Trains, miniature railroads and carousels with kids around Washington DC
The DC-area park systems have a tradition: a big regional park gets a miniature train and an antique carousel, with tickets a couple of dollars each. Add a museum where admission includes a real streetcar ride, the birthplace of American railroading, and a subway line that's an outing in itself, and train fans from 2 to 10 are covered.
Closest to Rockville are the miniature train and 1915 carousel at Wheaton Regional Park, the 1921 Dentzel carousel and puppet shows at Glen Echo, and the National Capital Trolley Museum in Colesville, where admission includes a ride through the woods. Burke Lake Park in Virginia and Watkins Regional Park in Maryland are full days of train, carousel and mini golf. Riding the Red Line from Rockville to Union Station to watch Amtrak pull in is a trip on its own, and the grand finale is the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, where kids climb real locomotives in a giant roundhouse and ride a real train on weekends.
- 7 places
- 7 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
7 places
Drive times from Rockville
Ride the Metro Red Line downtown (Rockville to Union Station)
5.0Rockville · 5 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free weekend parking at Rockville and Shady Grove stations; fares $2–6 per person, kids under 5 ride free with an adult (two per adult)
Wheaton Regional Park train and carousel
5.0Wheaton · 15 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot at the Shorefield Rd entrance, by the train and playground
Glen Echo Park carousel and puppet theater
5.0Glen Echo · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot inside the park
National Capital Trolley Museum
5.0Colesville · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot
Burke Lake Park train and carousel
5.0Fairfax Station · 45 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Lot inside the park; about $10/car for non-Fairfax County residents on weekends April–October
Watkins Regional Park train, carousel, and Wizard of Oz playground
5.0Upper Marlboro · 45 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot inside the park
B&O Railroad Museum
5.0Baltimore · 55 min drive
3 h · stroller-friendly
$$ · Parking: Free museum lot; admission about $25 adults, about $15 ages 2–12 (check the website)
💡 Good to know
- Park trains and carousels generally run April through October, mostly on weekends; check each park's website for schedules and prices, and pay on site.
- Metro often has weekend track work, so check WMATA before leaving; kids under 5 ride free (two per adult), and every station has elevators for strollers.