Where is the Christmas Train, and Bright Nights?

Bright Nights, and the Christmas Train, take place in the Miniature Train area of Stanley Park.

The Miniature Train is located not far from the Vancouver Aquarium, and Lumberman’s Arch.

A few steps away is the Stanley Park Children’s Farmyard: a cute place where kids can see sheep, goats, cows, giant pig, and snakes.

While the 10-minute Miniature Train ride is fun for little kids year-round, twice a year it transforms into a popular night-time event. Even older kids like the Halloween Ghost Train and the “Christmas Train”, aka as Stanley Park “Bright Nights” because of the sparkling display of lights created every year to benefit the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund.

How to Enjoy Stanley Park Bright Nights

• Visitors are free to stroll through the displays of lights without riding the train: you may wish to make a donation to the Burn Fund, but it’s not required.
• parking is free after 3 p.m.
• Dates for Bright Nights are from November 28 2008 to January 3 2009, 3 pm – 10 pm (closed Christmas Day).
• Snacks on-the-spot include hot chocolate and roasted chestnuts, and popcorn sold by the Stanley Park Ecology Society.
• Street entertainers, choirs, bands add to the fun
• allow enough time to visit the Children’s Farmyard (which closes earlier, at 9 p.m.)
• kids can visit Santa in his “living room” at the train station

The “Christmas Train” Ride

• ticket price includes entrance to the Children’s Farmyard too.
• rates are $8/adult, $5 for kids 2 to 1
• tickets are sold for half-hour time slots
• Tickets sell out fast; fortunately, you can buy online. See Stanley Park Bright Nights for purchase link.
• each day, half the tickets for that night’s rides will be reserved to go on sale at noon, on a first-come first-served basis.

This means that — even if you don’t buy tickets in advance– if you arrive early, you should have a good chance of riding the train that night. While waiting for the train ride you can play at a nearby playground, stroll the seawall, or even drive to a nearby restaurant and return for your time slot.

And of course, once it’s dark, you can enjoy the displays of a million sparkling lights in Stanley Park’s forest setting.