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Courtney's Drop In Kids Care

6118 Farrington Rd, Chapel Hill, NC

Courtney’s Drop In Kids Care provides flexible, reliable childcare for children from infancy through age 12. Families can use convenient hourly care, date night childcare, infant care, and after-school programs without memberships, enrollment fees, or advance reservations. Highlights: Flexible drop-in childcare — no appointments or reservations required Care available for infants through 12 years old Hourly care for errands, appointments, or personal time Date night childcare with extended evening hours After-school care with flexible drop-off options and transportation available Family-owned and operated with a focus on safe, positive, and engaging play No membership fees or enrollment fees RaleighParent.com Special Offer (New Customers Only): Mention RaleighParent.com when you visit and receive 15% off your first month of After-School with Transportation New customers can also receive 10% off any package purchase (one-time offer) when they mention they found us through RaleighParent.com

⭐️ 4.5 • 355.2 mi

Cottontails Preschool

4020 Mitchell Mill Rd, Raleigh, NC 27616

Cottontails Preschool in Raleigh provides a nurturing early learning environment for infants through preschoolers, helping children develop confidence, curiosity, and independence. Through a state-approved curriculum, bilingual language exposure, multicultural experiences, and hands-on outdoor play, Cottontails supports each child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical growth. Highlights: Early learning programs for infants through preschoolers State-approved curriculum focused on whole-child development Bilingual language learning and multicultural experiences Nature-based playground for outdoor exploration and creativity Diverse and inclusive learning environment Multicultural food program introducing children to different cultures 24/7 security camera monitoring for added peace of mind A welcoming preschool community where children can explore, learn, and build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

⭐️ 4.6 • 373.2 mi

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New Hope Valley Railway

4.7

• 569 reviews

3900 Bonsal Rd., New Hill, NC, 27562 (369.5 mi)

About

New Hope Valley Railway & North Carolina Railway Museum is a family-friendly destination in New Hill, NC, offering historic train rides, railroad exhibits, and special events throughout the year.

Highlights include:

🚂 One-hour scenic train rides through pine forests and across a historic trestle
🏛️ Outdoor railroad museum featuring historic locomotives, cabooses, and railcars
🌳 Interactive Garden Railroad with G-scale trains and Thomas & Friends™ characters
🎃 Seasonal events including Track or Treat, Santa Express, Thomas in the Garden, and more
🎂 Birthday parties in a vintage caboose
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Group outings, field trips, homeschool visits, and charter experiences
⚙️ Operate-a-Loco programs where guests can run a real locomotive

Located about 30 minutes southwest of Raleigh, New Hope Valley Railway combines history, education, STEM learning, and family fun, making it a popular destination for visitors of all ages.

Seasonal info

Track or Treat runs October 10, 17, 23, and 24, with afternoon, sunset, and night departures. Sensory-friendly fall rides run October 14, and S’mores & Suds is November 14.

Tickets are sold on triangletrain.com and vary by ride, so check the site for current prices. Costumes are welcome.

Halloween train ride with Dracula, witches, a ghost train, and the Headless Brakeman, plus food trucks on event days.

Source: triangletrain.com · verified Sep 2026

From our guide: 100+ Haunted trails, corn mazes & fall activities around Raleigh

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What We Offer

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Category

✓ Amusement Parks & Rides

✓ Day & Weekend Trips

✓ Field Trip Destinations

✓ Historical & Educational Sites

✓ Museums & Galleries

✓ Nature Adventures

✓ Tours

Overview

Enjoy scenic train rides, explore historic locomotives and railcars, visit the interactive Garden Railroad, and experience family-friendly events at one of the Triangle's most unique attractions. Perfect for day trips, family outings, train enthusiasts, and history lovers.

REVIEWS

Stephanie Garehan

Oct 15, 2025

A really fun adventure! The staff is so friendly and seem to enjoy what they do. The grounds were decorated for Halloween. The 20-minute train ride was scenic too. They have a nice collection of train cars and memorabilia.
We arrived about 15 minutes before the train ride, and we were driven to the boarding area to make sure we got there in time too!

Elizabeth Scott

Jan 2, 2026

Truly a magical experience. I take my grandkids every year. Run by volunteers, they really work hard to give you an old time train experience. We all love it. They have a really cute track that is small with lots of different trains running on. And some are very humorous. You must take your kids and or grandkids.Here it's a great experience.

Brittany Bilohlavek

Sep 13, 2025

This place was too cool! We bought tickets to the "Track or Treat" Halloween train ride and we had so much fun! I loved how there was so much to see, apart from the 50 min train ride. My husband, two children (ages 2 & 5) and I, all enjoyed watching the mini trains once we arrived. Then we crossed this neat, old bridge that led us to the train yard. The train yard contained so many old, well-preserved trains to look at- some we could even go into. The decorations were fun and festivite! There was a food truck the day we went which was very yummy, called "The DogFather." There were also lots of places to sit, including picnic tables and benches. The staff were very friendly from parking attendants, to gift shop employees, to train conductors. This place also hosts a Christmas ride which sounds fun. Definitely will be back!

Matt Ryan

Oct 23, 2025

Great place for kids and adults. Food trucks available. Decorations for Halloween were great. The train ride was very cool. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. Definitely doing the Christmas one!

Viswa Bharath

Oct 19, 2025

The New Hill Halloween Express was a scream! Our family enjoyed the spooky train ride with friendly characters and decorations. Highly recommend the sensory-friendly ride for kids