Winter Fun

Ice Castles will return to N.H. this winter with a new castle design

Visitors can hop on a horse-drawn sleigh ride, stroll a Mystic Forest, and more.

Ice Castles in North Woodstock, New Hampshire. Ice Castles

By Kristi Palma

November 14, 2023

1 minute to read

The enormous, glowing Ice Castles will return to New Hampshire this winter, complete with a new design.

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The 20 million-pound attraction, which draws tens of thousands of visitors, will mark its 11th season with a new castle, complete with slides, sculptures, caverns, tunnels, and crawl spaces.

Ice artisans began construction in early October on the interactive winter playground, which will open in late December or early January, depending on the weather, according to the company.

“We absolutely love being a part of the community here in North Woodstock,” Ice Castles CEO Kyle Standifird said in a statement. “The excitement
our visitors bring year after year drives us to not only meet their expectations, but to exceed them. This year we are rolling out a new castle design that we can’t wait to share with our visitors.”

A team of 20 artists grow and harvest icicles before hand placing them during the months-long building process. Color-changing LED lights are embedded in the sculptures and light up the night during the attraction’s evening hours.

Guests can also go snow tubing, stroll an illuminated Mystic Forest, hop on a horse-drawn sleigh ride, visit a Winter Fairy Village, and enjoy beverages at a frosty ice bar called the Polar Pub.

Tickets go on sale Nov. 29 on icecastles.com. Prices start at $30 for ages 12 and up and $23 for ages 4-11.

Ice Castles also has locations in Utah, Minnesota, and Colorado, as well as two new Winter Realms locations in Wisconsin and New York.

Kristi Palma

Travel writer

Kristi Palma is the travel writer for Boston.com, focusing on the six New England states. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of the award-winning Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.