San Diego Model Railroad Museum Autumn Whistle Stop Weekend (Balboa Park)
Through Nov 29Nov 28 – Nov 29 · 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM · Thanksgiving Weekend: Saturday & Sunday, November 28–29, 2026; 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily
San Diego Model Railroad Museum (Casa de Balboa)1649 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 · 1.3 mi approx. from San DiegoDirections
All ages; dedicated Toy Train Gallery with step-stools for toddlers and wooden train play tables
From $9$9 for youth (ages 4–11); $14.50 for adults; free for children ages 3 and under
About this adventure
As the largest indoor model railroad museum in North America, occupying 27,000 square feet in Balboa Park's historic Casa de Balboa, this wonderland captivates kids and railway enthusiasts alike. Thousands of feet of miniature track feature scale models of historic California rail lines—including the San Diego & Arizona Eastern and Santa Fe routes—weaving through hand-crafted mountain gorges, desert trestles, and bustling urban depots. Over Thanksgiving weekend, the Toy Train Gallery welcomes families with interactive push-button train controls, hands-on wooden train play tables, and a scavenger hunt challenging young sleuths to spot hidden miniature animals and tiny figures throughout the layouts.
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