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I love the Ice Castles! I've seen the ice castles in a few different cities in Minnesota throughout the years and I have to say that I love the Falcon Heights location a lot. Free and plenty of parking available. They had 2 food trucks on site, an ice bar, snow slides, snow tubing and of course beautiful ice "castles". The castles are beautiful. I recommend going for the 5 to 5:30 entry so you can enjoy them during the daylight, sunset and nighttime. Can get a little pricey if you have multiple kids, definitely look online for discount codes to save some money. Tickets can be purchased online for half hour time slots but you just have to enter during that time and you can stay as long as you'd like after that!
This was my very first time at the Minnesota Ice Castle. It was held at the Minnesota State Fairground. I visited during on a Saturday. It was roughly 23ºF. The time I visited was 4pm - 6:30pm, because I was recommended to go when the sun is about to set so I could enjoy the lights. WHAT TO WEAR: Don't be like my teenage niece who decided to wear a sweatpants, hoodies, and converse shoes, despite being told multiple times that the event is strictly outdoors with NO indoor shelter. (The tented gift shop is also freezing cold.) She left before the place became dark. I actually had a heated vest and heated gloves in addition to a beanie, hoodie, jacket, thermal leggings, sweatpants, mittens, and UGG boots. My feet was cold even with toe warmers! I saw a lot of adults and children in snowpants - think of visiting a ski/snowboard resort. I saw a few adults with heated jackets. PARKING: We did not have any difficulty finding parking, nor did we have to park far away. There was a lot of spaces available. When we arrived at 4pm, we parked near the front gate. There were so many open spots. GETTING AROUND: Definitely not a place to bring a stroller. I saw a lot of parents had their kids on sled as they pull. On the day I went had a lot of snow - probably ankle high. The lines for the slides were decent. The one with the duel slide had a slightly longer wait time. There are restrooms available - no indoor plumbing - it's a porta potty. They have campfires around the park. I was told there was pronto pup, but I didn't see it. I saw Original Hockey Mom Brownie food truck. SOUVENIR PHOTO: When you purchase your ticket online, it will ask if you want to add-on a souvenir photo. Since it was during peak-times, it was about $30 for a few photos. I did not add this option at the time of purchase, but you can give your ticket to the photographer, who will scan your ticket and take your photo. There is a gift shop (white tent) where you will go to pay for your photo, if you did not purchase it when you bought your tickets online. You will also receive one print-out copy of a photo of your choosing, and the rest of your photos, I had 9 photos, will be emailed to you. If you are not the original purchaser of the admission ticket, like me - Nana bought it, but left with my niece and the tickets were e-tickets on her phone, then you will receive a card with a QR code that you would bring to the gift shop to get your photos. Why 4 out of 5 stars? I wish there were more options with dates and times. I would like to avoid the peak hours. My option for non-peak was Monday or Thursday starting at 4pm, which I wanted to avoid rush hour traffic. Plus, they were sold out of hot chocolate by 4:30pm, but Original Hockey Mom Brownie food truck was present and was also selling hot chocolate, but the line was longer. Unfortunately, the hot chocolate are not lactose-free. Overall, I had a lot of fun. I went on the slides about 3-times. If I go again, I would definitely wear snowpants and my actual waterproof snowboots and not UGG. There is a scavenger hunt that I tried to help one of my family member solved. There's a QR code around the park where you can get the scavenger hunt questions.
We visited the Ice Castles last weekend while we were visiting the Minneapolis area. The staff was very friendly and professional. The weather was warmer than usually in January, so the staff was maintaining the ice every night so they could extend the Scriptures for a couple of weeks. I wasn't disappointed because they have no control of weather. They are still nice to see, especially if you have never been. I've been to the Ice Castles in New Hampshire years ago. Lots of fun and alot to venture thru, great for a family outing with the kids. Its pretty amazing to see. The artist who create the ice castles are very talented. Check the website for other cities to visit the Castles.
We visited Ice Castles with a group of two adults and 5 kids and it was so fun! We went on a Wednesday night and arrived around 5:45 to one of the shuttle lots. Upon arrival, we were directed that way and would i've preferred parking right by the castle, but the parking lot where we were had plenty of spots and the shuttle was running very quickly. We waited less than five minutes before getting on for the quick five minute drive to the castle. Check in moved pretty smoothly, but didn't seem to take a little bit of time given that everyone in line already had bought tickets online. Checking in there was a quick set of instructions about how to keep people and the castles safe and then we were on our way. Upon first, entering your weave through a tall set of ice walls that were extremely high and picturesque. And opens up into a large area where you can explore at your own pace and direction of variety of different ice activities. They had three heights of ice slides, ice cornhole, lots of ice tunnels and various sculptures throughout. We easily spent an hour exploring all the areas and taking turns on slides, even the adults! Upon exiting the castle you walk through an area that is all lit up with a different twinkling lights and can make your way over to a spot with both an ice bar and two food truck options. Behind the food truck options are also a tubing hill where the kids spent another 30 minutes taking turns on inner tubes. The food options were a little pricy but good. And the seating included various picnic tables and heat lamps as well as open gas, fire pits to warm your hands. We were told by some of the employees that the weekend can get crazy! With Saturday clocking in and up to 5000 visitors. If waiting in longer lines or around, a lot of people, isn't your jam, I would definitely recommend a Wednesday night as I think, they are closed on Monday and Tuesday. All in we were there a total of just under 2.5 hours including shuttle time and a break to eat. The kids could've easily stayed longer! The price was definitely right at only $15 for adult and $11 for children under 12. We were considering the ice maze on the south side of town as an alternate outing, but I'm so glad we decided to go with ice castles. In general, the price, location and the wide variety of activities was the perfect choice for our group. This just might be one a yearly activity going forward!
A so so cool and surreal experience being a native Californian! Right as you walk in, you are surrounded by ice castles that make you feel like the size of a pea. It was super cool at night because the castles were lit up with LED lights so I definitely recommend you go at night! Some of these reviews are complaining that you had to wait a long time for the slides but I didn't wait more than a couple of minutes! I also went on a Thursday night so the tickets were a bit cheaper and it was a little less busy. Dress warm and bring your cameras because this is a sight to see! Not something you see everyday :)
It's winter time in Minne-snow-ta! My friends and I decided to enjoy a winter snowy adventure and explore the Ice Castles in the neighborhood in New Brighton. We chose the 4:00pm Ice Castles reservation and got a start in daylight and then transitioned into the night and enjoyed the lights in the dark too! We had so much fun going through the ice maze, caverns and sculptures. Oh, and then there was the ice slide, where we got on a floppy sleigh and down an icy slide! At the end of our adventure, we sat down and relaxed by wonderful bonfire and enjoyed hot chocolate at the Polar Pub. The cost of the adventure is a little steep for adults at $22.00 + tax/fees, but very well worth it. We took advantage of 15% off with online purchase beforehand. Just use the promo code: stamped2023. Yes, we froze our ass off literally....but had so much fun playing in the snow and letting our inner child free. The good thing it's close to our gym at LA Fitness in New Brighton so we were able to warm up at the sauna afterwards which felt just AMAZING after our snowy adventure! Yippee!
This was my third time to Ice Castles and it's definitely gorgeous right when you walk in! I recommend wearing snow boots and snow pants if you're able to. There's plenty of photo spots for pictures throughout the ice castles. It does get fairly dark in the evening but the lights look gorgeous throughout! There are three slides and they're definitely fun! Otherwise I recommend more attractions since there was a lot less than my family anticipated. Also I do appreciate the shuttle that brought you to the ice castles from the parking lot. It is a 15 minute walk if the shuttle is not there since I've been to the ice castles on a week day and I had to do that 15 minute walk plus there's not too much lightning too with the walk so keep that in mind when picking a day to go.
We went opening weekend, and I felt like the experience wasn't as good as last year. That could very well be because they were still constructing and it was warm, but it still left some to be desired. With that being said, my boys still had fun and loved the slide and tunnel. My husband was excited for the polar bar at the end, but that also was not open.
Honestly I thought it was a great experience for my first time! I wish i brought my niece and nephew. It is really kids friendly. It was a lot better than the ice maze. The ice maze was not as fun as this one. There are four slides. One tube, one on a plastic slid, and two little kids slides. It was beautiful and cool to see the ice freeze so well. Recommend bringing your kids!
I'll Def come back. My first time ever seeing ice sculptures. I met other fun people here during my visit. It was a good time. Make sure you wear boots and warm gloves if you come on a cold day, so that you can enjoy the stay. Even if you forget your gloves, there is a fire pit you can use to warm up temporarily. Next time I will try the hot beverages in the convenient store. See pictures for more info.
Weird event. Cool for the little kids, but crowded and lightly-managed. 15-20 minute wait for an ice slide that takes 10 seconds. Random kids licking icicles. Nearly dead fire pits giving off smoke but not much else. Wannabe Instagram influencers blocking tunnels. You get the idea. The refreshments and shop were closed when we attended. The exit was not staffed and consisted of a short wire holding together two sections of fence. My son and I ducked underneath it without problem, but it presented a bit of a challenge for a couple following us with a stroller. I really wanted to like it, but in the end it was just kind of weird. If we ever try it again, we'll probably look at going earlier in the season before the kids have broken everything.
Delight your inner Elsa with this magical experience. We popped over to New Brighton for a 2 p.m. experience in the Ice Castles and seeing the magnitude of the ice tunnels was a great way to begin the adventure! Inside the castle we had to do the photo op on the ice throne and every person in line kindly took the picture for the person sitting (Minnesota nice)! Fire pits are scattered in the larger areas of the castles. Now on to my kids and my favorite part--slides!! There is a duo kids slide that goes fast, lines are easy and all the little ones had a blast. The big 50ft. slide is the perk in my opinion. You get in a fairly long line and grab a thin plastic slide to bring up to the top. The weaving line goes up a well groomed snow hill of ice along the side. Once at the top, you enter a tunnel and a helpful Ice Castle worker gets you set up to slide. The duo slide lets two people go at once. My daughter and I went and it is FAST! If the line isn't too long, get your slide in a few times if possible. Great family fun! Hopefully we can experience this again at night when the castle is lit up with colorful lights!
The Minnesota Ice Castles are truly a magical experience. It was hard to find initially-- the address on the website doesn't agree with Apple Maps and we ended up on the wrong side of Long Lake. But once we got to the right location, the signage was clear and parking was a breeze. We just kept asking ourselves, "how the heck did they build this?!" The ice castles are straight out of the Frozen movie, and I could only imagine how amazing it would be through a six-year-olds eyes. But even for adults, it's a really unique winter experience. Try to plan your visit around the weather, and go on one of the "warmer" winter days. We went when it was like four degrees, and only lasted about an hour. The weekday ticket prices are a better deal: $15 for adults compared to $22 on the weekends. Ticket prices really add up if you're traveling with a group, so going during a warm-ish weekday is probably the optimal way to get the best bang for your buck and spend the most amount of time exploring the ice castles. I'd totally recommend Ice Castles Minnesota to families and adults alike. Even the slides were exciting! It's a great winter activity and easy to access from the Twin Cities.
Winter Outdoor Event & Family Friendly, Private Parties for 6-8 people *Weather Dependent* Open late February- Early March Food truck, fire pits, lights, slides, tubing, ice/snow sculptures, ice bar- alcohol and non alcoholic, music, fire show, cornhole, maze Live music on Thursdays Lots of seating around Hours: 5:30pm- 9 or 10pm depends on day Tickets: Bought our tickets online- cheaper online (There is peak and off peak pricing). Buy tix in advance- might sell out Ticket info: *0-3 years old: Free admission, ticket is not required *4-11 years old: Child Admission ticket required *12 years old or older: General Admission ticket required *Ages 55+ use code "senior26" to receive 15% discount on all tickets purchased **Military & First Responders Discounts** *25% off tickets purchased through VetTix *Code "Hero26" to receive a 15% discount *Need to show ID* Ticket time slot is for entry time- helps with traffic flow but can stay as long as you want (most people stay about an hour) We went around 7:30pm on a Thursday and it was perfect timing- not too busy. We stayed until 9pm. Parking: Free parking is available in the Robin Lot. Enter the Fairgrounds off Hoyt Avenue into Gate 3. Bathrooms: outhouses Tips: Bar does NOT take cash, *Wear boots*, bring hand warmers, no re-entry read more
Ice Ice Baby....We braved the Minnesota Ice Castles tonight at a casual -2° because apparently we love our child more than feeling our faces. Multiple layers were not optional; they were a survival strategy. That said, our kiddo had an absolute blast and honestly forgot it was freezing the moment she hit the slides and tubing hill. Nothing felt too wild or intimidating, which made it perfect for kids. The ice sculptures, caverns, and tunnels are genuinely beautiful, and wandering through them feels a bit like stepping into a sparkly frozen fairy tale, just one where your eyelashes might freeze together. There are fire pits to thaw your soul, a food truck and every staff member we met was friendly and cheerful, which is impressive given the temperature. My only hesitation is the price. While the experience is fun and well done, it feels a bit steep for the amount of time and content, and I truly think a lower price point would make it feel like a better value and bring in even more families. Now, if you tell me all proceeds are going toward getting the bad ICE out of Minnesota, I will happily keep donating without a single follow-up question. Cold toes aside, it was a fun, memorable winter outing, especially for kids. Going home now so we can be #fueledbyramen read more
Saw the ice castles advertised on a news article. I was like I definitely have to check this one out! I decided to check this one out. Tickets are $30 per adult. Initially I thought it was an immersive ice castle exhibit where you walk through different ice castles. However, when I arrived I was amazed at how the layout of the place was. You walk through an initial ice castle that leads you to an ice oasis where there's a gift shop, ice bar, a snack food truck, and fire pits. It's definitely a place to hang out and enjoy the scenery. Each castle has their own flair to them. Some are small and some you are able to walk through tunnels. Theres also some ice slides that were pretty cool as well. The lines for the slides were a bit long but they went by fast. I'd definitely go again with a group of friends or partner. Excellent date spot or get a group of friends to go and have some hot chocolate, cider or adult beverages and carnival style snacks. Fun place to visually experience and relax in the winter season. read more
Business owner information
Ashton B.
Thanks for the nICE review!
8 months ago
I love the Ice Castles! I've seen the ice castles in a few different cities in Minnesota throughout the years and I have to say that I love the Falcon Heights location a lot. Free and plenty of parking available. They had 2 food trucks on site, an ice bar, snow slides, snow tubing and of course beautiful ice "castles". The castles are beautiful. I recommend going for the 5 to 5:30 entry so you can enjoy them during the daylight, sunset and nighttime. Can get a little pricey if you have multiple kids, definitely look online for discount codes to save some money. Tickets can be purchased online for half hour time slots but you just have to enter during that time and you can stay as long as you'd like after that! read more
This was my very first time at the Minnesota Ice Castle. It was held at the Minnesota State Fairground. I visited during on a Saturday. It was roughly 23ºF. The time I visited was 4pm - 6:30pm, because I was recommended to go when the sun is about to set so I could enjoy the lights. WHAT TO WEAR: Don't be like my teenage niece who decided to wear a sweatpants, hoodies, and converse shoes, despite being told multiple times that the event is strictly outdoors with NO indoor shelter. (The tented gift shop is also freezing cold.) She left before the place became dark. I actually had a heated vest and heated gloves in addition to a beanie, hoodie, jacket, thermal leggings, sweatpants, mittens, and UGG boots. My feet was cold even with toe warmers! I saw a lot of adults and children in snowpants - think of visiting a ski/snowboard resort. I saw a few adults with heated jackets. PARKING: We did not have any difficulty finding parking, nor did we have to park far away. There was a lot of spaces available. When we arrived at 4pm, we parked near the front gate. There were so many open spots. GETTING AROUND: Definitely not a place to bring a stroller. I saw a lot of parents had their kids on sled as they pull. On the day I went had a lot of snow - probably ankle high. The lines for the slides were decent. The one with the duel slide had a slightly longer wait time. There are restrooms available - no indoor plumbing - it's a porta potty. They have campfires around the park. I was told there was pronto pup, but I didn't see it. I saw Original Hockey Mom Brownie food truck. SOUVENIR PHOTO: When you purchase your ticket online, it will ask if you want to add-on a souvenir photo. Since it was during peak-times, it was about $30 for a few photos. I did not add this option at the time of purchase, but you can give your ticket to the photographer, who will scan your ticket and take your photo. There is a gift shop (white tent) where you will go to pay for your photo, if you did not purchase it when you bought your tickets online. You will also receive one print-out copy of a photo of your choosing, and the rest of your photos, I had 9 photos, will be emailed to you. If you are not the original purchaser of the admission ticket, like me - Nana bought it, but left with my niece and the tickets were e-tickets on her phone, then you will receive a card with a QR code that you would bring to the gift shop to get your photos. Why 4 out of 5 stars? I wish there were more options with dates and times. I would like to avoid the peak hours. My option for non-peak was Monday or Thursday starting at 4pm, which I wanted to avoid rush hour traffic. Plus, they were sold out of hot chocolate by 4:30pm, but Original Hockey Mom Brownie food truck was present and was also selling hot chocolate, but the line was longer. Unfortunately, the hot chocolate are not lactose-free. Overall, I had a lot of fun. I went on the slides about 3-times. If I go again, I would definitely wear snowpants and my actual waterproof snowboots and not UGG. There is a scavenger hunt that I tried to help one of my family member solved. There's a QR code around the park where you can get the scavenger hunt questions. read more
3 years ago
We visited the Ice Castles last weekend while we were visiting the Minneapolis area. The staff was very friendly and professional. The weather was warmer than usually in January, so the staff was maintaining the ice every night so they could extend the Scriptures for a couple of weeks. I wasn't disappointed because they have no control of weather. They are still nice to see, especially if you have never been. I've been to the Ice Castles in New Hampshire years ago. Lots of fun and alot to venture thru, great for a family outing with the kids. Its pretty amazing to see. The artist who create the ice castles are very talented. Check the website for other cities to visit the Castles. read more
9 months ago
We visited Ice Castles with a group of two adults and 5 kids and it was so fun! We went on a Wednesday night and arrived around 5:45 to one of the shuttle lots. Upon arrival, we were directed that way and would i've preferred parking right by the castle, but the parking lot where we were had plenty of spots and the shuttle was running very quickly. We waited less than five minutes before getting on for the quick five minute drive to the castle. Check in moved pretty smoothly, but didn't seem to take a little bit of time given that everyone in line already had bought tickets online. Checking in there was a quick set of instructions about how to keep people and the castles safe and then we were on our way. Upon first, entering your weave through a tall set of ice walls that were extremely high and picturesque. And opens up into a large area where you can explore at your own pace and direction of variety of different ice activities. They had three heights of ice slides, ice cornhole, lots of ice tunnels and various sculptures throughout. We easily spent an hour exploring all the areas and taking turns on slides, even the adults! Upon exiting the castle you walk through an area that is all lit up with a different twinkling lights and can make your way over to a spot with both an ice bar and two food truck options. Behind the food truck options are also a tubing hill where the kids spent another 30 minutes taking turns on inner tubes. The food options were a little pricy but good. And the seating included various picnic tables and heat lamps as well as open gas, fire pits to warm your hands. We were told by some of the employees that the weekend can get crazy! With Saturday clocking in and up to 5000 visitors. If waiting in longer lines or around, a lot of people, isn't your jam, I would definitely recommend a Wednesday night as I think, they are closed on Monday and Tuesday. All in we were there a total of just under 2.5 hours including shuttle time and a break to eat. The kids could've easily stayed longer! The price was definitely right at only $15 for adult and $11 for children under 12. We were considering the ice maze on the south side of town as an alternate outing, but I'm so glad we decided to go with ice castles. In general, the price, location and the wide variety of activities was the perfect choice for our group. This just might be one a yearly activity going forward! read more
5 years ago
A so so cool and surreal experience being a native Californian! Right as you walk in, you are surrounded by ice castles that make you feel like the size of a pea. It was super cool at night because the castles were lit up with LED lights so I definitely recommend you go at night! Some of these reviews are complaining that you had to wait a long time for the slides but I didn't wait more than a couple of minutes! I also went on a Thursday night so the tickets were a bit cheaper and it was a little less busy. Dress warm and bring your cameras because this is a sight to see! Not something you see everyday :) read more
10 months ago
9 months ago
It's winter time in Minne-snow-ta! My friends and I decided to enjoy a winter snowy adventure and explore the Ice Castles in the neighborhood in New Brighton. We chose the 4:00pm Ice Castles reservation and got a start in daylight and then transitioned into the night and enjoyed the lights in the dark too! We had so much fun going through the ice maze, caverns and sculptures. Oh, and then there was the ice slide, where we got on a floppy sleigh and down an icy slide! At the end of our adventure, we sat down and relaxed by wonderful bonfire and enjoyed hot chocolate at the Polar Pub. The cost of the adventure is a little steep for adults at $22.00 + tax/fees, but very well worth it. We took advantage of 15% off with online purchase beforehand. Just use the promo code: stamped2023. Yes, we froze our ass off literally....but had so much fun playing in the snow and letting our inner child free. The good thing it's close to our gym at LA Fitness in New Brighton so we were able to warm up at the sauna afterwards which felt just AMAZING after our snowy adventure! Yippee! read more
This was my third time to Ice Castles and it's definitely gorgeous right when you walk in! I recommend wearing snow boots and snow pants if you're able to. There's plenty of photo spots for pictures throughout the ice castles. It does get fairly dark in the evening but the lights look gorgeous throughout! There are three slides and they're definitely fun! Otherwise I recommend more attractions since there was a lot less than my family anticipated. Also I do appreciate the shuttle that brought you to the ice castles from the parking lot. It is a 15 minute walk if the shuttle is not there since I've been to the ice castles on a week day and I had to do that 15 minute walk plus there's not too much lightning too with the walk so keep that in mind when picking a day to go. read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Emily R.
Don- We understand that waiting in the cold for 30 minutes on opening…
We went opening weekend, and I felt like the experience wasn't as good as last year. That could very well be because they were still constructing and it was warm, but it still left some to be desired. With that being said, my boys still had fun and loved the slide and tunnel. My husband was excited for the polar bar at the end, but that also was not open. read more
Honestly I thought it was a great experience for my first time! I wish i brought my niece and nephew. It is really kids friendly. It was a lot better than the ice maze. The ice maze was not as fun as this one. There are four slides. One tube, one on a plastic slid, and two little kids slides. It was beautiful and cool to see the ice freeze so well. Recommend bringing your kids! read more
I'll Def come back. My first time ever seeing ice sculptures. I met other fun people here during my visit. It was a good time. Make sure you wear boots and warm gloves if you come on a cold day, so that you can enjoy the stay. Even if you forget your gloves, there is a fire pit you can use to warm up temporarily. Next time I will try the hot beverages in the convenient store. See pictures for more info. read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Emily R.
Logan- Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We have passed…
5 years ago
Weird event. Cool for the little kids, but crowded and lightly-managed. 15-20 minute wait for an ice slide that takes 10 seconds. Random kids licking icicles. Nearly dead fire pits giving off smoke but not much else. Wannabe Instagram influencers blocking tunnels. You get the idea. The refreshments and shop were closed when we attended. The exit was not staffed and consisted of a short wire holding together two sections of fence. My son and I ducked underneath it without problem, but it presented a bit of a challenge for a couple following us with a stroller. I really wanted to like it, but in the end it was just kind of weird. If we ever try it again, we'll probably look at going earlier in the season before the kids have broken everything. read more
5 years ago
Delight your inner Elsa with this magical experience. We popped over to New Brighton for a 2 p.m. experience in the Ice Castles and seeing the magnitude of the ice tunnels was a great way to begin the adventure! Inside the castle we had to do the photo op on the ice throne and every person in line kindly took the picture for the person sitting (Minnesota nice)! Fire pits are scattered in the larger areas of the castles. Now on to my kids and my favorite part--slides!! There is a duo kids slide that goes fast, lines are easy and all the little ones had a blast. The big 50ft. slide is the perk in my opinion. You get in a fairly long line and grab a thin plastic slide to bring up to the top. The weaving line goes up a well groomed snow hill of ice along the side. Once at the top, you enter a tunnel and a helpful Ice Castle worker gets you set up to slide. The duo slide lets two people go at once. My daughter and I went and it is FAST! If the line isn't too long, get your slide in a few times if possible. Great family fun! Hopefully we can experience this again at night when the castle is lit up with colorful lights! read more
The Minnesota Ice Castles are truly a magical experience. It was hard to find initially-- the address on the website doesn't agree with Apple Maps and we ended up on the wrong side of Long Lake. But once we got to the right location, the signage was clear and parking was a breeze. We just kept asking ourselves, "how the heck did they build this?!" The ice castles are straight out of the Frozen movie, and I could only imagine how amazing it would be through a six-year-olds eyes. But even for adults, it's a really unique winter experience. Try to plan your visit around the weather, and go on one of the "warmer" winter days. We went when it was like four degrees, and only lasted about an hour. The weekday ticket prices are a better deal: $15 for adults compared to $22 on the weekends. Ticket prices really add up if you're traveling with a group, so going during a warm-ish weekday is probably the optimal way to get the best bang for your buck and spend the most amount of time exploring the ice castles. I'd totally recommend Ice Castles Minnesota to families and adults alike. Even the slides were exciting! It's a great winter activity and easy to access from the Twin Cities. read more
7 years ago
Came with my husband and 2 kids on a weekend afternoon. As we were driving in, were directed to a parking lot further away requiring a school bus shuttle to the actual site - kind of a pain, worse for those who had strollers an sleds to cart along (Although I would not recommend bringing a stroller here anyway). And the closer lot had tons of parking still available anyway, so I don't quite understand the reasoning. This is my third year going, and this year seemed a lot more extensive than years past - beyond the large open area, a maze of ice walls and caves. I got a little lost more than once and have absolutely no idea if I saw everything (although 90% of it is kind of the same). There was both a large slide for those taller than 42", and a smaller one for kids. An ice fountain, an ice throne, a kiosk with hot beverages and snacks. Plus sleds to borrow to pull your kids along (very handy for toddlers who are a little unsteady on the snow but too big to be carried) and bonfire pits to warm up a bit. The kids enjoyed it, but we were very VERY cold by the time we left. And by then the sun was beginning to set and they'd begun turning the lights on - and it had started to get a lot busier as a result. It's worth going once for sure. And because it's different every year, I'm not opposed to continuing this annual tradition we unintentionally started. But I also am not going to go out of my way for it. read more
4 years ago
One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. We went at night so they ice was light up. Also, the sky was clear and there was a new moon so the stars were very bright. I would recommend snow boots, hats, mittens, heavy coats, and thicker pants. There are some slides made of pure ice so keep that in mind when picking deciding on what pants to wear. read more
4 years ago
2 years ago
My husband and I have gone twice, once a few years ago when it was in Eden Prairie and this year when it was in Excelsior! It's a very family friendly place that is very cool, especially at night when it's all lit up. This year we went Feb 23 in the afternoon, and we had a very hard time finding a place to park! We ended up finding a 2 hour spot in front of a coffee shop nearby because the lot in front of the Ice Castles was packed. We appreciated that there was a place to check in if you had already bought tickets, so we didn't have to wait in line! When we first walked in it was pretty busy, a lot of families with kids running around. We don't have kids so it's hard to understand how parents let their kids run around and run into people without saying anything. I know it's family friendly so I keep that in mind with my review, and it's a really neat place regardless! There are a lot of tunnels to go into and the wishing well was super cute. We each got a hot chocolate and a cookie that was made by a local vendor which I think was great, tasted really chocolatey. Anna and Elsa were there for photo ops, and there were two slides, one that was closed for a while and the other with quite a long line. But when the second one opened we went up and there was such a pretty view of the lake as well as the Ice Castle interior from above! The slide itself was very short and abrupt when it ended but I think it's cool that it was made of snow and ice. Overall this place is very cool and I would reccomend at least going once! Both we went to were really similar, though this one had added the slides(a good upgrade I think), but I'm not sure if we would go again or not. I think if we had kids we definitely would, we'd probably be a lot more patient then!! read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Ashton B.
Hi Allison! We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.…
I was invited as a plus one to a Yelp Elite Event and it was awesome. The ice castles were huge and super cool. It was great weather to visit. There is so much to do when visiting. I went down the ice slide, walked through the tunnels and watched a live fire show. There is lots to do for all ages including a quest route, a kiddie slide, fun facts about how the ice castles were built, sledding hill, and a frozen bean bag toss. (Super fun!) The fire show was memorizing and they kept the crowd on the edge of their seats the whole time. I would recommend showing up early because people start lining up right before the gates open and that way you can park in the closest lot. Overall, this was such a fun event and I loved it! read more
Something fun to do when it's colder than the North Pole and you just gotta own the fact that you live in Minnesota. Make the best of a cold day by bundling up, gazing at walls entirely made of ice, marveling at frozen water fountains, and going down a couple of slides! Hot chocolate, tea, and snacks can be purchased in a town-square setup, and there are fire pits to warm your hands as you sip on your warm beverage. Is it touristy and gimmicky? Yes, but let your inner child free and let them enjoy this winter wonderland for an hour or two. read more
What a fun experience!! We had looked at going last year but couldn't make the trip to the other side of the cities for it. So, I was super excited when I saw that they were closer to us. I decided to bring my 9 year old for a quick Sunday day visit and so glad that I did! I don't love outdoor activities during the winter but she made the whole experience so fun! All of the twists & turns, tunnels & caves, slide and fountain were beautiful to explore and we got lots of insta-worthy photos. We are already planning on going back during the evening with the rest of the family! My tip: bring some of this hand warmers! read more
5 years ago
Fun to bring little ones, in my opinion this would be just a 1hr visit average , you are not allowed to go back to your and warm up. Nice place. Wouldn't go back Going once is enough. read more
7 years ago
Great place for something that is out of this world! Will not make a memory like this anywhere else. read more
Such a cool experience! I would recommend everyone to stop by. Apparently when it gets cold they shoot water up and as it freezes, it creates all sorts of magnificent shapes and structures. In other words, it changes every year! It was very magical and felt like walking through an ice castle. They also had ice slides of varying sizes for kids (and adults), and the "Frozen sisters" were also around to take photos. Treats are also sold on the inside of the structure (cookies, ciders, hot cocoa, coffee, etc). It is recommended that you dress up (hats, gloves, winter coats, boots, snowpants) since it is all outdoors. The day I went was very mild, which made it better. Overall, i would definitely come again next year! Apparently at night, they have glowing lights so that would be a cool experience as well. read more
This is my Wife's and mine second time going to the Minnesota Ice Castles. The first being in Eden Prairie and the second being in Excelsior. This is a review of the Excelsior location and I have to say that we had a pretty fun time. It is a very family friendly place but we still had fun just the two of us. The Ice Castles themselves are pretty jaw dropping. It's amazing to see these 20 foot giant structures of ice that you can crawl, walk, and slide through. The ice is in very interesting formations that have a lot of cool details and offer a lot of picture opportunities. There's little caves, little inlays, and just a ton of different walls made in unique ways to offer new backdrops for great pictures. We had a blast walking through all the different segments of the castle but we did find that it was easy to get through everything though. They don't have a lot going on for adults but kids will find a lot more enjoyment in the little caves and such for them to crawl through. They do have two different ice slides carved out for you to go down and it was a lot of fun to do them. We thought the Ice Castle was gorgeous but didn't offer much for adults to enjoy just besides the views. For activities in the Ice Castles they do cater a lot to children. Besides the slides, and caves for the kids to crawl through the have a little picture spot where you can go and see a knock off version of Anna and Elsa from Frozen. The kids seem to enjoy it but as an adult, and one that has seen Anna and Elsa at Disney World, they don't look exactly like they're supposed to. Other than that they have a nice little sweet stand that sells hot drinks and cookies. We got hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies and they were enjoyable. Nothing amazing but they did make it more fun while we walked around. Overall we did have fun walking through all the ice and having some treats while walking around. There wasn't that much to do but it was a fun way to spend a couple of hours. Next time we go we will wait and go at night to see all the lights up! read more
4 years ago
8 years ago
I have been to these castles twice now, once in 2016 ( Stillwater ) and this past year (2019) in Rochester. These castles are a ton of fun. A few things to take into consideration : first, it's cold. We all know Minnesota-it's very chilly. But these castles are VERY cold. they wait until the weather is chilly enough to maintain the ice in order to even open the castles. So, dress warm. I wore many layers, and was still cold ! They provide fires and hot chocolate ( costs extra ) but still prepare for the cold !! Second, prepare to be here for Max 20 minutes. I know you think you'll be able to survive the bitter cold for longer than that, but you're wrong. so bring a camera, warm clothes, and park close. because you're gonna be in and out in 20 minutes flat. Next, be sure you go on the slide and into the fun igloos ! in the time that you can manage to be out in the chilliness, make sure to explore the space, because although it is not a huge area, there is plenty to look at and wander through. All in all, the castles cost $10/person, and it's totally worth it. dress like you're going to Antarctica and take some cute pictures next to the Ice ! just make sure to keep the car running ( and the heat on ! ) read more
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