When someone stops to consider the settling of the west, he or she cannot help but think of the railroads that were built by the tedious and hard labor of the working man. The Paradise Valley, Arizona area still pays homage to that hard work and the locomotives that brought the people that inhabited the area and essentially made it what it is today. For a taste of the train travel that these people experienced, you do not want to miss out on the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park.
If you own real estate in Paradise Valley, one of the things that draw residents to this park is undoubtedly the opportunity to hop aboard the trains. However, the trains might not be exactly what you expect. The locomotives and engines that parade around the track are built as a replicas of the trains of those old days, but are built at just 5/12 scale. That means anything that was one-foot-long on the trains of old, is just five inches on the Paradise and Pacific Railroad at Railroad Park. Nevertheless, the ride will give you the thrill you seek and the best part is, your destination will not be the unsettled West. Instead you will arrive back where you started and can begin your journey through the other great aspects of this park.
The children will, of course, not be able to walk far before turning to you with looks of excitement. Near the center of the park sits a 1950’s carousel called the Scottsdale Charro Carousel. With thirty horses and two wheelchair chariots, this is definitely an aspect of the park that you and the little ones will not want to miss.
Photo by: Stressedad
Finally, when your legs need a rest, but the kids are eager to keep going, make a stop at the playgrounds where you can take a seat and watch as the children play on the swings, slides, monkey bars, and other exciting features of the giant kid fun zone.
Real estate in the Old West would have been valueless if the people were not able to get the food and supplies they needed to survive. This was the reason for the small general stores of the time. Therefore, a visit to Railroad Park would not be complete without visiting Hartley’s General Store. For the best in souvenirs, snacks, and slushies, Hartley’s is the perfect place to wrap up a visit to the park. Or, if your sweet tooth simply cannot be tamed, perhaps you would rather stop by the old Southern Pacific Railroad Caboose, which is now renovated to serve the snacks you crave. Sweets, such as ice cream and yogurt, are served alongside hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks. The perfect ending to a perfect day.
