Colorado’s Polar Express 🎅🏻 🎄 #shorts #denver #christmas

The Georgetown Loop Railroad is already a pretty well-known day trip from Denver — it's been running since the 1880s and it's the kind of thing you keep meaning to do and never quite get around to. During the holidays, it transforms into Santa's Rocky Mountain Adventure, and that's what finally got me out there. My wife and I took the kids, and I'll say upfront: I went in expecting a standard "train ride with some tinsel" situation. That's not what this is.

The ride itself runs at around 9,000 feet of elevation, which means you're winding through mountain terrain with snow-covered trees on both sides. That part alone is legitimately beautiful in December. The Georgetown Loop isn't a fast ride — it's slow and deliberate, which works in your favor here because there's actually a lot to look at. The holiday version adds a whole layer of programming on top of the scenery: a conductor leads you through a reading of *The Polar Express* Christmas tale, and you get hot cocoa and cookies along the way. My kids, who are not usually patient with anything that isn't a screen, were locked in the entire time.

What the Experience Is Actually Like

The boarding process is organized and the staff clearly does this a lot — no chaos, no standing around wondering what happens next. Once you're in the car, the atmosphere picks up quickly. The cocoa and cookies sound like a small detail but they land well, especially when it's cold outside and the windows are fogged up. The story reading gives the whole ride a structure, so it doesn't just feel like you're sitting on a train waiting for it to end. Santa makes an appearance, which for my five-year-old was the main event. She talked about it for two weeks.

The scenery is the other thing. I've driven through Georgetown plenty of times on I-70 without stopping, which in hindsight was a mistake. The mountain views from the train — especially the bridge crossing — are the kind of thing that would be worth the trip even without the holiday programming. In December, with snow on the ground and the sun going down, it's hard to argue with.

What Works and What Doesn't

Tickets aren't cheap. Adult pricing starts around $29 on the lower end and can run significantly higher depending on the package and date, so this is more of a planned outing than a spontaneous one. It's worth booking ahead — the holiday dates fill up fast, and showing up without a reservation isn't really an option. For families with young kids who are into trains or Christmas or both, the value makes more sense. For adults without kids, it's still a solid experience, just a different kind of one.

Georgetown is about 45 minutes west of Denver on I-70, so you're not walking out of your downtown hotel and hopping on. Give yourself time for the drive and factor in that mountain weather in December is unpredictable. Dress warmer than you think you need to.

One thing I'd push back on: some people frame this as a Denver Christmas activity, and it's not exactly that. It's a mountain excursion that happens to be close to Denver. That's not a complaint — it's actually what makes it stand out. There are plenty of things to do in Denver during December, from the Denver Zoo's holiday lights setup to walking Larimer Square when it's decorated. This is different. You're leaving the city, gaining some elevation, and doing something that actually feels specific to Colorado.

Worth the Drive

If you have kids who are in the train-and-Santa phase, this is probably the best holiday outing in the Denver area right now. The combination of real mountain scenery, a structured ride experience, and the Santa moment makes it feel complete rather than assembled. My wife and I were surprised by how much we got out of it too — which wasn't something I predicted going in. Book your tickets early, drive out on a clear day, and bring layers. That's really all you need to know.