Photo of Hocking Valley Scenic Railway in New York
Trains & Railways

Hocking Valley Scenic Railway

📍 Nelsonville, NY

★4.0(804 Google reviews)💰$21-$95đŸ‘ļAll ages

Historic train rides through Ohio's Hocking River Valley with family-friendly themed experiences. Features steam locomotives, dinner trains, and special events like train robberies and holiday rides.

✓ Friendly staff✓ Affordable pricing✓ Christmas themed rides
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★★★★★Featured review by Donna Hughes

Best family friendly train ride. Customer service is the best around very supportive of our Military. Christmas trsin ride loved by all our grandbabies enjoyed their visit with Santa, The Grinch, and Frosty. The conductor was wonderful from his beautiful heart making sure everyone was taken care of to his wonderful saxophone 🎷 playing. Thank you from the bottom of this NaNa's heart for a fantastic family day â¤ī¸

🏆 Family Action Verdict

Best for families wanting an affordable train experience or special themed rides like Christmas events with Santa. The friendly staff and military support make it welcoming, but manage expectations about scenery - you'll see more backyards than beautiful landscapes. Perfect for young children who just want the excitement of riding a train.

â„šī¸ What to Know Before You Go

💡Book themed seasonal rides (Christmas, fall foliage) for the best experience with characters and entertainment
⏰Bring extra water and snacks as drink options are limited on dinner trains
đŸŽŸī¸Be aware that windows may not stay open securely due to train vibrations - keep children seated safely
🚗Don't expect pristine scenic views - the route passes through residential and industrial areas

đŸ’Ŧ What Families Are Saying

View all reviews →
4.0
★★★★★

804 Google reviews

Friendly and helpful staff100%
Affordable and accessible80%
Route not very scenic60%
Great for special themed rides40%
Safety and maintenance concerns40%
D

Donna Hughes

3 months ago

★★★★★

“Best family friendly train ride. Customer service is the best around very supportive of our Military. Christmas trsin ride loved by all our grandbabies enjoyed their visit with Santa, The Grinch, and Frosty. The conductor was wonderful from his beautiful heart making sure everyone was taken care of to his wonderful saxophone 🎷 playing. Thank you from the bottom of this NaNa's heart for a fantastic family day â¤ī¸â€

V

Virgil Fitzpatrick

4 months ago

★★★★★

“Such a lovely and historical place to visit. Take a ride on the fall foliage trains in the open air cars for the best views. You won't want to miss this place. Very affordable and accommodating to everyone's needs. The crews are well seasoned and await to greet and help absolutely everyone”

K

Krista Starr

a month ago

★★★★★

“The Starbrick dinner train was really fun. The food was delicious!! Would definitely recommend. I do however have a couple suggestions for the future. They need to have more water on hand and possibly another option for ppl to drink if they cannot have sugary drinks. They only offered lemonade, sweet tea, water and beer. It would also be nice if the windows on the train were clean and updated so that you can see outside and they should put hand sanitizer in the bathroom as there is no running water.”

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Sharina Struckman

6 months ago

★★★★★

“If you've never been on a train and want to say you have been, this is an inexpensive way of doing that. However, this is not what my friend and I had expected. The trip was not very "scenic" unless you enjoy seeing rundown backyards and trash piles. I understand the railway cannot control the public, but I wouldn't say this is scenic. The staff was very pleasant and friendly. The windows do not lock in place and can be dangerous. Several windows in the car we were in slammed shut from the vibrations of the train, thank goodness no one was hurt. The small town, can't remember the name, wasn't much to look at either and the "gift shop" there was a joke. But it was an inexpensive way to kill a couple of hours, just wouldn't do it again.”

Reviews from Google

Overview

Hocking Valley Scenic Railway offers historic train rides along the 150-year-old Hocking Valley railroad through Southeast Ohio. The railway features authentic steam locomotives, diesel trains, and themed experiences including Easter Bunny trains, Christmas rides with Santa, dinner trains, and interactive train robbery adventures. Most rides include stops at historical villages and scenic river views.

🕐 Opening Hours

Monday09:00 – 10:30
Monday13:00 – 14:30
Sunday09:00 – 10:30
Sunday12:00 – 13:30