Every holiday season, someone in the family ends up planning an outing that has to work for a toddler, a teenager and a grandparent at the same time — no easy walking required, nobody driving in the dark, and a length that doesn’t wear out the youngest or the oldest rider. The Minneapolis Holiday Lights Trolley’s all-ages Nice ride, boarding right at the Pillsbury Club mansion, is built for exactly that.

Two rides, and only one is for the whole family

The trolley runs two versions each winter. The Naughty ride is 21+, BYOB, and about two hours — a grown-ups’ night out, starting at $75. The Nice ride is shorter, about an hour, all-ages, includes a stop at a holiday market, and starts at $30. If grandma and a six-year-old are riding together, Nice is the one to book.

Why a heated trolley works for three generations at once

Nobody has to drive, nobody has to find parking downtown in December, and nobody has to walk more than the sidewalk from the Club’s front steps to the trolley. The vehicle itself is heated, so a grandparent who doesn’t want to bundle up for an outdoor walking tour of lights is just as comfortable as a kid who’d rather be looking out the window than trudging through snow. The market stop in the middle of the Nice ride gives everyone a chance to get up, stretch, and browse for a few minutes before the second half of the route — useful for a rider of any age who needs a break.

Starting the evening at the mansion

Because every ride boards at the Pillsbury Club, families who arrive a little early can wait somewhere warmer and more interesting than a curb — the mansion’s speakeasy-style bar is right there for a hot drink while everyone gathers, and the Gothic Revival stonework and carved oak give even the waiting part of the evening some atmosphere. If anyone in the group wants the fuller story of the building itself rather than just a warm-up stop, our History Journal covers the mansion’s construction and its original family in depth — good reading for a grandparent while the kids finish their cocoa.

Book with lead time

The Nice ride is the smaller of the two products and it fills up on weekend evenings closer to Christmas, so a family trying to line up a date that works for a whole spread of schedules — school nights, grandparents’ travel, everyone’s work calendar — is better off booking in November or early December than waiting for the week itself. Layer everyone in real winter layers regardless of the heated trolley; Minnesota’s own DNR climate normals for the Twin Cities put average December highs in the 20s Fahrenheit, so the walk from the car to the mansion steps is still real winter.

Ready to book the whole family in? Reserve the Nice or Naughty holiday lights ride directly, and see our guide to private group bookings at the Club if you’d rather rent the whole trolley for an extended-family gathering instead of joining a public ride.