When someone mentions the Bronx, you most likely think of the Yankees or maybe the Bronx Zoo or Fordham University.
But what a lot of people may not realize is that for the last 19 years, the New York Botanical Garden has hosted an annual Holiday Train Show, and it’s only 28 miles away. I often work in the Bronx, so I went to the show with my camera last week.
Located two miles north of I-95 (the Cross Bronx Expressway), between Southern Boulevard and the Bronx River parkway and across Fordham Road from the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Garden provides various cultural activities throughout the year, but the Holiday Train Show is a much-anticipated event.
The show is located inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory. It is comprised of G-scale model trains that ride along on a half-mile of track that crosses rivers, winds through valleys and tunnels and on bridges overhead. Following the trains will take you on a tour of 140 New York landmarks and familiar sights.
The entire display is constructed of natural materials–everything from tree limbs, twigs and leaves, buds, nuts and bark. There are more than 100 replicas of New York City and New York state buildings and landmarks. Some of the familiar sights include Old Yankee Stadium, Gracie Mansion, the George Washington Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and Grand Central Station.
The Holiday Train Show runs through January 9. The best time to go is during the week or early on the weekends, which can get very busy. If you do decide to make the trip on the weekend, you might want to consider buying tickets online in advance because tickets for certain hours can sell out. The New York Botanical Garden is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Children under 2 are free and those 2-12 pay $10. The cost for older students and seniors is $18 and adults are $20. There’s also a $12 charge for parking.
When you’re done with the trains, you can also go for a hike in the 50-acre native forest or hang out at Gingerbread Adventures in the Discovery Center. You’ll learn all about the plants that give gingerbread its flavor.
Enjoy the slideshow!
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