Where We Spent a Wake Window: Railway Museum of BC - The North Pole Express.
Location & Parking:
Parking & Transit Tip: Free parking is available. Tip: Give yourself about 10 minutes to walk to the station from the parking area.
Set your GPS to: 39645 Government Road, Squamish, BC V8B.
Official info: https://www.wcra.org/north-pole-express/
The Damage Report ($):
Price: Varies by ticket class. Children under 2 are Free (but must sit on a lap). We purchased the basic Bronze Vintage ticket at $46 per adult (includes a $5 preservation fee). I was glad we got the base ticket.
Wheely Friendly?
Strollers and car seats are not permitted on the train but there is complimentary parking for them prior to boarding. We didn't bring ours, and I'm glad - it's only a short distance between the train and the Roundhouse/North Pole, and the area is busy. It's best if your toddler walks (or is carried).
All aboard the North Pole Express!
The Snack Situation:
Included: A cookie (on the train) and a hot chocolate (at the Roundhouse/North Pole).
For Purchase: Hotdogs, chips, and chocolate bars were available. The selection wasn't huge.
Unless you plan to eat somewhere else in Squamish, I recommend bringing your own snacks if you don’t eat hot dogs.
Potty Proximity:
Use the bathrooms at the train station before boarding, as there are no bathrooms on the train that I could see. The next facilities are at the Roundhouse (the North Pole).
Mum Musings: Christmas Magic on the Rails
The Railway Museum of BC has regular seasonal events, but we opted to drive out to Squamish for Yuyu to enjoy some Christmas magic on the North Pole Express. We bought tickets in advance and had been doing a countdown for her to see Santa!
The Train Ride (Approx. 50 minutes): My candid opinion
I'm not sure what magical ride to the "North Pole" I had conjured up in my African imagination (I blame American TV shows), but the ride was a bit underwhelming and amusing. The train essentially went through a forest/industrial bog-type area one way and came back the same way.
Toddler View: Yuyu simply enjoyed the adventure of being on a real train to see Santa - she was unfazed by the scenery outside. So, that’s good!
Atmosphere: We enjoyed the Christmas music, the included cookies, and the elf carolers who walked through our cabin encouraging everyone to sing along.
The North Pole (The Main Event)
Admittedly, most of the action and fun came after the train ride at the Roundhouse, aka the North Pole. This was more of what I imagined for Christmas magic - it was fully decorated!
Activities:
A festive Holiday Mini-rail train ride that we all squeezed onto.
Yuyu had her first Gingerbread man decorating session.
Delightful hot chocolate.
Christmas model train displays that Yuyu was fascinated by.
Santa Situation Advice: There was always a big lineup to see Santa Claus, and we kept waiting for it to die down. Unfortunately, they closed the line-up right as we were joining (they were taking a break before the next train arrived). That was disappointing as it was a cute set up. If seeing Santa is a MUST for you, get into the line sooner rather than later during your time at the North Pole! (Yuyu is still easily distractible, so she was fine with missing him).
Ultimately, i’m glad we went to experience it.
Gingerbread man decoration station in the Roundhouse ( aka North Pole).
Toddler Tolerance Level:
Between the train ride and time at the North Pole, we were there for about 3 hours total, which Yuyu was happy with.
Nap Roulette Options?
If you do a morning train ride like we did, having lunch in Squamish is an option. I was really hungry and made Jamie pull into the first golden arches I saw. I was quite content with my Big Mac until I later saw this fun-looking turquoise Mexican Cantina, "Sunny Chibas," on our drive out of Squamish. If I had my time back, we would have stopped there - looks like they have an extensive kids' menu too!
Author
I’m Mimi, the writer behind Mi & Yu. This blog was born out of a year spent exploring Vancouver with my toddler Yuyu and newborn son Gabe while my husband Jamie worked through a demanding fellowship.
What started as a way to survive the newborn phase turned into a collection of tried-and-tested family adventures, real reviews, tested logistics, and the occasional toddler meltdown included. Now back home in Newfoundland, I’m sharing those adventures so other parents can skip the decision fatigue and get straight to the fun part.
