Making Memories: A Day Out With Thomas
By Emily
Don’t let my daughter’s tutus and tiaras fool you, they love bugs, trucks and trains too. When I casually made the announcement that we’d be spending a day out with Thomas the Train and his Friends, my little girls went crazy. You see, a train ride has been on our summer bucket list as a family, but a train ride with Thomas and Friends was going to be a real treat for my daughters.
If you’ve not yet heard of a Day Out With Thomas, it’s a magical experience for your little train engineer to enjoy a variety of Thomas and Friends-themed entertainment and a memorable train ride with a larger than life Thomas. Thomas tours the country annually during the spring and summer, so you’re sure to find an event near you. Tickets often sell out in advance so be sure to plan ahead for this day of fun!
Our special Day Out With Thomas experience was held at the Northwest Railway Museum in Snoqualmie, WA and took us on amazing train ride through Snoqualmie, along the river and above the magnificent 298-foot Snoqualmie Falls. But before the ride, our memory making started with the numerous Thomas and Friends activities set up at the grounds of the Northwest Railroad Museum.
Upon entering the festivities, my daughters were given special Thomas maps that showed where each of the various activities were located. At each activity check point, my girls would collect stamps to qualify for a special prize, a Thomas and Friends sticker set.
We arrived in town an hour before our 5:15 train time. Thomas runs all day long, every 45 minutes and entertainment is scheduled throughout the day. Unfortunately, all the live music and puppet show performances were ending when we arrived so I would certainly recommend giving yourself a good hour and a half if you have tickets for a train ride later in the day. Even though we didn’t get the chance to catch these shows it did give us plenty of time to take in other Thomas and Friends activities at our leisure. Plus, when you’ve got kids you must always factor in snack time and bathroom breaks!
Our first stop on our Day Out with Thomas was the temporary tattoo booth. There were five characters from Thomas and Friends to choose from and once my girls were branded with their favorite character they felt like official fans.
After tattoos, we stopped by a tent filled with endless Thomas and Friends train sets and Mega Bloks. This was a very popular tent and with good reason, I have a hard enough time pulling my kids away from one train table, let alone over a dozen different tracks. My daughters wanted to try out each and every one so I made the promise that we’d be back before we left. I liked that we had the opportunity to do just that, visit the activities before or after our ride so that we didn’t need to feel rushed. 
If you do find yourself needing a moment to rest, there is tent where your kids can color or catch up on an episode of Thomas and Friends that plays on a large screen television. We decided to take a break near a local sweet shop’s snack booth and enjoyed a big bag of caramel corn before we lined up for our train ride.
The highlight of our Day Out With Thomas was definitely the train ride. I was pleasantly surprised that there was plenty of room for families to enjoy the ride onboard. Our train car held no more than 25 people and we each had comfortable wicker patio chairs to sit on. A train museum historian was also on hand during the ride and gave us loads of information about the train cars and some interesting historical facts. It was pretty cool to know that the train care we were riding was over one hundred years old and was used a passenger car. The historian pointed out small holes in the ceiling where kerosene lanterns had been installed before electricity.
Our ride out of the train station was a real treat for my daughters who got lots of waves from the people in town. We passed other historic train cars along the way before we cruised the tracks along the Snoqualmie River, above the falls and to the perfect spot overlooking the Snoqualmie Valley. I enjoyed the ride and the smiles on the faces of my family so much that it seemed like our 25-minute train ride ended all too soon, but it was really the perfect length of time for my girls.
Before leaving, my daughters had the opportunity to have their picture taken with Thomas. No Day Out With Thomas would be complete without it. Oh, and a second stop at the toy train tent of course!
To find a Day Out with Thomas event check out: http://events.hitentertainment.com/us/day-out-with-thomas/index.asp
Day Out With Thomas®: The GO GO Thomas Tour 2013 is presented by HIT Entertainment and sponsored by MEGA Brands, a leading toy company, and Hard Rock Hotels.
Disclosure – This event was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.
About Emily:
Emily is also very active in the local MOMS CLUB. The mother of two girls, ages 7 and 3, Emily also cares for her lovable old shihtzu, a frisky kitty and a flock of egg-laying chickens. Originally from Wisconsin, Emily transplanted to Pacific Northwest after college to be with the handsome, sweet guy she met on Spring Break. They have now been married for 10 years. Emily hates housecleaning, loves wine and enjoys dining out. She would love to find a cure for the depression and anxiety she has dealt with on and off since early adulthood, just like me. She is an amazing mom and friend.
