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Frugal Field Trip near Los Angeles: Travel Town Museum Foundation

I’ve always believed that learning isn’t just bound on the four walls of school. In fact, I think there’s a lot to learn in visiting new places that’s why everyone should always encourage and take students on outdoor excursions to locations and sites where they can learn new things. If you’re in LA and you’re planning to embark on a frugal educational trip any time of the week, why not check out Travel Town Museum? Preserving and celebrating the rich railroad heritage, this place is an ideal location to take a step back in time while spending quality time with kids as you gaze at the centuries-old remnants of our glorious past.

Notable History

Travel Town Museum was opened as a travel museum on December 14, 1952 at the expansive Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California. The museum’s collection showcases the golden age of western United States’ railroad history that spanned from 1880 until the 1930s.

The Railroad Museum has 43 full-scale railroad engines, cars and other rolling stocks. The site contains 17 locomotives that range from the 1899 AT&SF 664 Baldwin steam locomotive, to the Western Pacific No. 26, manufactured in 1909. If you also want to see vintage and antique sets of freight cars and cabooses, the museum is also the place to be, where you can see various types from Pullman Company snack cars to sleeping cars. Trolleys, cable cars and motors are also available here, as well as US Navy maintenance-of-the-way equipment and motor vehicles that you can’t see anywhere else.

Frugal Tips

Admission to the Travel Town Museum is free, but for $2.50 fee for the train ride, you get a good bargain for your money because it’s good for two rounds, which lets you take a good view of the grounds and trains from a another angle. The amenities are pretty great. The staff does a great job of keeping the bathrooms clean. My boys had a time window shopping at the Gift shop which was fully stuffed with toys, clothes and books.

More Info

The Travel Town Museum is open every day throughout the year, although it’s usually closed on Christmas Day. The Museum’s Griffith Park Train Rides is known throughout Los Angeles for the excitement and affordable adventure that families could enjoy here.  The Griffith Park and Southern Railroad rides give you a mile of railroading adventure that will take you from the train tracks to a replication of an Old Western Town. The classic simulator ride Kid Coaster is another enticing reason to come here!

When it comes to family friendliness, the Travel Town Museum is the name to beat. The grounds are stroller- and kid-friendly. Everyone can climb and explore the trains, too. A sort of history buff, I delighted with the fact that I could check out these remnants of our past. While the Travel Town Museum is considered every kid’s destination, I myself had a great time with all the rides and strollings, plus the bonding moments I’ve had with kids.

Author’s bio: Manilyn Moreno is a freelance writer for a catering software company. When she’s not writing or working in the kitchen, she loves visiting museums and parks.