Colorado – Ice Castles
Immediately drawn to the icicle archways that I saw online and on Instagram, I knew I needed to go to Ice Castles when I first discovered it a couple of years ago. Each time I visited a cold place, I would check to see if the Ice Castles were nearby. Finally, during our trip to Breckenridge, I was able to visit the highly seasonal experience. Aptly named, the Ice Castles are a large outdoor structure made from ice that you walk through and amongst. There is no ceiling, except for inside the various tunnels and archways, where the stunning icicles are on display. At night, lights inside the walls begin to show through, making it a frozen and magical experience (even with a few Elsa photoshoots taking place). Read more to see if it is worth a visit.
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Colorado Ice Castles
Although I don’t know the trade secrets, from their website and signage, Ice artists build the structure from the ground up. During construction, they strategically place LED lights inside the ice and speakers to be somewhat hidden. With the entire structure made from ice, there have to be consecutive days below freezing before opening. After visiting, I completely understand why – those icicles look dangerous if they were to come loose. There is a solid exterior “wall”. The walls have organic shapes and icicles that make them a piece of art in themselves. Inside the walls, there are a number of archways and tunnels for you to meander through and explore.
The arches and tunnels were particularly incredible. Hanging above you, you can see hundreds of icicles like stalactites in a cave. It is a little daunting to stand under them, but also exciting to explore. Inside the arches and tunnels, there are other mounds and organic shapes that you must walk around. Inside the Ice Castle walls, you’ll find all kinds of opportunities for photos. Even against an exterior wall is gorgeous. There are a couple of narrow tunnels to walk through, a large ice slide, a short ice slide, and an area for children to crawl through (no icicles were these areas).
One thing that struck me was how easy it was to walk around the Ice Castle. The ground was a mixture that felt like walking on the sand at the beach. My guess is that the mixture consists of ice, sand, and maybe salt. It was not slippery except when going off the sandy mixture and into the special tunnels.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, was a lot of fun
- Intensity: Very warm layers with snow boots
- Location: Dillon, Colorado
- Cost: $16.99 per adult on weekdays, $20.99 on weekends for a pre-purchased ticket.
- Restrooms: Porta-potties outside the castles
- Timing: 30-minutes to 1-hour, depending on your tolerance for the cold
Highlights:
- An incredible structure that you walk around and inside of
- Mesmerizing icicles, caves, and lights that appear inside the, making it magical
- A great way to get out of the house
Lowlights
- Difficult to find parking and was busy inside, despite being a Monday evening
Quick Tips for the Ice Castles:
- Buy your tickets online in advance. You will have to choose a specific timeframe, so there is a possibility that you will be unable to enter the Ice Castles without a pre-purchased ticket.
- Dress warmly and with layers. It will likely be below freezing and this event is outdoors, so prepare for the cold.
- Head there during the day for better iPhone photos. It is more challenging to capture the icicles at night.
Light Show and Photography
As the sun begins to go down, the lights inside the ice become more and more apparent. The lights flicker and change color with twinkling music also starts up at sunset. I think that my group absolutely nailed the timing. We entered the Ice castles at 4:45, with sunset happening at 5 pm. In this regard, we got to see what it would have looked like during the day and also experience the light show when we were ready to leave.
In terms of photography, if you are only bringing your phone, I recommend going during the day or at sunset to capture more details. Though if you have a DSLR camera, you may be able to capture the light show better. There are so many opportunities for great photos, but you will need to be patient. Even though we went on a Monday evening, it was quite busy inside the Ice Castles. With everyone taking photos, people are moving pretty slowly, but generally happy to give you space or take a photo for you. Even if it is busy, you’ll likely be able to get an archway to yourself, if you give it some time.
I also liked the daytime because of the striking blue color of the ice. It had snowed during the day, so the tops all the structures had a light dusting of snow. With so many organic forms and recent snow topping, it was easier to suspend my disbelief and let my imagination run wild of stumbling on this in the wild. It was fascinating to think about how the entire structure is water. Walking through while mesmerized with the frozen sculptures, it reminded me of the interactive art installations I’ve visited in the past.
The Big Slide
Of course, I had to experience the ice slide that was available! At this Ice Castles, it was a dual slide with two people able to go straight down, while sitting on a thin plastic mat. The slide isn’t super long, so the line moves quickly. The hardest part of the slide is getting down to sit on the mat without slipping. Then, once you inch forward, you’re off before you know it. It feels very speedy, but you can probably slow yourself with your heels in front of you. At the bottom, there is a soft, non-slippery platform. This is where you turn over your plastic mat and get out of the way for the next people on the slide. If the line isn’t too long, I would say it is definitely worth doing.
There was another small slide that we did not go on as it seemed to be for kiddos. From the images online, it looks like there may be different kinds of slides at each of the locations. I also wonder if the structure and slides are different year-to-year.
Getting There & Parking
There are five Ice Castle locations in the United States and one location in Canada, depending on the year you are going. I visited the Ice Castles in Dillon, Colorado, which is about 30 minutes from Breckenridge and 1/1.5 hours from Denver. The Dillon Ice Castle is in a community park, which has multi-family housing surrounding it. There was one dedicated parking area that was very busy when we visited, some street parking, and additional parking in front of the tennis courts adjacent to the Ice Castles. There were many families getting loaded into their cars, so it took us a good 10 minutes to get into a parking space.
Double and triple check the Ice Castles website to see when each location opens or closes, or better yet, subscribe to their newsletter. This season, the Colorado location opened December 28th. You can also follow them on Instagram for updates. How long they stay open for the season is weather-dependent, but I believe they are planning to stay open well into February.
Full Transparency
I received two complimentary tickets for myself and my partner, which I want to talk for a minute about how that might have impacted my experience at the Ice Castles. Since we were already in Breckenridge, it was a no-brainer to go to the Ice Castles. We even convinced another couple to join us, which we paid for out of pocket. With the complimentary tickets, I didn’t have high expectations except for what I had see on Instagram, making anything we discovered truly incredible. I think the pricing is reasonable, but could also see how it could add up for a larger family (kids are a lower price point). I bought the additional tickets only a half-hour before going, which was not a problem on a Monday evening.
We spent a little over a half-hour inside the Ice Castles. As a group of four adults, we did not participate in the family activities of the smaller slides and crawling zone. We also only went on the large slide once, which I could see some kids wanting to repeat as many times as possible. After about a half-hour, the cold does begin to sink in, which makes sense why the timed tickets were in half-hour increments. You are able to stay as long as you want. Afterward, we had dinner at Pure Kitchen in Frisco, which has delicious vegan options in a beautiful setting.
Overall Thoughts: Colorado Ice Castles
The Ice Castles were an excellent new way to experience winter in Colorado. It was a snow day in Breckenridge but had cleared up in Dillon by the time we arrived. I feel like the Ice Castles would also be beautiful to visit when it is snowing (as long as it is not too windy). It’s hard not to be swept up into the magical beauty of the icicles and sculptural elements. Every angle seems to be photo-ready and an outing that all ages can enjoy. This activity was a nice alternative to the downhill and cross-country skiing we did while in Breckenridge. Read those posts here:
What other outdoor interactive experiences are there in the world? I had such a great time at the Ice Castles I’d love to hear about more locations in the comments below. Or, if you’ve been to another Ice Castle location, does it sound the same? I’m curious if the different locations have a different setup.
Happy Travels,
Hanna
