The Best of North Carolina, South Carolina and Beyond.

Snow in Carolina, photo by Renee Wright

More Christmas festivities around the South:

Christmas Lights
Historic Christmas Celebrations

We'll let you know in advance the don't-miss events, festivals, shows and exhibits coming up around the Carolinas, so you can plan the month ahead, plus we'll include all the links you'll need to make the best choices...

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Riding the Rails with Santa
A Web Guide

by Renee Wright

The Polar Express

Since Tom Hanks made the children's classic The Polar Express into a movie, Christmas train rides have become a holiday tradition across the country.

But the good folks of North Conway, New Hampshire have been reenacting the book's story for years aboard the Conway Scenic Railroad.

Every year, they dress up as elves and invite children and the young at heart to ride the train at night in their pajamas. The train stops at a local ski area, where the storybook comes to life. Each child returns with a reindeer's bell.

The event is a tremendous success, hosting 10,000 childen each year. Tickets are unavailable for sale. You have to win the right to buy them in a lottery.

The Polar Express Train is a major fundraiser for the Believe in Books Literacy Foundation, which has the support of the book's author, Chris Van Allsburg. Allsburg received the Caldecott Medal, one of the highest awards for children's literature, for the Christmas classic.

In 2005, the New Hampshire Polar Express doubled the number of children it can take to the North Pole. Two railroads now participate:

The Conway Scenic Railroad, out of North Conway, near Crawford Notch

The Hobo Railroad, out of Lincoln, near Franconia Notch

A few cool Polar Express sites:

The Polar Express movie site, a great interactive flash site with a Snowflake generator, games, arts & crafts and much more.
The Polar Express book's website at Houghton Mifflin Books, with all kinds of games and cool links, including:
- A Throw-Your-Polar Express Pajama Party kit, complete with invitations, recipes and sheet music for carols. (This is a big file that downloads!)

North & South Carolina Trains

All aboard for the Santa Express on The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad out of Dillsboro Depot. Santa, Frosty and Rudolph lead the carol singing as you travel through some of the Southern Appalachians' most spectacular scenery. Like many Christmas train excursions, this one features a retelling of the Christmas classic, "The Polar Express." Make reservations to have brunch or High Tea with Santa in the Dining Car on select dates. www.gsmr.com

[Tickets may be available as part of a package at The Charleston Inn]

Santa Train, North Carolina Museum of Transportation, Spencer, NC. http://www.nctrans.org/

New Hope Valley RR, at the N.C. Railroad Museum, near Raleigh, NC. www.nhvry.org/

South Carolina Railroad Museum, Santa Trains, Winnsboro, SC. www.scrm.org

Georgia Trains

Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, Blue Ridge, GA. www.brscenic.com

SAM Shortline www.samshortline.com

Southeastern Railway Museum, Duluth, GA (outside Atlanta) Breakfast with Santa, Santa appearances every day through Dec. www.srmduluth.org

Alabama Trains

North Alabama Railroad Museum, Huntsville, AL, Santa Train http://www.northalabamarailroadmuseum.com/

Heart of Dixie Railroad, near Birmingham, AL, Santa Special and The Polar Express. www.heartofdixiemuseum.org

Florida Trains

Seminole Gulf Railway, Ft. Myers, FL. www.semgulf.com

Mount Dora & Lake Eustis Railway, Florida, Santa Express. www.inlandlakesrailway.com

Florida Gulf Coast Railroad North Pole Express www.fgcrrm.org

Gold Coast Railroad Museum www.goldcoast-railroad.org

Tennessee & Kentucky Trains

Tennessee Valley Railroad, Chattanooga, TN, (The Chattanooga Choo-Choo) North Pole Limited. www.tvrail.com [Tickets may be available as part of a package at www.choochoo.com]

Santa Train, Kentucky Railroad Museum, New Haven, KY, (south of Bardstown). www.kyrail.org

Santa Train, Blue Grass Railroad Museum, Versailles, KY (west of Lexington) www.bgrm.org

Hardin Nostalgia Train, western Kentucky Santa Train www.hsrr.com (270) 437-4555

Texas & Oklahoma Trains

Victorian Christmas Train, Texas State Railroad, Palestine, TX. http://www.texasstaterr.com/

The Polar Express Storybook Special, Austin Steam Train, Austin, TX. Also, special service to the Main Street Bethlehem holiday festival in Bernet, and Old Town Christmas in Bertram. www.austinsteamtrain.org

The Christmas Train, Dry Gulch, OK, an 1880's Western movie town. www.christmastrain.com

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a version of this story was published in Square Dancing Today, 2003