Life gets noisy. Deadlines, distractions, grown up problems that weigh us down. But every now and then, you find a place that reminds you to stop, laugh, and let your inner child come out to play. For me, that place is Tiny Town, Colorado’s cheerful, quirky, wonderfully whimsical little gem tucked right into the mountains.

It is impossible to walk through Tiny Town without smiling. Every corner holds a tiny surprise: doll sized houses with miniature details, some furnished like real homes, others carrying the marks of floods they have survived. Quirky, resilient, and sweetly imperfect, just like life itself. There is even a beautiful book, If These Tracks Could Talk: The First 100 Years of Tiny Town, Colorado, that captures the history and heart of this place. But truthfully, walking the paths yourself is like stepping into the book’s pages. You feel the history come alive all around you.

And then there is the train. Oh, the train! The moment you step into the station, a childlike excitement fills the air. Depending on the day, you might ride behind a coal powered locomotive, a classic steam engine, or another beautiful engine pulled from their lineup. Part of the fun is not knowing which one you will get until it is ready to go. Volunteers in locomotive gear wave you aboard with proud smiles, the whistle echoes off the mountains, and suddenly you are gliding along the tracks with views that make the world feel both wide open and wonderfully small.

Tiny Town is not just for Littles (though they are the ones who light up the fastest). It is for teens who still peek curiously inside dollhouses, for couples who rediscover how much fun it is to hold hands, for the grown ups who secretly love trains, and for anyone who needs a reminder that joy is still simple, sweet, and waiting.

On my last visit, I heard the best news: someone is donating a model of the Colorado State Capitol Building, yes, in dollhouse form! Can you imagine? One of the grandest buildings in the state, recreated in miniature and placed right among these playful homes. It is the perfect reminder that even the biggest things in life can be softened, made joyful, and seen through childlike wonder.

The season is short, Tiny Town usually closes after September, so if you have not been yet, add it to your list. Bring a picnic, breathe the mountain air, and ride the train. Let the tiny details, bright colors, and cheerful quirks remind you what happiness feels like when it is uncomplicated.

Because sometimes the best way to feel big again is to go somewhere small.

– Darlin Denton