16 spots within 60 miles of 92692
Zoomars at River Street Ranch
San Juan Capistrano
A pint-sized kids' train at a petting-zoo ranch in the historic Los Rios district; combine with pony rides and gem mining.
🗓️ Daily
💵 Admission · $ train add-on
Visit site →Irvine Park Railroad
Orange
A beloved 1/3-scale miniature train that winds 12 minutes through historic Irvine Regional Park; pair it with paddle boats and the OC Zoo.
🗓️ Daily (weather permitting)
💵 Free park entry · $ train ticket
Visit site →Santa Ana Zoo Train
Santa Ana
A small ride-on park train at the Santa Ana Zoo, alongside a carousel and Ferris wheel; an easy add-on to a half-day zoo visit with young kids.
🗓️ Fri–Sun (weather permitting)
💵 Zoo admission · $ per ride
Visit site →OC Model Engineers (Goathill Junction)
Costa Mesa
Volunteer-run ride-on miniature trains looping through Fairview Park over bridges; free public rides — riders must be 31" tall and able to walk.
🗓️ Third full weekend monthly
Visit site →Disneyland Railroad
Anaheim
An authentic steam train that loops the whole park in ~18 minutes, passing the Grand Canyon and Primeval World dioramas; a relaxing classic for all ages.
🗓️ Daily
💵 Included with Disneyland admission
Visit site →Castle Park Railroad
Riverside
A scenic ride-on train through this family amusement park; a real steam locomotive runs the 2nd and 4th Sundays, and kids ride free with a paying adult on weekends.
🗓️ Park hours; steam 2nd & 4th Sundays
💵 Park admission · ride included
Visit site →Southern California Railway Museum
Perris
California's largest rail museum: ride real operating trolleys and trains on a mile-plus of track, with occasional steam-up weekends and a huge Pacific Electric collection.
🗓️ Weekends & most holidays 11am–5pm
💵 Free entry/parking · $ ride
Visit site →Adventure City Express Train
Anaheim
A vintage 1938 ride-on miniature train (no height minimum) circling this small, toddler-friendly theme park; a great first train ride for little ones.
🗓️ Open days vary (check schedule)
💵 Included with park admission
Visit site →Ghost Town & Calico Railroad (Knott's)
Buena Park
A real 1880s narrow-gauge steam train pulled by genuine Denver & Rio Grande locomotives through Knott's Ghost Town; a piece of working railroad history.
🗓️ Daily
💵 Included with Knott's admission
Visit site →El Dorado Frontier (El Dorado Park Train)
Long Beach
A western-themed mini park whose mile-plus miniature train runs on a 1946 locomotive through a tunnel and past a lake; includes a carousel and gold panning.
🗓️ Weekends (seasonal)
💵 $ admission (train & carousel)
Visit site →Heritage Park Railroad Exhibit
Santa Fe Springs
A restored full-size steam locomotive, boxcar and caboose you can walk through (a display, not a ride) at a free Victorian-era heritage park; nice for train-loving toddlers.
🗓️ Daily 12–4pm (static exhibit)
Visit site →San Bernardino History & Railroad Museum
San Bernardino
A free museum in the grand 1918 Santa Fe Depot (still an active Amtrak/Metrolink stop), full of railroad artifacts and photos; a quick history stop, not a ride.
🗓️ Saturdays 10am–3pm (static)
Visit site →Griffith Park & Southern Railroad
Los Angeles
A classic miniature railroad running since 1948, traveling a full mile past a wooden bridge and an Old Western town; a Griffith Park institution.
🗓️ Daily (weather permitting)
💵 $ per ride
Visit site →Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum
Los Angeles
Volunteer-built 7.5" gauge trains carry the public on Sundays past a miniature Old West town and mine; riders must be at least 34" tall.
🗓️ Sundays 11am–3pm
💵 Suggested ~$4 donation per ride
Visit site →Travel Town Museum
Los Angeles
A free outdoor railroad museum of real full-size steam locomotives kids can climb near, plus a scale train that circles the grounds; a Griffith Park favorite.
🗓️ Daily (museum); train most days
💵 Free museum · $ train ride
Visit site →Poway-Midland Railroad
Poway
A volunteer heritage railroad in Old Poway Park running a real 1907-style steam locomotive, an LA cable car, and a speeder on rotating weekends.
🗓️ Select weekends (steam & trolley rotate)
💵 $ per ride
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Heads up: several of these run limited days — steam trains and volunteer-run railroads often operate only on select weekends. A few entries (noted in their descriptions) are walk-through railroad museums rather than rides. Confirm hours first.