A day of small-town sparkle, and one very special vintage train ride in the Christmas Capital of Texas.
Grapevine doesn’t just decorate for the holidays; it transforms. Officially recognised by the Texas State Senate as the Christmas Capital of Texas® in 2009. This small city between Dallas and Fort Worth now welcomes more than two million visitors each season typically runs from late November into early January, with more than 1,400 events packed into roughly six weeks.
Garlands stretch across Historic Main Street, light displays glow from every angle, and almost every doorway seems to lead to another way to step into the season—wine tastings, family attractions, classic films, parades, concerts, and of course, trains. My own day in Grapevine was a full-colour sampler of what this little city does so well: layering nostalgia, community, and a surprising amount of sophistication into one walkable holiday experience.
Main Street: Heartbeat of the Christmas Capital
Historic Main Street is where Grapevine’s charm really shines: brick storefronts, independent boutiques, local art, and more lights than you’d think a small city could reasonably plug in.
Here, Christmas feels less like a performance and more like a community hobby. Locals pop in and out of shops; families pose under illuminated decorations; you can wander without a plan and feel gently carried along.
A Peek at a Classic: Palace Theatre at 85
Before the main event of the evening, I slipped into Palace Theatre, the lovingly restored 1940 movie house often called the “Jewel of Main Street.” This year, the theatre is celebrating its 85th anniversary with special events, including a screening of the 1947 classic Miracle on 34th Street.
Even from the lobby, you can feel the nostalgia: vintage marquee, polished interior, and that slightly intangible sense that generations have made memories in the very same seats.
Trains, Tracks, and the Story of How We Got Here
The Grapevine Vintage Railroad is more than a tourist attraction—it’s a moving reminder of how railways stitched North America together. These tracks once carried freight, mail, and passengers along the Cotton Belt Route; today, they host excursion and special-event trains between Grapevine’s Historic Main Street station and the Fort Worth Stockyards.
The coaches themselves are 1920s-era Victorian inspired railcars, restored and maintained by the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau. When you step up onto the train, wooden panelling, narrow aisles, and brass details transport you to a time when travel meant packing a suitcase, not a rolling carry-on. You’re suddenly very aware that for decades, steel tracks like these carried everything from cattle to Christmas parcels, shaping towns just like this one.
As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about how we move through the world—by air, by road, by intention—there was something grounding about hearing a locomotive horn echo across a city that has chosen to celebrate its rail history instead of bulldozing it.
Inside the Vintage Christmas Wine Train
The Christmas Wine Train is an adults-only (21+) evening excursion where holiday lights, Texas wine, and the rhythm of the rails come together.
You board at the festooned depot on Main Street, where the platform glows with string lights and wreaths. Once inside the coach, you find yourself in a vintage carriage dressed for a party: garlands over the windows, ornaments along the luggage racks, and that soft, flattering light that only old railcars seem to have. Each car has a different Christmas related theme.
As the train pulls away, a few things happen at once
A curated playlist fills the car with Christmas classics while train attendants move through the aisle with personally packaged savoury bites and dessert. Two complimentary glasses of Texas wine from local Grapevine tasting rooms are poured into souvenir glasses, with additional wine available to purchase if you’d like to continue the tasting journey. The ride lasts around two hours, rolling through the region while the party continues on board.
What struck me most, though, wasn’t the wine or the décor (lovely as both were). It was the feeling of being gently carried—by history, by community, by the shared decision that for one night, everyone on board would slow down. Conversations rose and fell; people laughed with their travel companions; strangers clinked glasses in the narrow aisle. Outside, the darkened landscape slipped by. Inside, the past and present overlapped in the soft clatter of the wheels.
For a city now built around cars and freeways, ending the day by letting a train do the work felt quietly radical—and refreshingly sustainable. You can walk to your hotel, stroll back up Main Street, or call a local shuttle rather than driving after an evening of wine.
Who This Experience Is For
Grapevine’s Christmas offerings are broad enough to suit almost everyone, but the Christmas Wine Train has a particularly sweet spot. It’s ideal for couples and friends looking for a festive night out that feels more special than a restaurant but less formal than a gala, for wine lovers curious about Texas bottles and the broader Urban Wine Trail, and for history buffs who appreciate heritage railways and vintage coaches.
If you’re travelling with kids, consider a daytime ride on the Santa’s North Pole Express, where the same vintage railroad becomes a storybook journey complete with Santa and Mrs. Claus travelling though all six coaches!
Practical Tips for Visiting Grapevine at Christmas
Grapevine is tucked between Dallas and Fort Worth, with Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) actually sitting within its city limits, which makes it an easy add-on to almost any Texas itinerary. From the airport, you can reach Historic Main Street by rideshare, taxi, or local rail connections, and once you’re in town, you’ll find that much of the festive action is comfortably walkable.
What to Wear and Bring
On the Christmas Wine Train, smart-casual holiday outfits are the norm, and you’re more than welcome to dress up in something festive if you’d like to lean into the spirit of the evening. You’ll be sitting most of the time, but you’ll also be walking along the platform and standing while boarding and disembarking, so opt for comfortable shoes—and don’t forget your camera to capture a photo with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
Travel with Care
Whenever possible, walk or take local transport to and from the train to avoid driving after drinking. Support local: pair your ride with tastings at Grapevine’s independent wineries, a meal at a historic restaurant like Tolbert’s, and time at small, locally owned shops on Main Street.
The Takeaway
By the time I stepped off the Christmas Wine Train, Grapevine felt less like a destination and more like a living, breathing holiday ritual. Trains once carried the goods that built America; today, they carry something quieter but just as necessary: connection, memory, and a shared sense of wonder.
If you’re looking for a festive trip that combines history, wine, and the kind of small-town warmth that can’t be faked, Grapevine’s Christmas season—and especially its Vintage Christmas Wine Train—deserves a spot on your wish list. It’s proof that sometimes the most meaningful journeys happen not when we rush to the next big city, but when we slow down, step onto an old train, and let the tracks tell their story.