Mt. Hood Polar Express Adventure

With Christmas just over a month away, I'm resisting the urge to decorate until after Thanksgiving. Instead I'm revisiting photos from last Christmas, including ones from the Mt. Hood Polar Express, a favorite Christmas adventure for our family. We are ready to embark on this adventure again in a couple of weeks because our boys loved it so much the first time and we loved seeing the magic through their eyes.We opted for the evening train and the Diamond Class tickets. The boys put on their Christmas pajamas and Christmas hats, then we drove to the Mt. Hood Railroad Station in Hood River. At the station we received golden tickets and boarded the train.As we waited for all of the passengers to board, the boys sat in anticipation of what was ahead.  We talked about The Polar Express book and movie, whether we were in the real Polar Express, and whether or not it would be exactly the same.  When the train took off it became apparent that we were very much in the story itself.  Music filled the train cars as the chefs danced through the aisles bringing hot cocoa and cookies.  The story was read over the loud speaker and the chefs brought the large books by each table so passengers could see the pages.  Various characters from the story came to visit, including the conductor who punched initial's into each child's ticket.We waited patiently to arrive at the North Pole where Santa Claus and his elves were waiting to board the train.  We didn't have the best views of the North Pole but could see the lights well enough from our seats.  Santa Claus and his elves stopped by each table to talk with the kids and give them each a magic sleigh bell.  As the train drove back to the Mt. Hood station, eyelids were heavy and Christmas magic was very much alive.Heidi Heaphy Photography is a portrait and wedding photographer in Portland, Oregon, the Oregon coast, and the greater Pacific Northwest. In addition to photographing weddings, elopements, seniors, and families, I love exploring all that the beautiful state of Oregon has to offer with my family. Click HERE to see a few more of our Oregon adventures.