Looking for a summer day trip that feels like stepping into another era? Just a little over an hour from L.A., the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris offers visitors the chance to ride aboard vintage trains and electric trolleys while exploring one of the largest collections of historic railway equipment in the western United States.
Spread across more than 100 acres, the museum preserves SoCal’s rich railroading heritage through hundreds of locomotives, railcars, streetcars, and transit vehicles dating back more than a century. According to the museum, it houses over 200 historic railway vehicles and operates authentic train and trolley rides every weekend.
Riding streetcars and vintage trains
The highlight of any visit is hopping aboard one of the museum’s operating railway vehicles. Many of coming from the iconic Pacific Electric Railway and Los Angeles Railway systems that served the region throughout the early 20th century.
Unlike other heritage rail attractions, a single ticket grants unlimited rides throughout the day during regular operating hours, allowing guests to experience multiple pieces of railway history in one visit.
Inside the Southern California Railway Museum
Originally founded in 1956 as the Orange Empire Trolley Museum, the institution has grown into one of the country’s premier railway museums.
The museum also features open-air exhibits, historic railway buildings, restoration projects, and an extensive collection dedicated to preserving the region’s transportation history. Railway enthusiasts can even see rare Pacific Electric “Red Cars” and Los Angeles Railway “Yellow Cars,” iconic symbols of Southern California’s transit past.
The best part? The museum is super affordable, with weekend train and trolley ride tickets generally ranging from $10 to $13 for adults and $8 to $9 for children.
