Take a Holiday Ride Through History at Spiegel Grove

There’s something charming about bundling up after Christmas and watching the scenery float by the old-fashioned way: by letting a Clydesdale lead the way. At Spiegel Grove, the 25-acre former estate of President Rutherford B. Hayes in Fremont, the magic of the season doesn’t stop on Christmas Day. Rather, the days after the holiday include a nostalgic nod to the Gilded Age.

The Hayes Presidential Library and Museums brings back its popular horse-drawn sleigh and trolley rides Dec. 26 through 31, giving families a chance to explore the historic grounds to the gentle clip-clop rhythm of horse hooves on the path. Operated by South Creek Clydesdales, the rides run daily from 1 to 4 p.m. and offer views of some of the estate’s most picturesque spots, including the always popular Lover’s Lane.

If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to travel the same paths President Hayes once did, this is your chance. Hayes often wrote in his diary about sleighing around Spiegel Grove. The sleigh seats four people, and the trolley fits up to 18, making it an easy outing for families looking to make the holiday cheer last just a little longer.

The rides are part of A Presidential Christmas, the museum’s annual lineup of holiday events, supported in part by GEM Rudolph Libbe Group and Wright Leather Works.

If a quiet trot across the grounds of a Victorian-era estate sounds like the perfect way to send off 2025, tickets can be purchased online for $7 for sleigh rides, $6 for trolley rides and free for kids 2 and under. Rides operate with or without snow, but temperatures below a 15-degree wind chill or any thunderstorms will prompt cancellations with full refunds.

For more information, visit rbhayes.org.

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