The BC Forest Discovery Centre’s Christmas Express is offering 14 nights of holiday magic this year.
Ride the steam train with your family through a forest especially decorated to be a winter wonderland.
It’s always special to hear the evocative sound of the steam whistle as it echoes through the trees, adding to a night out for families who come from all over Vancouver Island to enjoy the event.
There’s always plenty to do and see at the beautifully decorated site, with music inside the main building, displays outside and, of course, the train ride through the woods to see the decorations concluding with that ride up Candy Cane Lane back to the station.
The centre is open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., with the train leaving every 20 minutes from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
What’s new this year is the expanded schedule.
The train runs Dec. 2-4, then Dec. 9-11, and finally for eight straight nights from Dec. 16-23.
Admission is $10 for adults, seniors, and youth (13-18 years), $8 for children (three to 12 years), and free for children two and under.
Advance tickets are available in the centre’s gift shop, from Monday through Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m.
Buying in advance can be a real time saver when you actually go because there will be an advance ticket line to move you through more quickly. Tickets can also be ordered on the phone for out of town guests with a credit card and picked up on your selected evening. Call the gift shop, again from Monday to Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. at 250-715-1113 ext. 30 to order yours.
You can also buy 2017 family or corporate memberships for gift giving or for yourself. They are available in the gift shop so you can enjoy events throughout the year.