Stunning Unique Ice Castles in Beautiful NH
Going to the Ice Castles has been on our wish list for years now. Since Chris and I often skip winters experiencing all the wintery wonders is quite a novelty. If we’re gonna be going through the extra efforts and cumulative extra minutes of time it takes to get layered up to go outside, we might as well make the best of it.
We had fully intended to go on this outing back in 2015. We were so excited to work at Seyon Lodge and made this huge list of things to do, among them go to ice castles, go on sleigh ride, have Christmas cookie party and a whole bunch of other fun and quaint winter wonderland activities. Well, that was the Winter of No Snow and we did yard work on Christmas Day in a t-shirt. We didn’t do any of those things. We did go for the sleigh ride, but because there was no snow it was a wagon ride. It was so cold and we were huddled under a blanket while the horses hauled a wagon around a circle with a bunch of mud puddles.
However we are pleased to report this winter was different. We have had tons of beautiful snow! It’s been an awesome winter and there has been many wonderful winter wonderland things that we have got to enjoy.
One of which was going to the Ice Castles in New Hampshire. I know spring is coming and you might be so sick of the snow, but this castle was so beautiful. Here is one more little peak at the winter wonderland.
Let’s go through this tunnel to enter the ice castle.
Oh! I told you it would be pretty! 🙂
Let’s go through another tunnel and see what else we find.
Now look up at the ceiling – there were pulsating lights of color rotating through the ceiling. 
Lights of different colors were placed all around the castle.
As it started getting darker these gem crystals really started looking cool.
Kids were going absolutely nuts and loosing their minds running around trying to guess which color would show up.
<<<Baby it’s cold outside! Be a winner and have a thermos of hot chocolate waiting in your car when you are finished.>>>
But even for us big kids this slide was a ton of fun!
It also went through a ton of color changes.
And you went fast down it!
It barely took 12 seconds to go down the slide! (Note: I almost hit small child at end of slide (!) Luckily we were able to avoid a collision! 🙂
We did pose here to get our photo taken, but as you can see Chris could hardly fit in there.
Me and my friend Jess on the other hand, we had room to spare! Raise the roof! 😉
<<<I would have been so cold if I didn’t have a good winter jacket. I recommend having a down jacket if you like to be outside in the winter.>>>
We had a quick rest on this bench by an ice wall.
Then we kept wandering around, but not through this tunnel, this was a super small tunnel for the kids.
We kept gawking up at the ceiling.
<<<Want a tough little camera that can handle the cold? For years we loved the Panasonic Lumix drop proof, water proof and freeze proof camera. A great buy – especially for activities like this.>>>
Then we found the fountain.
This fountain would change colors, spit out water and just entrance you.
It was hard to leave the fountain.
We just never knew what color it was going to change to.
Or what pattern of water it would spit out. The fountain seemed to mesmerize people for quite a while.
Checking out the ice castles was finally a wish list activity done. I hope this winter has brought some warm and toasty memories into your life.
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If you go:
BUY TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME! So many people don’t know this. Luckily Chris is so good about reading things ahead of time. The ice castles only let in so many people at certain timed intervals. This is so the place can’t get too crazy and over packed. Plus you save $4 per person if you buy ahead online!
You can purchase the tickets here.
We went at 4:30 pm and we really liked that time. We could still get photos in the daylight and within the hour also get photos in the dark. It was really cold the day we went and once you are in, you’re in. You can’t go warm up in your car and go back in or anything.
Doing a little more planning?
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As always, thanks for reading and we’ll see you out there! 🙂
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We visited the ice castle in Dillon, Colorado. Very similar to this on. So cool. And, great photos!
Awesome Liana! It might be by the same person. They just had this idea to create the ice castles and then made them happen We thought it was a pretty unique experience and idea! 🙂 Thanks!
I sure am tired of winter but this post was beautiful!
I can imagine winter is getting old for a lot of people, but still wanted to get this post out there! It was pretty neat! 🙂
Beautiful photos! I love the way the icicles look and it’s such a beautiful bright blue!
Bryna | Dotted Line Travels recently posted…Eat, Shop, Learn, and Stay in Phnom Penh
Thanks Bryna! That was one of our favorite things too – that bright blue. So pretty! 🙂
Oh my goodness!! I had no idea things like this existed!!! It looks like so much fun!! Guess I’m going to New Hampshire now! #FlyAwayFriday
Indeed Melina! We didn’t know about this either until we were in VT (and we are very close to NH border.) Such a cool thing to get to go and experience! 🙂
Never knew some thing like this around! I love it and wish to be there but your post is
pretty close to that, so thanks! Is this on private property? How is it created?
mare
Yeah, we didn’t know about it for a while either. That Chris, he is good at finding stuff like this. So they make and create it out of water. There is this whole “skeleton” with the lights and building blocks to make it all come together like it does. I’m not really sure if it’s private property or if they rent the space, but it’s big. There is a big parking lot, gift shop and then the grounds for the ice castle itself. So it’s definitely not in someone’s yard, it’s a thing that like a tour bus could pull up to.
Wow, thanks for this article with the great photos. Yes, winter almost done, but seeing these photos has me anxious for next winter and hoping it’s a snowy cold one. Yikes! I can’t believe i’m saying that! I guess that shows the power of your articles/photos. 😉
Oh thank you for such kind words Melanie! I think it’s fair to say if one is going to have to endure winter it might as well be snowy so there is that pretty effect. So glad you found the post moving. We were so glad we *finally* got to go to an ice castle! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ok, this is absolutely MY DREAM!!!!! I’ve always wanted to check out ice castles in person. Ugh, total jealousy! The pictures are stunning! Thanks for joining Fly Away Friday, hope to see you tomorrow! XO
So glad you liked the post Kana! There are some ice castles out west and closer to you. Maybe next year!?
PS – we’ve been traveling in Egypt and Jordan so schedules have been all over the place. Should be back in the loop for the next flyaway! 🙂
The photos of these ice castles are insane! I love the colours and the magnitude of them. I seriously love anything to do with snow and ice sculptures so this would totally be a place for me to see. Good tip on buying tickets in advance! Thanks for coming to Fly away friday! See you tomorrow xo
Hey Janie! Yeah – we have been waiting for years to finally make it to the ice castles! They are pretty cool and we would go again. Going down the slide was also super fun.
PS – we’ve been traveling in Egypt and Jordan so schedules have been all over the place. Should be back in the loop for the next flyaway! 🙂
I’m trying my best to avoid cold places for a while, but the ice castles look amazing. I love the ways the colours combine with the ice.In Sweden they build an ice hotel every year. That’s beautiful as well, but I can’t say I’d like to sleep on a bed made from a block of ice.