We're going to take a short break from talking about our trip to San Diego to talk about an amazing experience my family just had.
Last year was the first year Ice Castles made their way to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. That's only a couple hours from our house, so it was an opportunity we just couldn't pass up. We had an amazing time, so this year, when we heard they were coming back, we just had to go!
Here are the facts:
Located at the Geneva National Resort & Club
1091 Hidden Cottage Circle, Lake Geneva, WI 53147
In 2020, they opened on January 31st.
Ticket Pricing:
Weekday (Mon-Thurs): $16.99/adult (12 and up) and $11.99/child (4-11)
Weekend (Fri-Sun): $20.99/adult (12 and up) and $15.99/child (4-11)
Holiday pricing is the same as weekend (February 17th)
Typically, guests spend about 30 minutes to an hour enjoying Ice Castles, but they do not limit the amount of time spent there.
Once you have entered, reentrance is not permitted.
The daytime allows you to appreciate the deep blues that only the natural light of the sun brings out in the ice, as well as the details in the Ice Castles.
At night LED lights illuminate Ice Castles from within as you experience the majestic creations under the stars.
If you’re hoping to experience Ice Castles both during the day and at night, it is recommended to purchase a ticket with an arrival time just before sunset.
Dress warm so you can fully enjoy the time spent inside.
Recommended: coats, hats, gloves, scarves, winter boots, and even Hot Hands.
Arrival times are set to 30 minute intervals, so if you buy a 4:30-5 ticket, you can arrive at 4:32 or 4:59.
Slides may require kids to be 42 inches tall to ride.
Portable restrooms are located just outside the entrance/exit at each location.
Outside food and beverages are not permitted.
Here's our experience:
We decided that to avoid the weekend crowds (and avoid paying the weekend prices), we would visit on Monday, February 10th. They don't open until 4pm on weekdays so we were able to still work and school before we left. We bought our tickets online in advance (the only way you can buy tickets). We bought our tickets for 4:30pm-5pm so that we could see the Ice Castle in the daytime (since we only saw it at night last year), but then stay so that we could see it at night as well (sunset was set for 5:19pm).
**I noticed online that A LOT of people were complaining about there being no tickets available. So, here's the thing. This is a very popular attraction. There is no way they're going to be able to accommodate everyone. In order to make it a pleasant experience for as many people as possible, it can't be overcrowded so they can only let a certain number of people in at one time. It stinks that people weren't able to get tickets for the times they wanted to go, but truly, that's not something to complain about. I knew I wanted to get tickets and I saw that they were going on sale on January 27th. I didn't even buy them that day because I knew we were going to go on a weekday. That being said, when I looked that night, there were still PLENTY of tickets available on the weekends. They did sell out within a couple days, but people had time to get their tickets if they wanted them. Also, they only release tickets for a couple weeks at a time. People also complained that they would only be open for 2 weeks. But the Ice Castles have to work around mother nature and she's super unpredictable. They don't want to make tickets available for purchase for an entire month and then have to refund an entire week's worth. If the weather cooperates, they will release tickets for a couple more weeks. So if you're not able to get your tickets at first, be patient. They may release more! And if you're still not able to get tickets, then follow them on Facebook and be on top of the ball next year. Buy early and you won't be disappointed.**
Everything was beautiful, you guys! We've only been going for 2 years, but we will continue to visit the Ice Castles every year that we're able to. They're just stunning to look at and we just love wandering around and enjoying every corner. One of the most fun things to do is to find little hidden areas where there are hardly any people. We ended up staying much longer than we originally expected because our son wanted to do everything in the daytime and then everything again at night. He always enjoys the slide, but it is something that you have to wait in line for. That being said, it's one of the only things you HAVE to wait in line for. We did choose to wait a couple times to wait to get a specific picture with certain things, like a beautiful wall of ice or a sculpture. Something new this year for the Lake Geneva location was the addition of a drink bar. This was great! We got hot chocolate for everyone and I even got mine in a reusable mug to commemorate our time there. And let me tell you, this mug was great! It kept my hot chocolate warm for HOURS! Now, to the part everyone enjoys the most, the pictures:
