Tweetsie Railroad provides a fun family experience that kids will remember always. Tweetsie Railroad provided a pair of tickets in exchange for a travel review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I have fond memories of Tweetsie Railroad during my childhood years. With a charming past and rich history, Tweetsie Railroad has been a part of multiple generations of memorable day trips. When my daughter requested to visit Tweetsie Railroad for her birthday, I may have been more excited than she was to head up the mountain.
My husband and I decided that she could bring along a friend, which quickly morphed into her bringing two other friends. Our birthday excursion included two adults, one teenage helper, and seven kids. Yep, we’re crazy like that.
Tweetsie Railroad is located in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Depending on how far away this is for you, it may be a good day trip or an overnight trip. As a mom, one of my favorite things about Tweetsie is that the park has enough to do that no one gets bored yet the park is not so large that it is overwhelming for little kids. We stayed from about 10:30 am to 5:00 pm, and during the last hour we let everyone re-ride their favorite rides that they wanted to try just one more time.
Mom-proven tips:
When traveling with a large group of kids, preparation is key. Here are a few tips for visiting Tweetsie with kids, including a few money saving tips:
- Head to the park during a weekday, if possible. The park has varying operating hours and days during the off-season, but if you plan to go during the summer, a weekday is an awesome time to go. The park is less crowded during weekdays. During our most current trip, we went on a Monday. The kids had almost no waiting in line time at all for any rides or attractions.
- $$ Pack a lunch. The park does allow coolers inside the gates, but they also will allow guests to head out to lunch and return. Just make sure to get your hand stamped before exiting the park. We packed two coolers full of food, and then tailgated in the parking lot. I purchased chips and snack food the weeks prior while they were on sale. We ate lunch for around $25!
- $$ Bring your own candy and novelties. My kids always want candy or to buy a little trinket when we are on day trips. This can get enormously pricey when traveling with 7 kids! I purchased a few bags of ring pops and glow sticks from the dollar store and packed them in my bag.
- Tweetsie Railroad has a wild west theme, and kids love it! I saw many kids dressed up as they were arriving at the park. Let the kiddos dress up for their day at the park, but try to use items that can be layered or removed. There is a small playground at the park, as well as all the rides, and kids wind up shedding their costume accessories part of the way through.
- One of my personal favorite parts of Tweetsie Railroad is the mountain chair lift. The lift takes guests up the mountain from the lower part of the park up to Miner’s Mountain. However, if you are traveling with someone who experiences severe anxiety over heights (or you feel that your kiddos are too small to ride), there is a bus that will take guests up and down the mountain without riding the lift.
Awesome Attractions:
The Tweetsie train ride, complete with a Wild West show, is a cornerstone of the Tweetsie experience. Hop on it first thing, and then ride it again half way through the day for a relaxing break.
Who knew gem mining would be such a hit? Maybe it was the chance to splash in the water, or maybe it was the anticipation of finding “gold,” but we spent forty five minutes having fun at the gem mining attraction.
Experience the county fair without waiting until fall with these fun rides. Tweetsie Railroad boasts the fastest ferris wheel on the East Coast. From experience, I can say that this is thrillingly true!
The petting zoo is fun for everyone. Baby goats roam inside the gates, and kids enjoy petting their soft fur. Food can be purchased at the counter at the beginning of the petting zoo.
Our day at Tweetsie was great, and it was a birthday to remember for all the kids– and adults!
If you are in the Blowing Rock area looking for things to do after your day at Tweetsie, I recommend stopping for pizza at the Blowing Rock Mellow Mushroom and playing at the Blowing Rock town park!
My husband grew up going to Tweetsie Railroad but I had never been until this summer! We had so much fun there. We had MANY laughs, especially in the petting zoo area!!! We missed out on the mining though. That will have to be on the list for next time we go!
OMG THIS IS A KID’S DREAMLAND!! So much stimulation! Ha! Wow, I cannot believe in a few years I am going to have to start planning trips/vacations with KIDS in mind! YIKES!!!
I never grew up! I STILL love gold mining games like this and love tilt a whirl!! I have always had an affinity for trains too so if I could go here – even at my age I would have a blast!! I need to borrow some kids and go lol.
I think the sound of a train whistle is so soothing. I grew up near passing trains. This looks like a great day trip and a place to take the family for boatloads of memories.
What a fun place to go with the whole family. We have a similar railroad here in Colorado. We havent gone in a while. I need to remember to visit with the kids one day. Adding Tweetsie Railroad to our wish list too! What fun!
That always happens to us. Permission to bring one friend turns into many more friends tagging along. My family would enjoy a trip to Tweetsie Railroad, I’m almost certain.
I love places like this! We’ve been to many parks, but never got the chance to visit Tweetsie Railroad! This looks like so much fun, even for us ‘big kids’! I would love to try that Lift!
This looks like so much fun. I love old fashion spots like this. We went to a similar one in Tennessee and my kids loved it. I really liked your tips. Especially about bringing your own treats. I need to start doing that so I can save the $56560 they charge for a candy bar haha.
Oh my .. seven kids? I take my hat off to you! But really, you’re right, for things like this it’s far more fun with a group of friends. When mine were little, they especially love petting zoos. All of the animals were always so funny and really great with the kids xx
Oh wow, you guys sound like you had so much fun! I have a big family though I’m not a mother yet myself and I can imagine how we would enjoy a place like this too! Thanks for sharing this place 😀
We went to Tweetsie every summer when I was growing up and I loved being able to take my son when he was younger too!