The Gold Coast Railroad Museum in south Miami-Dade, next to Zoo Miami, displays more than 40 pieces of historic railroad equipment on a half-mile of real track. Rail fans, history lovers, and families come here to walk through cars that carried presidents and survived Florida’s deadliest hurricane (source: Miami-Dade County).
The headline exhibit is the Ferdinand Magellan, the armored Presidential Rail Car used by Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and later presidents, with its original wood-paneled interiors still in place. Nearby sits Florida East Coast Steam Locomotive #153, which pulled a relief train during the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. Stainless-steel California Zephyr cars round out a collection that shows how Americans traveled across the 20th century (source: Gold Coast Railroad Museum).
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Museum admission is free on the first Saturday of every month, so expect bigger crowds then. Train rides run on weekends. Cab rides cost about $20, passenger car rides $15, and narrow gauge and speeder rides $10 each (source: Findglocal). Many exhibits sit outdoors under the South Florida sun, so arrive at opening, wear a hat, and bring water. Confirm hours and ride schedules on the museum’s website before you go. You’ll need a car to get here, since public transit coverage is limited. Plan a full day by pairing your visit with Zoo Miami next door.
