Laupahoehoe Train Museum
Laupahoehoe Train Museum
Laupahoehoe Train Museum
4
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
About
This museum focuses on the railroad that once served local plantations.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
36 reviews
Excellent
13
Very good
14
Average
6
Poor
2
Terrible
1
Vegman
Delaware145 contributions
Feb 2023 • Couples
Yesterday my wife and I visited the train museum. It has many items from the station agent home. Some cool train memorabilia from a by going era. In addition outside is a caboose and small gas locomotive used for moving sugar cane which was the purpose of the railroad being built. Between the cool stuff and the knowledgeable interpreter you will enjoy the experience 🚂
Written February 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tikiznbamboo
Albuquerque, NM225 contributions
Sept 2011 • Couples
I had driven by the Laupahoehoe Train Museum dozens or even hundreds of times without stopping, always eager to get wherever I happened to be going. On this particular day, I remembered a photo scavenger hunt I was a part of, and a train was on the list. So we pulled over just in time to catch the curator on the grounds cutting blue ginger to put inside.
My husband had a nice chat with her while I went about camera in had, and then we went inside together to check out the exhibit. It is is a period house, where the bathrooms are updated and the rest of the place is lovingly restored. Exhibits include many photos, model trains, and items people would have either had in their homes during the days of the railroad, or perhaps brought along on a rail trip.
There are several short videos you can watch if your curiosity is aroused.
Trains vanished from the Big Island after the two tsunamis of the 1940's destroyed the trestles and tracks that followed the coastline. I have trains in my blood, as my grandfather was an engineer - a train driver. He retired before I ever got to ride with him, and his urban train gave way to the automobile with considerable pushing from car makers, but that is another story.
At the train museum you experience a link with a time gone by, and can even go inside an old railroad car from back in the day of train travel, and get a sense of life as it once was, here on this island.
My husband had a nice chat with her while I went about camera in had, and then we went inside together to check out the exhibit. It is is a period house, where the bathrooms are updated and the rest of the place is lovingly restored. Exhibits include many photos, model trains, and items people would have either had in their homes during the days of the railroad, or perhaps brought along on a rail trip.
There are several short videos you can watch if your curiosity is aroused.
Trains vanished from the Big Island after the two tsunamis of the 1940's destroyed the trestles and tracks that followed the coastline. I have trains in my blood, as my grandfather was an engineer - a train driver. He retired before I ever got to ride with him, and his urban train gave way to the automobile with considerable pushing from car makers, but that is another story.
At the train museum you experience a link with a time gone by, and can even go inside an old railroad car from back in the day of train travel, and get a sense of life as it once was, here on this island.
Written September 12, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adrian D
Coquitlam, Canada165 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
I have heard from several past visitors that this little museum is well worth a visit if (like me) you have an interest in railway history. However, access seems to be very much on the ad hoc side these days. During our recent trip to the Big Island from our home in Coquitlam, my wife and I tried no less than three times to visit, without success. We tried calling, but the phone number simply connects you to an answering machine that gives opening hours. We turned up twice during stated hours to find no-one there and the place closed. The other occasion was understandable since the power was out thanks to a windstorm.
A local resident told me that the group who run the place are all volunteers who are getting older. As a result, opening schedules are slipping a bit. It would probably be best to either make an appointment (if you can get in touch with a volunteer - we couldn't) or simply check on the place when driving by on the way to some other location.
We will try again during our next visit - we like to support ventures of this kind. We will however plan our visit in the knowledge that the published opening hours don't appear to be dependable. A backup plan seems to be the ideal scenario.
A local resident told me that the group who run the place are all volunteers who are getting older. As a result, opening schedules are slipping a bit. It would probably be best to either make an appointment (if you can get in touch with a volunteer - we couldn't) or simply check on the place when driving by on the way to some other location.
We will try again during our next visit - we like to support ventures of this kind. We will however plan our visit in the knowledge that the published opening hours don't appear to be dependable. A backup plan seems to be the ideal scenario.
Written January 11, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Niels1973
Belmont, CA11 contributions
Sept 2017 • Family
Stopped by twice (same afternoon, 90 minutes apart) to find museum closed despite being during open hours posted on website and on the museum door itself. My 4 year old and I were very disappointed. Followed up with a polite email, but a week and a half later they haven’t had the courtesy to respond. Reading other review sites and guidebooks, I see that this is not an uncommon occurrence.
Written October 10, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Martin D
Laupahoehoe, Hawaii91 contributions
Sept 2018 • Solo
The Laupahoehoe Train Museum is a bit of old Hawaii. Memorabilia from the time when sugar dominated the Hamukua coast on the Big Island. Be sure and see the film that talks about that time when the sugar plantations dominated the area. A sweet place.
Written October 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1957
Ottawa, Canada827 contributions
Mar 2018 • Couples
We read about this visit and site and it was highly recommended by our self car guided tour however very disappointed it was closed, we walked around, took pictures read the info but could not go inside.
Written March 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CyFiGal
Seattle, WA95 contributions
Feb 2016
Any time we come to Big Island, we try to make it to this museum. The volunteers are constantly working on restoring old rail cars and expanding the collection. Housed in an old Train station, the museum is compact, but has wonderful maps and photos of the old Hawaiian lines that supported the Sugar industry. If you like Railroad history, this is worth a stop.
Written February 25, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RoyS781
Naperville, Illinois, United States122 contributions
Apr 2014 • Family
This is not a full scale hands on Railroad Museum, but what a few volunteers (with donations and I'm sure a lot of sweat equity) have done is very cool. Currently no regular gauge trains run on the Island of Hawaii, fascinating that late 1890's there were railroads mostly for the tourist industry around the Island. Small gauge was generally for mining (which a little may still be in use) or the sugar fields. After a Tsunami in the early 1900's and another after WWII, bridges were converted (or rebuilt) for roads vs rail, ending the traditional rail service on the Big Island.
For young kids (especially Boys) will like the stop when traveling between the Kona and Hilo side of the Big Island. Keep in mind, everything in this place is preserved/found by/collected by locals, the history side is very interesting. No snack shop, no vending machines, but nice history to be had. Check website for hours, as they are not consistent with regular business hours. (again staffed by volunteers).
There is a recommended donation for entry, its minimal. They ask for $17 or so for a family, I had no problem leaving 2x that for an hour +/- for a break in driving and learning about some Island history.
Below is the question for a fee for attraction. I don't think they would turn anyone away, but if you stop please donate something, the volunteers have done great in putting this together.
For young kids (especially Boys) will like the stop when traveling between the Kona and Hilo side of the Big Island. Keep in mind, everything in this place is preserved/found by/collected by locals, the history side is very interesting. No snack shop, no vending machines, but nice history to be had. Check website for hours, as they are not consistent with regular business hours. (again staffed by volunteers).
There is a recommended donation for entry, its minimal. They ask for $17 or so for a family, I had no problem leaving 2x that for an hour +/- for a break in driving and learning about some Island history.
Below is the question for a fee for attraction. I don't think they would turn anyone away, but if you stop please donate something, the volunteers have done great in putting this together.
Written April 11, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jamaica_Jeff
Pleasanton, CA284 contributions
Sept 2013 • Couples
They charge $6 per person for you to look at old photographs, see an old film, and look at things that have nothing to do with the actual reailroad that was on Hawaii. Heck, they have someone's old train set that is set up nothing like the old train was. Avoid it if you are not a train fanatic.
Written September 24, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer H
Hilo, HI22 contributions
If you like trains, they have a lot to look at and the train ride that was up the coast which was destroyed by the tsunami was phenomenal- one of the world's most beautiful- so there are photos and history- Hawaiian days gone by. Tiny entrance fee and it is staffed by loving volunteers
Written April 27, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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