

Dunsmuir, CA
Dunsmuir Railroad Depot Historical Society
10:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Amtrak Depot on Sacramento Ave
We will be showing Free Train Themed Movies in the Amtrak Waiting Room. The Railroad Display Room will be open for viewing of railroad memorabilia and photographs of the types of locomotives that have run through the town of Dunsmuir. Free Engineer hats and paper train models for children will be available. Come celebrate TRAINS with us. Refreshments will be served.

Santa Barbara, CA
COAST, CoastalRailNow and ASERT
09:00 AM – 01:30 PM
209 State Street
Families and children of all ages… Come celebrate National Train Day in Santa Barbara! Depart from the Santa Barbara Train Depot (headed to Carpinteria) at 9:20 am — arrive back into Santa Barbara by 10:15. Bring your mom for special post-trip pampering in honor of Mother’s day! Entertainment and activities for children!
www.coast-santabarbara.org

Paso Robles, CA
City of Paso Robles / Paso Robles Train Station
12:00 PM – 05:00 PM
800 Pine Street
Enjoy displays of model trains, train trivia contests, live music, children’s activities and more. If you are curious to see what SLO County looks like by rail, the train leaves Paso Robles at 1:45pm, heads to SLO and returns to Paso Robles at 4:45pm. Purchase tickets at www.amtrak.com. All of the businesses at the Paso Robles Train Station will be open and some will be offering special Train Day promotions, including a wine tasting at The Wine Wrangler, Anglim Winery and D’Anbino Cellars.
http://www.prcity.com

San Luis Obispo, CA
David Weisman
12:00 PM – 04:00 PM
Amtrak Station
There will be refreshments, a scale model railroad exhibit from the San Luis Obispo Model Railroad Association, a railroad photography display by local Rich Hansen, who won second place in Amtrak’s national competition, and musical entertainment by the youth band of the Basin Street Regulars—with some jazzy railroad themed tunes, and of course, paper engineer caps for kids of all ages.

Fresno, CA
Madelyn Almilli
10:00 AM – 02:00 PM
2650 Tulare Street
We are celebrating NTD again at the historic Amtrak station (Register #N443). We will have info. booths incl. Operation Lifesaver-doing presentations-and will have a hands-on engine simulator on site, Fresno Model Railroad club will have an “Amtrak-through the years” train display among others booths. There will also be raffle prizes along with refreshments.

Sacramento, CA
California State Rail Museum
10:00 AM – 05:00 PM
111 “I” Street
Celebrate in Old Sacramento with vintage steam train rides, museum tours, model railroad exhibits, and much more train-related fun. Local radio stations KGBY My 92.5 and KHYL V101.1 will be on-site and offering you a chance to win tickets for two on Amtrak California! Exhibits at the museum include several combustion engine trains, vintage steam trains and new modern railroad equipment provided by Amtrak. The Sacramento train station is just two short blocks from the museum. Bring your family and friends to enjoy all the fun!

Salinas, CA
Train Day Salinas!
10:00 AM – 04:00 PM
26 Station Place
Open house at the Railway Express Building featuring live music, and snacks. The beautifully restored Locmotive and Caboose will be open for tours, Historic Amtrak Station is open to view the WPA-era murals by John A MacQuarrie. Tours of the Historic Harvey House, too!
www.destinationsalinas.com

Los Altos Hills – Worldwide, CA
KFJC
04:00 PM – 08:00 PM
kfjc.org/mayhem
Rhythm of the Rails II hosted by The Pocatello Yardmaster. Celebrate National Train Day with KFJC. Railroad songs of all stripe will be played. Songs about trains, hobos, and engineers will be covered as well as songs inspired by and songs using trains as metaphor. In the San Francisco Bay Area tune into 89.7 FM, or listen worldwide at kfjc.org/netcast.
www.kfjc.org

San Bernardino, CA
City of San Bernardino
09:00 AM – 05:00 PM
1170 W. 3rd Street – Historic Sante Fe Depot
Come join the City of San Bernardino and the San Bernardino Historical & Railroad Society for National Train Day. The Railroad Museum will be open all day with events for kids of all ages. Raffles will be held throughout the day for prizes. Come enjoy the past, present and future of trains in San Bernardino on May 9th!

Its hard to believe that a place located on Gunpowder Point Drive is a family destination but the Chula Vista Nature Center definitely is. The Chula Vista Nature Center is located on Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge San Diego Bay. The Nature Center is a zoo and aquarium exhibiting plants and animals native to San Diego Bay. Visitors can get up-close and personal visit with endangered Green Sea Turtles, shorebirds, hawks, sharks, stingrays, and jellyfish. In the early 80′s, the City of Chula Vista had the foresight to create the Nature Center which, since its opening July 4, 1987, has become a recognized international leader in wetland-related programs and exhibits. In 1989, the Sweetwater Marsh and a portion of its uplands became the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. Kids will love visiting the nature center there are plenty of hands on exhibits including a walk-through shorebird exhibit. The Chula Vista Nature Center is located on San Diego Bay approximately seven miles south of downtown San Diego and seven miles north of the international border. Access to the facility is available from the public parking lot via free, convenient shuttles. Chula Vista Nature Center 1000 Gunpowder Point Drive Chula Vista, Ca. 91910