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A Maine Christmas Train Ride By Trolley!

Published: November 20, 2025

By: Adam Burns

Tucked into the woods of coastal Maine, the Seashore Trolley Museum invites visitors to slow down, listen for the hum of electric motors, and step into the era when streetcars stitched together New England’s towns and cities.

Located in Kennebunkport, the museum is widely recognized as the oldest and largest museum of public transportation of its kind, preserving and operating an extraordinary collection of streetcars, interurbans, rapid transit cars, trackless trolleys, and buses.

It’s a living, moving museum—one where history doesn’t just sit behind ropes and placards. You can ride it.  For the holidays the museum hosts two different seasonal favorites; "Santa's Magical Trolley Ride" and "Christmas Prelude" trips.

About The Museum

Founded in 1939 by a small group of enthusiasts determined to save a single retiring trolley, the museum grew from a hopeful experiment into a renowned institution with a national following.

Decades later, it remains a testament to the idea that everyday technology—especially technology that connects people—deserves care, restoration, and celebration. The museum’s nonprofit parent organization, the New England Electric Railway Historical Society, stewards the collection, leads preservation and restoration projects, and shares the stories of transit’s impact on communities.

A Day at the Museum

Visiting the Seashore Trolley Museum feels like walking through a living chapter of American urban history. The campus includes exhibit barns filled with beautifully restored cars and projects in progress, a visitor center and museum store, and a demonstration railway that winds through the pines. On operating days, volunteers and staff bring vintage vehicles to life. You’ll board a historic trolley—often a century-old car lovingly maintained by the museum’s restoration teams—and roll out along the museum’s track for a serene ride through the woods. There’s nothing quite like the gentle sway of a trolley, the clang of the bell, and the rhythm of the rails to transport you back in time.

Beyond the rides, you can explore exhibits about electric railway innovation, local and regional transit history, and the craftsmanship behind restoration. The museum’s collection reflects the breadth of electric transit in the United States, with vehicles representing New England systems and major cities across the country. It’s a place where families, history enthusiasts, and anyone curious about how cities grew around transit can learn by seeing, touching, and riding.

Events That Bring History to Life

Throughout the year, the museum hosts themed events that pair nostalgia with hands-on fun—everything from autumn pumpkin rides to special summer programs. Among these celebrations, one stands out as a beloved local tradition: Santa’s Magical Trolley Ride.

Santa’s Magical Trolley Ride

Each holiday season, on just a few select dates, the Seashore Trolley Museum transforms into a winter wonderland for Santa’s Magical Trolley Ride, an event that draws families from across Maine and beyond. It’s festive, heartfelt, and built on the museum’s greatest asset: an authentic, historic ride experience that turns a simple trip through the woods into a memory children carry with them for years.

Here’s what makes it special

A vintage 30-minute ride dressed for the holidays. Guests board a historic trolley that’s decked out in twinkling lights and seasonal decor. There’s something enchanting about wooden interiors glowing softly while the car glides past snow-dusted pines. Even without snow, the atmosphere feels wintry and cheerful.

Meeting Santa

After enjoying hot cocoa, the trolley ride culminates in time with Santa himself. Families can chat, snap photos, and soak in those blink-and-you’ll-miss-them childhood moments. The museum’s volunteers excel at making each child’s experience feel personal and warm.

A tradition rooted in community

After you return from your trolley ride, the experience concludes with (weather permitting) a stop around the fire pit for s’mores.

Christmas Prelude Rides

These trolley rides are held on a few weekends in early December.  They are simliar to "Santa’s Magical Trolley Ride" featuring a short ride, hot chocolate, and a visit to the museum's model railroad building.  On some occasions Santa will also be available for photos.

Why Families Love It

Santa’s Magical Trolley Ride resonates because it layers holiday enchantment onto something real and tangible. Instead of a simulated train or a modern bus dressed as a sleigh, you’re boarding a genuine historic trolley—one that once carried everyday passengers home from work, to school, or into town for shopping trips decades ago. 

Parents and grandparents love it for the same reasons. It’s a break from overstimulating attractions, a chance to slow down, hold little hands, sing a song or two, and remember that the best holiday moments are often the simplest. It’s also a way to support preservation work. Proceeds from events help fund the museum’s mission to restore and maintain vehicles, train volunteers, and keep history rolling.

Beyond the Holidays: Why the Museum Matters

Even if you first discover the Seashore Trolley Museum through a holiday event, consider returning in the warmer months to experience more of what the museum offers:

Restoration in action

Peek into the shops and see how volunteers and staff bring long-silent cars back to operating condition. The work blends woodworking, metal fabrication, electrical engineering, and historical research.

A deeper dive into transit history

Exhibits and guided experiences tell the story of how electric railways transformed daily life, making it possible to live farther from city centers and commute with ease—changes that shaped modern communities.

Rides you won’t find anywhere else

Each operating car has a backstory, and repeat visits often mean riding something new. Whether it’s a rugged city car or a graceful interurban, you’ll feel the differences in design and purpose right under your feet.

A Final Word

In every season, the Seashore Trolley Museum offers a rare kind of experience: one that’s hands-on, heartfelt, and built on community.

Santa’s Magical Trolley Ride captures that spirit at the most nostalgic time of year, weaving a little holiday wonder into the rails that once helped build America’s towns and cities.

Whether you’re starting a new family tradition or continuing one, the museum’s festive rides are a memorable way to celebrate—rooted in history, powered by volunteers, and warmed by the simple joys that make the season bright.