If you’re one of those people who can’t stand the cold, dreads the winter, and is constantly counting down to summer, then stop reading this now.

But if you’re a winter lover who can’t get enough of its icy cool season, and are looking for something fun and different to do, then you’ll want to not only keep reading this but mark your calendars for an awesome wintry activity: Exploring ice castles!

If you’re unfamiliar with the ‘Ice Castles,’ you know what sand castles are, right? These are basically the same thing, except made of ice, and are enormous. They’re basically a life-size winter playground.

Handmade by professional ice artisans, you’ll get to explore all sorts of hand-crafted ice tunnels, fountains, slides, frozen thrones, and towering ice formations galore. At night, color-changing LED lights illuminate the sculptures inside and twinkle to music.

Each of the ‘Ice Castle locations spans about a little over an acre, and is all one giant piece of ice that’s connected. So as you walk along, you’ll truly feel like you’ve entered a winter wonderland like no other.

The ‘Ice Castles’ are perfect for a romantic date night with your significant other or bring the entire family including kids. Everyone loves the magic that the ice castles bring to the wintertime.

The ‘Ice Castles’ are currently housed in several locations, and have just announced that they’ll be opening new one in December 2018 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Don’t worry, there’s good news even if you’re not near Geneva. The ‘Ice Castles’ have five other locations across the US and Canada, giving you five different options to experience the magical site in real life. Below are the locations:

• Midway, Utah
• Dillon Colorado
• Stillwater, Minnesota
• Lincoln, New Hampshire
• Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

When you can actually visit each ‘Ice Castle’ will vary depending on location. Colder locations will open before warmer locations, so the opening dates are all dependent on weather. You can keep an eye out on the ‘Ice Castles’ website for updates on opening dates and learn more about each location.

Tips for visiting the Ice Castles

Even if you went last year, or if you went to one location but want to see another, you won’t be seeing the same thing each year. The ice sculptures differ each season, bring new with and innovative features.

Be sure to bundle up during your visit—warm winter clothes and boots are recommended. Since everything inside the ‘Ice Castles’ is made from ice and snow, (including the walking paths), the more traction on your shoes the better.

Kids under three years old are free! But employees do recommend leaving the stroller at home and opting for a baby carrier for optimal safety. Also, they do kindly ask that you leave your pet at home (no one wants to see a yellow ice castle, if you know what we mean!).

If you’re planning a visit to any of the Ice Castle locations, be sure to purchase your ticket ahead of time at www.icecastles.com.

Have you ever visited the ‘Ice Castles’ before? What’s your favorite wintry activity?