What? There’s a train on Oahu? | Oahu family fun

Do you have a train lover in your family?

I sure do, although he’s a generalist. Any type of vehicle from surfboard to space shuttle is fascinating and wonderful. At some point, I heard there was a historic train on Oahu. Actually, the words that stuck in my head were “2 hour long ride” and “the blazing heat of Ewa”. I made a point to never mention the existence of said train. That is, until we heard the whistle blast while at Koolina. And when we drove over the railroad tracks, my fate was sealed. Sadly, I had to admit to my son that there was a train on Oahu.

A train-themed birthday party

Fortunately, we were invited to a train birthday party shortly after. And I say fortunately because everything is fun with friends and it turned the daunting train experience into a fun adventure. Besides, there would be birthday cupcakes and I like sugar.

About the historic train ride

Train rides depart from Ewa and last 2 hours long, round-trip. A narrator shares the history of how sugar cane trains were used on sugar plantations, but a toddler has little use for sugar history. Only sugar consumption.

At the end of the line (about an hour into your journey) the train stops briefly to admire the ocean views at Kahe Point. If you have a train car of toddlers, you may find that their interest has faded and they’re planning a revolt. Fortunately, the train also stops for ice cream at nearby Koolina (except the Sunday 1 pm ride, ice cream not included). It’s a good way to stretch your legs and motivate for the journey back.

Back at the station, there is a picnic area and old train yard to look at (and climb on!) the old locomotives and train cars on display.

Here are some things I learned on our train on Oahu adventure –

1. Bring along food, drinks and a portable potty chair (okay, this is toddler specific advice, but there are no bathrooms on the train) and you can’t go wrong.
2. Small children can handle sitting for about an hour, then that stay seated rule goes out the window.
3. Climbing on the Ewa 6 engine in the parking lot is exciting enough that you don’t even need to ride the train.
4. Those sneaky engineers made it so you have to pass through the gift shop to get to the bathroom.
5. The train runs on Wednesday (1pm), Saturday (noon and 3pm), and Sunday (1pm and 3pm) and gets surprisingly crowded.
6. You can be a hero to a train lover and rent a private car for birthday parties.

If you have a small one and you’re wondering how they will fare on the train. Ask yourself this. Does vibration and loud noise lull my little one to sleep? We had 5 kids in our group take a nice long siesta.

Or does sitting for extended periods turn them into squirmy monkeys? We fell into the latter category.

 

So go try out the train on Oahu for yourself!

Or keep the train on Oahu a secret and browse through the Keiki Monday archives for alternative ideas and don’t forget to sign up for the Little Bird Post below for monthly updates on family fun.