FEELING LIKE AN ICE PRINCESS: EXPLORING ICE CASTLES, NH
Call me Elsa, because I found my castle… in New Hampshire.
When I discovered Ice Castles, the “award-winning frozen attraction” on Instagram, I immediately knew I wanted to visit. That wish came true on Friday, January 24th. After driving nearly six hours, my friend Heather and I made it to Woodstock, NH, snow gear and all.
Whether you’re a fan of Disney’s “Frozen” or not, walking into the ice castle is like stepping into a real-life fairy tale. You’re surrounded by mesmerizing ice sculptures to your left and right, even above your head. The icicles glisten in the sunlight and glow at night and the ice walls that were crafted to shape the castle reach high to the sky. A true winter wonderland.
According to the Ice Castles‘ website, “the experience is built using hundreds of thousands of icicles hand-placed by professional ice artists.”
As we approached the center of the castle, fountains were sporadically squirting water into the air. There were several different paths to take to explore the entire castle, including venturing up top to the second story to overlook the entire center.
During our adventure, we took advantage of the Instagram-worthy photo op spots at the frozen throne, in the ice-carved tunnel, and under the archways. The experience was so beautiful, we even saw a couple get engaged!
As the sky got darker, the whole ice castle glowed with colorful LED lights.
It looked so different than during the day.
Heather and I purposely visited 30 minutes before sunset so we could experience the castle during the day and night. I highly recommend this strategy if you want to get the best of both worlds, especially for pictures.
Daytime: Great for pictures of yourself and capturing the intricate details of the ice.
Nighttime: Great for cool pictures of the ice sculptures lit up in bright colors and silhouettes.
The ice slide was by far the coolest part of the castle. It was enclosed and lit up by rainbow LED lights. I felt like I was on Mario Kart’s Rainbow Road racetrack!
The ice castle accommodated many people of all ages with plenty of space and areas to explore. Parents were pulling their young kids on sleds and there were mini slides to complement the bigger rainbow one. There was also a cafe window selling hot drinks and pastries as well as a souvenir shop.
Ice Castles was founded in 2011 and is currently in four locations: New Hampshire, Colorado, Utah, and Wisconsin. Each castle is more than 20 million pounds and 12,000 icicles grow every day.
The Ice Castles mission is “to create happiness, laughter, and unforgettable winter memories.”
Here are some tips on planning your trip to Ice Castles:
- Buy your tickets in advance!
The tickets are assigned to time slots, and they fill up fast! Luckily, once you enter, you can stay as long as you want. As mentioned above, I recommend arriving 30 minutes before sunset to experience the castle during the day and night. - Wear snow boots.
You’ll definitely want to wear your winter gear like a hat, scarf, and gloves, but snow boots are also important. You’ll be walking on loose snow the whole time. Snow boots will make it easier to get around and keep your toes warm. - Explore the whole castle!
There are so many different spots to see. Take your time to appreciate the details of the ice and take lots of pictures!
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Melissa
Great tips! Thanks for sharing your adventure there! We will definitely think about sunset timing when we go !
journeywithjblog
Great! I’m glad they were helpful. Enjoy your visit!
Darla
This reminds me of what I anticipate Iceland to look like….still haven’t gotten there and this is a bit closer! Is it open year-round?
journeywithjblog
I’ve never been to Iceland, but I would love to visit! The Ice Castles are only open during the winter season. Each location has its own calendar on the Ice Castles site.