We’re exploring one of the world’s coolest Winter attractions – Ice Castles! Ice Castles is an awe-inspiring, must-see winter phenomenon that brings winter fairy tales to life. This interactive ice experience is built using hundreds of thousands (!) of icicles, hand-placed by professional ice artists. Featuring breathtaking LED-lit sculptures, frozen thrones, slides, and fountains, this over-the-top ice kingdom is the ultimate winter experience that you will never forget. We recently had the opportunity to tour this frozen fairytale – and can promise you that it is even more magical in person. Read on to see our visit to Ice Castles New Hampshire.
Behind the Ice
Who is behind this incredible frozen abyss? Ice Castles was founded in 2011 by Brent Christensen, a Utah father of six. After moving from sunny California to snowy Utah, Christensen built an ice cave in his yard to get his kids out of the house and to help his family to enjoy the outdoors together, even through the cold winter months. His icy invention wasn’t just a hit with his own children. Kids from all over the neighborhood – and eventually from all across town — heard of his creation and came to play at his wintry wonderland. Those who came to visit affectionately called this winter playground an “ice castle” and the name stuck. Ice Castles was born.
Ice Castles has grown to be a cultural phenomenon and will not be melting away soon. The award-winning frozen attraction has five locations this 2022 year across North America – including Brighton, Minnesota; North Woodstock, New Hampshire; Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; Midway, Utah and new this year – Lake George, New York. Ice castles has grabbed the attention of countless news and press organizations, television shows, and movies, and has gained in popularity with a Social Media following. As such, it is HIGHLY! (that’s in bold, AND with an exclamation point!) recommended that you purchase your tickets well in advance via Ice Castles website. Seriously -it sells out often within hours of tickets going on sale. Even with the significant popularity and growth, the mission remains the same for the company – to create happiness, laughter, and unforgettable winter memories for all those who visit – and to be a source of joy and inspiration.
Brick by Brick – Building the Ice Experience
The experience is built using hundreds of thousands of icicles hand-placed by professional ice artists, and as you can imagine – the building of the castles is quite a process. Each ice castle takes thousands (!) of man-hours to create. Each towering, walk-through structure is made entirely of ice, weighs 20 million pounds, and is approximately one acre in size. It takes a team of 20-40 ice artisans two months to construct each castle.
Once built, there is a daily upkeep process as well – which consists of growing (yes – they grow them!) 5,000 to 12,000 icicles. These icicles are then harvested by hand and individually sculpted into existing ice formations. Newly placed icicles are then drenched with water. The blend of icicle placement, temperatures, water volume, and wind result in an astonishing and ever-changing variety of ice formations. These are not just simple formations. LED lights are frozen inside the ice light up and twinkle to music adding a magical ambiance to the breathtaking interactive sculptures.
Visitors will also find frozen thrones, ice-carved tunnels, slides, fountains, and much more built within the complex. All Ice Castles sites are located next to a natural water source so the water returns directly to the environment to be used again by wildlife, people, and plants in spring.
Ice Castles: Our Experience at Ice Castles New Hampshire
We previously visited Ice Castles Lake Geneva (read about this experience HERE) and it was incredible, so we were beyond excited to have the opportunity to check out a different location in New Hampshire. After scanning our tickets we walked outside to the main entrance. The Ice Castles experience was MASSIVE and much larger than we were expecting, to the point that we couldn’t see to the other side of the complex. It looked much like a mystical fortress, with a jagged ice wall encompassing it. What treasures were hiding inside of those ice walls? We were about to find out.
Safety First! Ice Castles has many safety measures in place during these times of Covid. Sanitizer stations were seen everywhere within the property. Crawl spaces, slot canyons, and tunnels all adhered to a one-way traffic flow and were clearly marked. Social distancing markers were present. Guests were required to wear masks, and are required to social distance. The entire experience is outdoors and in the fresh open air. We felt 100% safe during our visit and appreciated all the safety measures.
Hidden ice tunnels and crawl spaces were dotted along the experience. Each and every turn was a new jaw-dropping discovery. Some trails lead you to a top of hill with an overlook, others through a small nook that only a child could possibly crawl through. There were slides and thrones, balconies and king-sized ice sculptures with such exquisite shapes that they more fittingly belonged in an art gallery and not a frozen field. It felt like we were walking into a fairytale.
Ice Slides – Ice Castles New Hampshire
The Ice slides were AMAZING, and so much fun. Ice Castles New Hampshire has not one, but 3 slides to choose from on the property. There is a short slide perfect for toddlers and young kids, that doesn’t require a sled (you slide down on your butt – a reminder to wear snow pants!). The other slides are fast and a wild ride. They require the use of a plastic sled that you pick up at the entrance. We couldn’t get enough of these and went down multiple times during our visit.
Slides not your thing? How about tubing! Ice Castles New Hampshire even has a two lane tubing hill for snowy thrills. The tubing is included with your ticket and unlimited. It was a blast! We went multiple times.
Forest Walk – Ice Castles New Hampshire
New this year is the Mystic Forest light walk. It takes you on a magical path through the woods with over 150,000 lights and unique lighting elements, including the a field of glowing orbs. The walk during the daytime was beautiful, but nighttime is the best time to see this, of course.
Also new this year – Sleigh rides! Horse-drawn sleigh rides can be booked online at the same time as you make your reservations. The 15-minute ride travels through the woods past more lights and surprises. We didn’t get the chance to experience this, but it looked amazing!
Day vs Night – When to Visit Ice Castles
We chose to visit during the daytime hours and were really happy with this decision. Personally, I loved viewing the experience with the sun rays kissing and warming the sculptures, as it brought them alive with sparkling color. The sun not only naturally illuminated the structures- it helped to highlight (the multiple) frozen ice layers, and the complexity it took for the ice to form. Without the glistening rays, these moments were harder to realize. I was in awe by the depth and triviality of this process and lost myself thinking about how long it must have taken for the artisans to complete this. Another note on time of visit – it becomes muccch colder in the evening. Something for consideration for little ones, or those who are allergic to cold settings (raises hand).
This being said – there is magic to be had with an evening visit, as some of the ice sculptures are built upon rainbow light apparatuses. It. Is. Stunning. A light show for the ages, in vibrant night-strewn pastels. Less ice (as you miss the delicacies of the structures), but more lights and color.
Images courtesy of Ice Castles
Our suggestion: if possible, try to go for both. Once you enter Ice Castles you can stay as long as you’d like. Entering right before dusk, and then stay long enough to catch nightfall. This option would give you the best of both worlds! (It is important to note: you will not be alone. Many are on to this notion and as such it is the most popular time period.)
More specific tips and tricks for your visit in the bullet points below!
Ice Castles: Food and Beverage
Thirsty or want to warm up with hot cocoa? There are snack stations available on-site at Ice Castles. The New Hampshire location offered multiple food & drink options, such as hot chocolate and cookies, and delicious cinnamon rolls! Each Ice Castle location has its own food and drink, be sure to check with each directly if you are looking for something specific. There is also a gift shop on site to help commemorate your experience.
Tips for Visiting Ice Castles with Kids:
- If you’re reading this and interested in tickets – BOOK THEM NOW. A bit dramatic, but the urgency is real. Prime times sell out almost immediately. Look into tickets here.
- It’s cold as ice. Seriously. A bit of (duh!) but even if you are ready for the cold, it gets super cold QUICK. If you plan on staying for a while plan on layers and layers, adequate scarfs, mittens and headgear, and hand warmers.
- Wear snow pants! Some of the sides require you to slide down on your rear.
- Do not bring a stroller. It is literally impossible to do so – as the walking paths are literally large ice chunks ground up. They wouldn’t even roll an inch. Sleds are welcomed as transportation for little kids.
- The walking paths are not slippery but (as mentioned) are deep in ground ice – and are quite hard to walk on. It takes lots of energy and motivation – I attribute the sensation to walking through a 2-foot deep snowbank. Boots are essential, and children (and adults!) tire waking through these quickly. Plan accordingly.
- Hand (and body) warming bonfire stations are sprinkled throughout the experience. These are not heat lamps – but real bonfires that produce ash and (of course) smoke. Be wary of children around the areas.
- The New Hampshire location has porta-pottys scattered across the complex (no indoor bathrooms).
- Food and drink are available – hot chocolate and cookies, and delicious cinnamon rolls!
- A reminder that camera batteries die quick in cold conditions – it is essential to bring a backup battery or charger for all electronics (camera, phone, etc).
- Freeze the Moment – there is a professional photographer on-site for photos, that can be purchased. For this one experience you are allowed to (briefly/safely) remove your mask.
Ice Castles
Locations: Midway, Utah | North Woodstock, New Hampshire | Brighton, Minnesota |Lake Geneva, Wisconsin | Lake George, New York
Opening Dates: Weather dependent. Most locations in North America open in late December or early January and remain open until early March.
More information on this frozen attraction HERE. Get your tickets HERE.
Thank you Ice Castles for hosting our visit. As always, all reviews and opinions are our own.
