Poway Midland Railroad

Super Fun!!! A must for kids of all ages. The shop where you buy your tickets has a great train table for children to play at while waiting for their ride. Thomas Trains are also available for purchase. A very scenic park where lots of families take professional pics. There is also a fun farmers market on Saturdays. Feeling hungry? Head over to the Hamburger Factory where food is not only comfort but delicious as well.

This railroad is so cute. It runs in the center of the Old Poway Historic District and is the perfect weekend activity for the family. It is only $.50 per child and $ 1.00 per adult, so obviously quite affordable. They change the train daily, but you can find the schedule on their website if you have your heart set on a specific type of engine. The train runs in a loop around the Old Hamburger Factory, the Old Poway Museum, the adorable park filled with fountains, a gazebo, wood bridges, walking path through the trees, banquet hall and large grassy area that is perfect for birthday parties.
We brought my nephews, a 6 year old and a 3 year old, last weekend and they really enjoyed the train. The 3 year old definitely liked it the most. It goes around the track twice and the weather was just right.

The train itself was fun and cute and Wee One enjoyed it alot the first time we rode. We played a bit, grabbed some lunch and then we grabbed 2 more tickets to ride one more time before we went home. We pay for the tickets, hopped in line behind the other 8 or so families in line as the train pulled in and waited for our 5 minutes on the train… But instead of loading the large group of people, the conductor then tells us that they have to take a break for a little bit. They pull the train off the track and put a new trolley on the track so they can test to make sure it is safe when they EVENTUALLY start using it. Meanwhile, Wee One had to wait almost 30 minutes for a train ride I promised him as we watched a bunch of adults circle the tracks repeatedly. The second train ride was not really worth the half hour wait and by the time we left, Wee One was super grumpy and it sort of spoiled our nice, relaxing afternoon in the park since we were both grumpy when we left.
Moral of this story: Don’t take a Choo Choo train away from a little boy! It is just mean.

Very cool place to bring young kids for an afternoon. My 5yr & 2yr girls enjoyed the train ride, open play areas, fountain & exhibits. Restaraunt was good & conveniently on grounds. the parking was easy. There were Girl Scouts with a booth selling succulent blossoms for a dollar. Really cool experience for my kids. The train ride changes occasionally so different trains for the kids to experience. Overall I’d recommend for a day out with kids for little to no $$$.

Great place to bring children. There is a large park in the center where people often have gatherings and birthdays. It’s on a first come, first serve basis for the tables and grills. We had my son’s second birthday party here. It was a hit with all the kids.
They run a steam engine and a trolley, and I’m not sure what else, but all the details are on their site.

I’m surprised I barely found out about this place! The train rides are awesome for little ones. We came for a birthday party and all the kids ages 0 – 8 really enjoyed it, especially my 2 y/​o. And if it’s your birthday or someone’s birthday on the train, they go around an additional time.
The cost is only $ 2 for adults and $ 0.50 for kids. You can even buy an annual pass for 2 adults and up to 4 or 5 kids for $ 35/​year, which I may soon purchase. This is a better deal than the train by the zoo and they have bigger trains (trolley, cable car, steam engine).
They only operate on Saturdays and most Sundays, but if you go on Saturday, you can make a day out of it, since the Farmers Market is right next to it.

I have 2 boys, a 3 and a 6 year old. They both love going to ride on the trains. It’s also great for a birthday party!

I have a baby who is barely walking around and figuring everything out and he loves this place! There is so much for kids to do here, even train rides.

Located in Old Poway Park
POWAY-​MIDLAND RAILROAD VOLUNTEERS INC. run this train operation in Poway. It’s basically a few small trains that go around the parameter of the Old Poway Park. Times and trains vary, so you might want to double check on their website before coming here.

Steam: 1^st and 3^rd weekends of each month (except January and February)
Trolley: 2^nd Saturday of each month
Speeder: 4^th weekend of each month
Fares run about 2.50 per adult, and .50 cents per child.
It makes two (sometimes three) loops around the park. They also have a Thomas the train store where you buy the tickets. Something fun do to with the kids on a weekend.