This is our weekly guest-blog post from the moms behind Red Tricycle, a site that focuses on the "lighter side" of parenting. Every week, they'll be bringing us their picks of stuff to do around the Bay Area with kids.

Whether you are two, three, four or even 45 years old, and you love trains, there is nothing better than getting up close and personal with these huge machines. Opportunities abound in the Bay Area for trainspotting, including some unexpected places. We've mapped out five different ways to spot, ride, and enjoy trains from riding one of these cool locomotives to marveling at model trains to even enjoying large-size model trains above your head as you enjoy breakfast.

1. For the Hungry Trainspotters: Climb aboard at Claremont Diner:
For an easy train-lovers’ day out, head to the Claremont Diner for brunch. There you will find delicious omelets, scrambles, pancakes, salads, and housemade pastries, as well as a healthy collection of large-size (G-gauge) model trains—on shelves, in display cases, and running in a circle past plastic trees on an acrylic shelf track near the ceiling. This art-deco restaurant is an old-time throwback and ideal for a day out with your littlest ones who will be certainly be mesmerized with the trains running high above their little heads.

Click here for four more trainspotting opportunities!