Stumped for Stocking Stuffers? Consider Austin Steam Train Gift Certificates!

If you were hoping to take your family on the famous Austin Steam Train this weekend, you’re out of luck — tickets for the North Pole Flyer are long sold out. Good news? There are still a few tickets left for Nambe Winter Express, where Santa and Mrs. Claus read stories, sing carols, and give gifts to children, and tickets for 2014 rides also are available online. Hint: gift certificates never sell out!

“Our terrific volunteers work hard to make sure that the train ride is a memorable experience,” said Holly Doggett, who directs the Austin Steam Train Association 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization near Avery Ranch. “We do have something to offer passengers of all ages, so step on board and step back in time,” she enticed.

Austin Steam Train Association’s last-of-its-kind Engine 442 celebrated its 53rd birthday this past June. Over 150,000 passengers have been carried through the scenic Texas Hill Country by this locomotive!

Throughout the year, The Hill Country Flyer departs on Saturdays at 10 a.m. from Cedar Park for a 66-mile journey through the Hill Country. The depot is minutes away for families of the Ranch at Brushy Creek. Passengers board the train (pulled by a 1960 Alco diesel locomotive,) then enjoy lunch and leisurely shop during a 2.5-hour stopover in Burnet, where they can watch a wild west gunfight. The train returns to Cedar Park around 4 p.m. Tickets range from $21 to $51.

For a shorter ride, passengers can hold off until March and take a 3-hour journey on the Bertram Flyer to visit the historic 1912 Bertram Train Depot. Tickets start at just $15. Or, on April 12^th and 13^th of 2014, the Hill Country Flyer will make a special trip to the 26^th annual Bluebonnet Festival in Burnet.

“Gift certificates for train rides do make great Christmas presents! Folks can call us at 512-477-8468 ext. 206 and purchase them over the phone.”

Gift certificates also could come in handy for two must-attend, adults-only events in early 2014. At 7 p.m. on Saturday March 1, ASTA will host a special train ride called, “Mardi Gras Murder Mystery.” Your evening on the train will include a box dinner, beer and wine, and magical entertainment, compliments of the Penfold Theatre Company. Visit the Austin steam train website for more information, and hurry — tickets will sell out quickly!

P.S. Your purchase goes to a good cause: the 22-year-old Austin Steam Train Association is on a non-profit mission to preserve and re-create the firsthand experience of historic steam railroading for the enjoyment of generations to come. Give a gift that keeps on giving, and support ASTA this Christmas!

Austin REALTOR® Brian Talley supports local organizations like the Austin Steam Train Association. If you’re on the lookout for an Austin home for sale, check out Austin Home Search!