The Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish: A Family Day Out
Weekend diesel excursions, themed train robberies, and holiday rides: the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish is a local favorite worth booking ahead.
Roger Reed
Realtor · RAR Property Group, powered by EXP Realty
The Florida Railroad Museum is one of the most surprising things about Parrish. Tucked off 83rd Street East, it is a working heritage railroad that runs excursion trains on weekend departures between Parrish and Willow, about six miles of track through Florida's piney landscape.
What to expect
Saturday and Sunday service typically runs with departures at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and the museum is usually open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You ride in vintage passenger coaches behind a diesel locomotive, which is exactly as fun for adults as it is for kids.
Themed rides worth planning around
The museum is famous for its event calendar: train robberies, murder mystery dinner trains, and the North Pole Express around the holidays. These sell out, so grab tickets in advance, especially for the Christmas season.
Convenient to Canoe Creek
The museum is a short drive from Canoe Creek and sits on the same side of Manatee County as the neighborhood. It also makes a great dry-weather plan when the river parks are washed out.
For families in Canoe Creek or anyone house hunting in Parrish, an afternoon at the railroad museum is the kind of local color that makes this area feel like more than just a commute.
Thinking about this area?
Talk it through with Roger Reed. He knows the market and the neighborhood well.