Christmas 2026: Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden — Tiny Trains, Plant-Made Landmarks & Bronx Holiday Magic

If you only do one big holiday outing with kids this year, make it the Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden. For its 35th year, the show returns from November 14, 2026 through January 10, 2027, filling the warm Enid A. Haupt Conservatory with G-scale model trains winding through nearly 200 miniature New York landmarks — all recreated from natural materials like leaves, seeds, twigs, bark, and acorns. It is indoors, warm, magical after dark, and close enough for a Bergen County day trip. Book timed tickets early, since popular December dates sell out.

🍂 Seasonal highlights — This year's new addition is a botanical replica of One Vanderbilt, joining longtime favorites like the original Penn Station and the first Yankee Stadium. On select evenings the Conservatory stays open until 8 PM, last entry 7:15 PM, with live music and photos with NYBG Train Conductors from 5 to 8 PM. Evening dates: November 27, 28, and 29; December 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, and 20; December 26 to 30; and January 2. Sensory Friendly Mornings are Saturday, November 21, 2026 and Saturday, January 9, 2027, 9 to 11 AM. The Evergreen Express runs daily 10 AM to 5 PM.

📍 Place — New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458. The show is inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, a glass Victorian-style greenhouse that stays warm even on cold days. Outside, the 250-acre garden offers winter walks and the Everett Children's Adventure Garden.

🚗 Drive Time — About 45 minutes to 1 hour from Tenafly, Fort Lee, and Palisades Park via the George Washington Bridge, depending on traffic. Metro-North to Botanical Garden station is also an easy option. Arrive early on weekends, since parking lots fill on popular holiday dates.

👶 What Kids Can Do — Spot the landmarks as a game (Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Yankee Stadium); follow one train all the way around the track; enjoy the warm Conservatory on a cold day; visit on a Sensory Friendly Morning for a calmer experience; explore the Children's Adventure Garden after the show.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 What Adults Can Do — Admire the plant-part craftsmanship up close; come back after dark for the evening hours with live music; pair the garden with Arthur Avenue, the Bronx's Little Italy, for dinner, or the Bronx Zoo next door; buy tickets in advance (the show is included in the All-Garden Pass, with timed entry).

🧭 Things to Do Nearby — Bronx Zoo, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY; Arthur Avenue, Bronx, NY (Little Italy restaurants, bakeries, markets); Wave Hill, Bronx, NY (garden overlooking the Hudson River).

Good to know: the show runs November 14, 2026 to January 10, 2027, with a members' preview on November 13. Check NYBG's official calendar for ticket prices and hours on your date, since prices vary by date and ticket type, and holiday weeks book up fastest.