North Pole Express — Nevada State Railroad Museum Boulder City

The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Boulder City, Nevada, runs the North Pole Express as an evening holiday train experience. The operator describes a festive 30-minute train ride with a holiday sing-along and a reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas on the way to Santa's Railyard.

At Santa's Railyard guests are served hot chocolate and cookies, can have their photo taken with Santa and can join games and activities, including "snowball" fights with giant cotton snowballs and a snow storm. The operator says the whole event is about 90 minutes of seasonal music, treats and fun from start to finish.

The museum states plainly that this is not a Polar Express event and does not follow the story in the book. It calls the event a family-favorite tradition that sells out fast. The museum runs a separate daytime Santa Train on the same weekends.

A 30-minute train ride with a holiday sing-along and a reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, then time at Santa's Railyard for hot chocolate and cookies, photos with Santa, games and activities, "snowball" fights with giant cotton snowballs and a snow storm: about 90 minutes in all.

The event is at the Nevada State Railroad Museum Boulder City, 1000 Boulder City Parkway, Boulder City, Nevada. For the Visitor Center, the museum's directions from Las Vegas and Henderson say to take I-11/US-95/US-93 south, exit at Boulder City Parkway, turn left onto Yucca Street and then right onto Six Companies Drive to the visitor center parking lot. The operator says the event sells out fast. Museum phone: 702-486-4149.