If your kids love trains, December in the Valley has one event that belongs at the top of your list: Holiday Lights at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale. Every year, this 30-acre city-run railroad park transforms into a sparkling winter wonderland of lights and festive displays, and families line up for the signature experience — riding the Paradise & Pacific Railroad straight through the illuminated displays. It is one of the most family-focused holiday events in Arizona, and it runs on a schedule that requires real planning. Here is what to know for the 2026 season, what to expect once you are inside the gates, and how to handle the drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport when you are traveling with young train fans in tow.
Holiday Lights 2026: Dates, Hours, and Timed Entry
For 2026, Holiday Lights runs November 27 through December 30, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. each evening, according to the park's official event page at therailroadpark.com. Two dates are dark: there is no event on December 24 or December 25, so families hoping for a Christmas Eve or Christmas night visit should plan around those closures.
One of the most helpful features of the 2026 season is timed entry. Rather than everyone funneling through the gates at once, visitors select an entry window, which spreads crowds out and keeps visits smooth — a real benefit when you are managing strollers, grandparents, and kids who have been counting down to train ride all week. When you buy tickets, pay attention to your entry time and arrive close to it; showing up an hour early does not move you to the front, and arriving well after your window can compress your evening.
The park's official event page carries a warning worth repeating: Holiday Lights sells out every year. Tickets go on sale in late October through the city's ActiveNet portal, and popular nights — especially December weekends close to the holidays — can disappear quickly. If you want the full experience, treat ticket-buying day in late October as part of the trip planning, not an afterthought.
The Main Event: Riding the Paradise & Pacific Railroad Through the Lights
The heart of Holiday Lights is stepping aboard the Paradise & Pacific Railroad for a ride through the illuminated displays. The park's scale railroad winds past light-wrapped trees, festive scenes, and glowing decorations, and from a child's point of view, the combination of a real train, a cool desert December evening, and thousands of lights is about as good as it gets. Bring a light jacket — Phoenix-area December nights can drop quickly once the sun goes down, especially out in the open along the tracks.
Pair the train with the park's vintage carousel rides, which are part of the event experience. Between the two, you have the core of the evening covered. Wristbands are required for entry and all rides, so keep them on every member of your family for the duration of your visit — staff will check them at each attraction.
Beyond the Train: Fire Pits, Santa, the Grinch, and Miniature Trains
There is more to the evening than the headline attractions, and the extras are what often push a visit from fun to memorable:
- S'more Land fire pits beside the tracks. Roasting marshmallows next to the railroad is a crowd favorite. Plan a stop here between rides, and budget some time — kids rarely want to leave after just one s'more.
- Santa & Friends meet-and-greets. The park lists the 2026 meet-and-greet schedule as TBD, so check therailroadpark.com before your visit to confirm which dates feature Santa and his friends. If meeting Santa is the main reason for your trip, build your evening around the confirmed schedule rather than assuming he is there nightly.
- Grinch special appearances. The green one makes special appearances during the season, which tends to delight kids who like their Christmas characters with a little attitude.
- Food and drinks at Hartley's General Store. The on-site store handles snacks, drinks, and hot chocolate-type refreshments, so you do not need to leave the park to keep everyone fueled.
- The Model Railroad Building. Open during the event, this building houses miniature train displays that run through detailed little worlds. On a chilly night, it is also a welcome indoor break — and for many train-obsessed kids, it is a highlight in its own right.
Know the Park: 30 Acres in South Scottsdale
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park sits at 7301 E Indian Bend Road, in the heart of Scottsdale, roughly in the city's southern portion. The 30-acre layout gives the event room to breathe — the train loop, carousel, fire pits, and Model Railroad Building are spread out enough that you will do a fair amount of walking. Wear comfortable shoes and consider a stroller for toddlers; the grounds are stroller-friendly, and little legs tire fast after a full day of travel or sightseeing.
Because it is a city-run park with a neighborhood setting, the event feels more intimate than a big stadium or fairgrounds production. That is part of its charm, but it also means on-site parking is finite. On December weekend evenings, when the whole Valley is out looking at lights, the lots tighten up considerably. If you are driving yourself, arriving near your timed entry window rather than at the peak 7 p.m. rush makes the parking experience noticeably easier.
Getting There from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
The park sits about 22 highway miles from Sky Harbor — a 25 to 40 minute drive in normal traffic. On December weekend evenings, though, add cushion. Indian Bend Road and the surrounding Scottsdale arterials carry heavy holiday traffic, and the drive can run longer than normal as the entire metro heads out to light displays. If your entry window is 6 p.m. on a Saturday in mid-December, leaving the airport an hour before your window is cutting it closer than you think.
Families have two broad choices: rent a car and drive, or book transportation. Driving yourself means managing a rental car pickup, car seats, nighttime navigation to an unfamiliar park, and then parking on one of the busiest nights of the year. For visitors flying in — or families staying in Tempe, Mesa, or north Scottsdale who would rather not drive to a timed-entry event with young kids — a private door-to-door shuttle removes those steps entirely.
This is where we come in. Airport Shuttle of Phoenix provides private, door-to-door transportation with no shared rides and no surge pricing, bookable 24/7. On airport legs, we track your flight, so a delayed arrival into Sky Harbor does not turn into a scramble — your ride adjusts to your actual landing time. Your driver drops you at the park entrance and handles the parking question entirely, which on a sold-out December Saturday is worth as much as the train ride itself to some parents.
On cost, we can speak from our own completed-trip records: across our completed door-to-door trips, Sky Harbor to Scottsdale has run a median of $73.06, covering the roughly 22 miles each way. Compare that total against a rental car plus parking plus your evening's stress, and the math often favors the shuttle — particularly for one-night event visits where the rental car would otherwise sit in a lot.
Making an Evening of It: Timing Tips for Families
A little strategy goes a long way with young kids at a timed-entry event:
- Pick your entry window around your kids' rhythms. Earlier windows (right at 5:30) suit toddlers and preschoolers who fade by 8 p.m. Later windows mean darker skies and, for many, more dramatic lights — but also bigger crowds as the evening builds.
- Do the train ride early. Lines for the Paradise & Pacific Railroad grow as the night goes on. Ride first, then tour the displays, then hit the carousel and S'more Land.
- Confirm character dates before you go. Since the 2026 Santa & Friends meet-and-greet schedule is listed as TBD, check the park's official site shortly before your visit and plan your entry window around any confirmed appearance dates.
- Dress in layers. Phoenix December evenings are cool by local standards but mild by most visitors' standards — a jacket per person is usually enough.
- Plan dinner around the event. Hartley's General Store covers snacks and drinks, but if your crew needs a real meal, eat before your entry window or plan a post-event stop in south Scottsdale, where family-friendly options are plentiful.
- Build in traffic buffer both directions. Remember the park is about 22 miles from Sky Harbor and weekend December traffic across the Valley is heavy. Whatever your navigation app says, add time.
Why Advance Planning Is the Whole Ballgame
Holiday Lights is not a spontaneous event. Tickets go on sale in late October through ActiveNet, the event sells out every year, entry is timed, and the two busiest travel weeks of the season surround it. Families who lock in tickets in late October, choose a weeknight or early entry window, arrange transportation in advance, and confirm character schedules on therailroadpark.com end up with a smooth, magical evening. Families who try to wing it in mid-December often end up refreshing a sold-out ticket page instead. A few decisions made six weeks out are the difference between the two outcomes — and Airport Shuttle of Phoenix can take the driving piece off your plate with a private, door-to-door ride booked around your schedule, 24/7.
Plan Your Ride
Holiday Lights 2026 at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park runs November 27 through December 30, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., with timed entry and no event on December 24 or 25 — and it will sell out. Buy tickets through the city's ActiveNet portal when they go on sale in late October, confirm Santa and Grinch appearance dates on therailroadpark.com, and pick an entry window that matches your kids' bedtime. If you are flying into Sky Harbor, remember the park is about 22 highway miles away — 25 to 40 minutes in normal traffic, longer on December weekend evenings. Let Airport Shuttle of Phoenix handle the drive with private, door-to-door service: no shared rides, no surge pricing, flight tracking on airport legs, and booking available 24/7. Reserve your ride early to match your timed entry, and spend your evening on the train tracks instead of in a parking lot.
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