When I learned that the Ice Castles were opening up a new East Coast location in Upstate New York a few years ago, I immediately began planning a trip. I mean, with thousands of icicles that are hand-placed by professional ice artists to form tunnels, sculptures, slides, caves, and fountains, and then lit by LED lights – how could I now jump on the opportunity to plan a magical winter wonderland date night of my dreams?! AND BONUS – visiting the installation was doable in a weekend road trip from Washington, DC!
Unfortunately, during the 2023-2024 season, the only traditional Ice Castles on the East Coast will be located in Woodstock, New Hampshire (which is a two hour drive from Boston, a 5.5 hour drive from New York City, and a 9.5 hour drive from Washington, DC), so it’s a bit less accessible for those of us in the Mid-Atlantic. The Upstate New York location, which we visited in 2022 and is pictured here, has now been converted into an Ice Castles “Winter Realm” location, with significantly cheaper tickets, and less icy magic.
That said, the we definitely learned some lessons after our first visit that we want to pass along, so here are our most-asked questions and top recommendations for making the most of your first visit. NOTE: Our recommendations apply to the traditional Ice Castles experience, not Winter Realm by Ice Castles.
So what even are the Ice Castles?
What began as an ice cave, nicknamed the ‘ice castle’ in the front yard of the founder’s Utah home, has since grown and been made famous by the ubiquitous dreamy Instagram photos showcasing the beauty of these professionally built and continuously maintained icy winter playhouses. Speaking of Instagram, check out some clips from our magical visit here. Since 2011, these magical installations have been popping up in various cities all over the nation.
Where & When Can I Experience the Ice Castles?
- Maple Grove, Minnesota
- Woodstock, New Hampshire
- Midway, Utah
- Cripple Creek, Colorado
- Lake George, New York*
- Lake Geneva, Wisconsin*
The Ice Castles are created in different cities each year and open at varying times depending on the weather. Historically, locations open sometime in January, and during the 2023-2024 season, you can find them in four cities across the United States. Lake George, New York and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin are now “Winter Realms” locations which, as we mentioned before, are different than the traditional Ice Castles described here.
How Much Will a Visit Cost Me?
Ticket prices differ depending on the location, day of the week, and age (child vs. adult), but will not cost you more than $30 per person. We highly recommend purchasing your tickets in advance and online as well. Not only will this cut down on the cost of your visit (tickets are more expensive at the door), but it will guarantee you entry.
Our top tips for visiting New York’s Ice Castles:
- Purchase tickets in advance: As we mentioned above, there may be some tickets available at the gate, but to guarantee entry book your tickets ahead of time online as nights and particular time slots often sell out.
- Book the 4:30pm time slot: By arriving at 4:30, you’ll be able experience the castles for a bit during the day, take in the sunset, and watch them light up at night.
- Bundle up: Temperatures frequently drop to single digits when the sun goes down, and you definitely don’t want being cold to cut your time exploring all of the different corners of the Ice Castles short.
- Go with Friends: If you are looking to take some dreamy icicle-clad photos, plan to go with your friends so you can be each other’s photographers. Seth and I usually set up our tripod to take our travel photos, but Ice Castles really isn’t the venue for that. Lucky for us, Kristen from The Early Bird Blog was happy to snap some photos for us.
- Be patient: This is a popular event, so there will inevitably be lots of kiddos playing and adults trying to get the perfect shot for the gram, so plan for that and manage your expectations ahead of time and you won’t be disappointed.
Bottom Line: Do the Ice Castles live up to the hype, you ask? The answer is yes. They absolutely do, and we hope that this guide was helpful for planning your visit. If you’ve been, we’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
Enjoying all these fantastic scenes. How fortunate you are to be able to travel these sites. Hard work pays off, yes,?? Keep posting. Nan& JoJo