Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum

About this adventure

Set amidst the rolling 92-acre Victorian arboretum in Chestnut Hill, the Holiday Garden Railway features a quarter-mile of miniature tracks where G-scale model trains loop through a whimsical outdoor botanical setting. Fifteen rail lines cross trestle bridges, run alongside trickling streams, and pass through tunnels surrounded by miniature replicas of historic Philadelphia landmarks—including Independence Hall and City Hall—handcrafted from natural twigs, acorns, bark, and moss. On select weekend evenings, 'Holiday Garden Railway Nights' illuminates the tracks and surrounding gardens with thousands of twinkling holiday lights. Pathways throughout the display are paved, making stroller navigation easy for families with infants and toddlers. Children can watch freight trains and trolleys chug by at eye level.