There’s truly nothing better than seeing life through your child(ren)’s eyes. Whether you’re a Disney family or prefer to tackle a low-cost bucket list, the look of excitement, surprise, and gratitude that comes from memory-making is second to none. And that’s exactly how I wanted to end my summer with my boys, so we made the trek to spend a ‘Day Out with Thomas’ at Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad in Genessee County.
My sons, ages four and one, were the perfect ages to take on this day trip adventure. There were (surprisingly) no tears but rather tons of smiles and “Mom, stop…you’re embarrassing me” facial expressions given instead. If you’ve thought about taking your kids to one of Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad’s events, I suggest grabbing your tickets now!
More than just a train ride
While the most exciting thing about attending a ‘Day Out with Thomas’ is ultimately the train ride on an antique train car, there are so many activities for the entire family. Immediately upon arrival, conductors and village staff provide visitors with passports for the day and encourage visitors to see all of the designated tents, hands-on creative play, meet-and-greets, farm animals, etc.; once the little ones have collected all four stamps, they’re able to receive a special prize from the gift shop. The passport inspires families to make the most of their time at Huckleberry Village and indulge in a bit of history.
Tip: Wear close-toed shoes since you’ll be walking on old dirt roads/paths and bring a stroller for your little ones.
Super family-friendly
There’s nothing worse than packing up the family truckster and realizing you forgot something or have nowhere to eat as a big group or change the baby. Huckleberry Railroad does a great job of accommodating families both large and small with children of any age. They offer several designated baby changing stations, dozens of picnic tables, a first aid building, and ample staff to make sure that your day is spent making memories instead of stressing over the little things that go along with leaving the house with kids.
Not many add-on costs
I personally can’t stand paying entry for a family fun day and then getting nickel and dimed at every other activity that the venue offers. While there are some things that are add-on costs (see: carousel, food, balloons, etc.), a ‘Day Out with Thomas’ was as economical as they come. The Imagination Station (coloring, Duplo building, and cornhole, to name a few), bounce houses, temporary tattoos, farm animals, video screening, and magic show were all included in the $22 price of admission. We brought a picnic lunch and enjoyed that in a shaded area before indulging in some reasonably-priced cotton candy ($3 for a large bag).
A well-timed ride through history
“They’re two, they’re four, they’re six, they’re eight….” As soon as the Thomas theme song started to play over the loud speakers of the old locomotive, the excitement on the kids’ faces grew exponentially. While riding the Huckleberry Railroad, passerbys waived goodbye as we embarked on a 40-minute ride through Genessee County, a perfect amount of time to be glued to an old train seat in my opinion.
Tip: There are no restrooms on the train, so it’s imperative to stop before boarding.
The genuine thank you
At the end of a busy day of exploring, there is nothing better than strapping your kids into their carseats and them thanking you without being prompted to do so. We’re not a terribly adventurous family, so when we go out, we try to make the most of our time; my four year old couldn’t wait to get home to share about how much fun he had to his friends later that day. And that is why we do what we do as parents.
If you were unable to make a trip to Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad while Thomas was in town this summer, be sure to take a look at their calendar and try to make the visit for Halloween or Christmas at Crossroads Village.
Thank you to Genessee County Parks for hosting my family for this awesome event!
