What To Expect When You Visit Wisconsin Ice Castle, a Magical Winter Wonderland
“Wisconsin Ice Castle is a magical and romantic must-see winter phenomenon. The Ice Castle is built entirely by hand using thousands of icicles to create a fairy tale experience filled with wonder and awe.”
Each year, up to five cities in the United States, including Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, bring a fairy tale experience, Ice Castle, to life for thousands of couples and families.
The goal of Wisconsin Ice Castle is to create happiness made of ice and make people smile. Once you experience the magic of Ice Castles, the magical feelings will live on long after the ice melts.
In 2023 this magical winter wonderland can be found in five cities, New Brighton, Minnesota ~ Midway, Utah ~ Woodstock, New Hampshire ~ Lake George, New York; and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
This unique winter activity of visiting Wisconsin Ice Castle has become a popular winter adventure. Available dates depend on the weather, yet you will want to plan your trip as soon as tickets become available.
We have put together this guide of what to expect when visiting the Wisconsin Ice Castle. Our photos and tips for visiting will help ensure your trip is as memorable as possible.
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The story behind Ice Castles
Knowing the why behind Ice Castles adds to the magic. Since 2011, a company known as Ice Castles has been creating icy winter wonderlands. Each experience is unique, and no two ice castles are alike.
Brent Christensen crafted his first mini ice castle in his front yard for his children. Christensen had moved from sunny California to Utah’s cold and snowy winters. With six kids going crazy being stuck inside, Christensen did what any father would. He built an ice cave in his front yard to keep the kids busy and get them outside into the fresh air.
His idea worked so well that not only were his kids happily occupied but also the neighborhood children.
It wasn’t long before kids from all over town were bundling up and heading to Christensen’s to play in what had become known as the Ice Castle. The same name, this winter wonderland is affectionately still known by today.
Each year the Ice Castle is constructed in cities in North America. Experienced professional ice artists, along with local craftsmen, build each wonderland by using hundreds of thousands of hand-placed icicles that are specially grown and harvested for the Ice Castle.
Each castle is unique; each year, the Ice Castles change, and new features are constantly added.
What to expect on a day trip to the Wisconsin Ice Castle
The Wisconsin Ice Castle is located in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, a southern town known for its summer lake activities and warm getaways. Lake Geneva is only a short drive from many of the larger towns in both Wisconsin and Illinois, making it an easy day trip for anyone needing the winter magic of Ice Castle.
“The thought of spending hours outside in the cold does not instantly thrill Michelle; she likes her warm beaches. Yet when I want to do something romantic, even if it means being outside for a couple of hours in Wisconsin’s winter, we make it happen! Michelle says she loves that I am such a romantic at heart. I’m just being me. When you love someone, you are always finding little things that say, “I Love You!
Whoops, I got sidetracked. That is a whole other blog”. (Gary)
Cold or no cold, we had an amazing time at Wisconsin Ice Castle in Lake Geneva. We learned the hard way the importance of layers and boots. We thought we were prepared, but when walking around on ice and snow the entire time, foot warmers in your shoes might have been a good idea.
When you first arrive at the Ice Castle, you will be amazed at the size and color of the ice. During the day, the ice has a natural blue tint to it.
In many areas, LED lights are frozen inside the ice. The ice lights up and twinkles to music, adding a magical ambiance to the breathtaking, interactive sculptures.
A wishing well with a frozen top and a bubbling water fountain underneath the ice was really beautiful and creative.
I wish I could have captured the amazement on this little guy’s face. You can see the coins on top and the lights but what you can not see is an amazing, under the ice, water fountain.
Fire and Ice, maybe one of the most exciting things to find in an Ice Castle. In most things, fire and ice don’t mix. That is unless you happen to be in the Ice Castle. By all means, enjoy the ice to the fullest and, if needed, warm up by the fire.
The walk-through structures are made entirely of ice. Each castle is approximately one acre in size and takes about two months to construct.
Each castle weighs more than 25 million pounds. Which is more than 12,500 tons of ice.
When you visit Ice Castle, be prepared to find ice slides, tall, cavernous rooms, several levels, and multiple stories filled with fun and romantic, intricate ice sculptures.
The Wisconsin Ice Castle in Lake Geneva was filled with delicate ice features where ever you look. The ones above are the most overlooked and the most amazing.
Watching the kids run and play at The Wisconsin Ice Castle was so much fun. The joy on their faces was priceless. I couldn’t help but wonder how many had the Frozen theme song playing in their head. This little unicorn was giggling the whole way down.
It wasn’t just the kids that had fun running and playing. We couldn’t help having a little fun ourselves.
Although Gary did not really lick the ice, it was fun to capture this picture. Always having fun! It feels great to feel alive and enjoy life together.
There are so many exciting and amazing features that make up the ice castles. This water feature is just one of them.
If you are visiting the Wisconsin Ice Castle for a special event, to propose, celebrate, or just want a quiet area for a more intimate experience, you can reserve the Artic Alcove for a special secluded experience. The Arctic Alcove gives you an exclusive, private area of Ice Castles away from the crowds for a moment of magic and memories.
When you reserve the Artic Alcove, you will receive an intimate roped-off area suitable for up to 6 guests exclusively for your use. The Artic Alcove policy with details can be for Here.
Reservation includes 6 general admission tickets to Ice Castles and a sleigh ride experience for your party. The Arctic Alcove is a private area, but the rest of your Ice Castles experience occurs during operating hours when other guests are present.
Tips for visiting Ice Castle
Buy your Ice Castle tickets in advance
Ice Castle tickets are available for purchase online. You must choose your date and time at the time of purchase. Unpurchased tickets will be available at the door, but in previous years all tickets have sold out online. Without the advanced purchase of tickets, you could be left out in the cold.
Purchase your 2023 tickets at Icecastles.com as soon as possible after they go on sale..
Watch the predicted weather
Keep an eye on the predicted weather. If it is below zero, you will definitely want to dress in a few extra layers or check into changing your tickets to a different date and time.
Tickets are non-refundable and can only be exchanged for a different time or date up to 24 hours before your reservation.
Dress Appropriately
Keep in mind this is winter. Dress in layers and wear boots. It’s easier to take off layers than wish you had dressed warmer.
No matter the temperature, remember you are walking around on the ice. You will need the boots to keep your feet warm. Adding foot warmers inside your boots would be a good idea.
Dress the same as if you are enjoying a day skiing or going sledding with the neighborhood kids.
Wisconsin Ice Castle is also such an amazing experience. The last thing you want to do is leave because you are cold.
Use hand and foot warmers
Even if it’s not a super cold day, hand and foot warmers are a good thing to use. They keep those toes and fingers warm. Tuck them in your pocket to have on hand just in case you are having so much fun you don’t want to leave because of a bit of cold.
Bring your camera
Don’t forget to bring your camera. You will want to capture the fun and romance of the two of you sharing this magical experience together. The Ice Castle is ever-changing and never the same. The magic and romance you capture will be uniquely yours.
Enjoy the magic
Slow down, and enjoy your day filled with magic and romance. Walk through and play in the various areas of the ice castle.
You are welcome to stay in the Ice Castle as long as you want. Hold hands, be silly, don’t miss a thing, and don’t forget to add a little extra romance to your magical day.
There are areas within the ice castle where you can warm up by the fire and extend your romantic visit. Speaking of magic and romance, Ice Castle would be a magical place for a proposal.
Once you exit the Ice Castle, you may not re-enter, so come prepared.
Additional exciting adventures for your pleasure
The Romantic and Historic Pfister Hotel
How to be a more Romantic Guy
Where is the Wisconsin Ice Castle located
Wisconsin Ice Castle has been in Lake Geneva for five winters and is located at the Geneva National Resort & Club.
Address ~ 1221 Geneva National Ave South, Lake Geneva, WI
When will the Wisconsin Ice Castle in Lake Geneva open in 2023
Construction of the Wisconsin Ice Castle starts in November. Each year’s official opening date will depend on the weather, with a target opening date sometime in January.
Where can I purchase Wisconsin Ice Castle tickets
The only way to guarantee a visit to Wisconsin Ice Castle in Lake Geneva, is to purchase tickets in advance. Visiting the Ice Castle is a very popular winter activity in Lake Geneva, and tickets sell out way in advance. Tickets purchased online are for a set date and time.
Ticket sales are final, yet you may change the date and time with at least 24 hours notice. Watch the weather if you have little ones attending with you. Below zero temps may make you want to reschedule.
Ice Castle tickets are not available until the dates for the current year are confirmed. When they become available, you may purchase them on the icecastle.com website.
What does the Ice Castle cost
When tickets become available, this is the expected cost of the Wisconsin Ice Castle tickets. *Current at the time of publishing.
| Tickets | Weekdays Mon – Thurs | Weekends Fri – Sun |
| General Admission (ages 12 and up) | $25 | $29 |
| Child Admission Ages 4-11 | $17 | $22 |
Dates and Times to visit the Ice Castle
The dates and hours of the Wisconsin Ice Castle, Lake Geneva, are weather dependent. Dates and Times will be posted on the Ice Castle website.
How long does it take to go through the Ice Castle?
The average time spent at Wisconsin Ice Castle is about one hour. Come prepared for the cold and give yourselves time to enjoy the romance of Ice Castle together as a couple.
Is visiting the Ice Castle better at night?
You will have a fantastic time at the Ice Castle whether you visit during the day or at night. During the day, you can see the deep blues that only the natural sun brings out in the ice, as well as appreciate all the small intricate detail of the castle.
At night the LED lights give the castle an entirely different look. Both are amazing!
Where to stay in Lake Geneva when visiting Wisconsin Ice Castle
Cottages & Suites at Geneva National Resort ~ Home of this year’s Wisconsin Ice Castle ~ Geneva National Resort is offering exclusive Ice Castle Overnight Packages, the Cottage, and Suites at Geneva National.
Prepare for a truly royal winter when you pair a visit to Ice Castle with an overnight in a boutique vacation villa and suite just steps from Ice Castle.
The Ridge ~ The Ridge offers exclusive overnight Ice Castle packages. The Ridge Hotel is sleek and edgy with a twist of Wisconsin tradition.
In addition to the contemporary design, the Ridge includes a tech-savvy lobby, Crafted Pizza & Tap Restaurant, grab-n-go coffee & sandwich spot, and an outdoor veranda with a fire feature.
Booking.comSharing your Ice Castle Magic
Even though the exact opening date has yet to be determined, you can get a glimpse of last year’s fun by checking out Ice Castle’s stunning Instagram account. Anyone visiting the Ice Castle is welcome to #icecastles and share their fun.
How are the Ice Castles Built
Mother Nature is their primary architect, and through all the hard work, they are amazed each year at what she allows them to create. The Ice Castles are built entirely by hand, using hundreds of thousands of man-made, hand-placed icicles.
The construction of the castles is a six-month project. It starts in the summer with the drawing up of blueprints. Every year it’s all-new. They start from scratch and always try new things, making every winter wonderland new and exciting.
In October, they arrive with blueprints in hand and recruit craftsmen and seasonal workers for this magical winter project. A crew of about 40 ice artisans are recruited for ice growing and castle construction.
The building of the walls starts with installing LED lights and a sprinkler system. The sprinkler heads are linked to the fire hydrant and positioned just so. A temporary metal structure is sprayed with water, and the water freezes into icicles with a bit of help from mother nature.
The icicles are harvested by hand and used to sculpt the castles. The artisans grow and harvest between 8,000 and 12,000 icicles each day. They then attach the harvested icicles to a base created by the sprinkler.
Newly placed icicles are then drenched with water. The blend of icicle placement, temperatures, water volume, and wind results in an astonishing and ever-changing variety of ice formations. By carefully arranging the icicles, they grow into LED-filled sculptures, tunnels, one-of-a-kind mazes, and ice arches, which become the Ice Castle that thousands will enjoy.
Each location is unique and is controlled by the weather, local climate, and mother nature. Each castle features ice caves, tunnels, slides, frozen thrones, water features, hundreds of LED lights, and even fire features.
What happens when the Ice Castle closes
Usually, in March, when the weather gets warmer, and the ice artists can no longer keep up with safely repairing the melting ice, it’s sadly time to close the Ice Castle.
What happens to all that ice when the weather warms and Wisconsin Ice Castle closes? The ice can’t be just left to melt. Everything has to be dismantled, and all of the metal and LED lighting within the ice has to be removed.
For safety reasons, all ice needs to be crushed before the ice can be left to melt.
Ice Castles are built near water sources so that the water naturally returns to nature.
As the ice slowly melts, visions of next year’s magical winter masterpiece is running through the thoughts of both visitors and ice crafters.
Is a visit to Wisconsin Ice Castle worth the price?
Absolutely!! There is something magical when you first step foot inside the castle. Ice Castle is something everyone needs to experience at least once. After your first visit, you will want to return each year.
We loved being together, walking through this magnificent and giant work of ice art, holding hands, sharing thoughts, kissing, giggling, taking pictures, and meeting new friends.
Have you had the pleasure of experiencing one of the Ice Castles? We would love to know about your experience.
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What a fun excursion – and something truly unique to experience and share! It’s fun to see your love for each other woven into the story, too. The world needs more of that! I appreciate you taking the time to share more details about how the structures are formed, too, so that readers can truly appreciate the work that goes into one – and marvel at the wonder of it all!
Sarah, Thank you for the heartfelt comments. It is our hope that we inspire others to pursue their dreams. It took us many years to find the love we have found with each other. It was so worth the wait.
It has been a dream of mine to see one of these ice castles in person. It’s such a remarkable creation, especially for someone to put so much time into a temporary sculpture. I’m so grateful that people take the time to create things like this.
How long does it take to explore one of these ice castles? Have you been to any other ones besides the one in Lake Geneva?
Thank you for sharing your story!
Thank you for taking the time to comment and following our blog.
The Ice Castles were high on our list to see. We were definitely not disappointed. Amazed and in awe would sum it up.
The idea of a minimum of 10,000 ice cycles a day placed by hand is mind blowing. We would love to see the construction in process next year.
We have not had the pleasure of visiting any other Castles, but after seeing this one would really like to.
In response to your question, once you pay your admission and are in the castle you are fee to stay as long as you like. We spent about 1 1/2 hours exploring and having fun. We would have stayed longer but I realized my new boots were leaking and my feet were cold. Yes I can be a wimp. But Gary was such a gentleman, when we got back to our car he quickly warmed my feet.
What an amazing place to visit! I’ll have to add this to my bucket list of places to go! Thanks for sharing!
Jaden you won’t be disappointed.
What a comprehensive blog post! As a Wisconsinite, I’ve never heard of the ice castle in Lake Geneva. Would love to visit and my kids would really enjoy it! Thank you for posting 🙂
Definitely you kids would absolutely love the Ice Castles!
WOW this is so on my travel bucketlist now!!! Who would’ve thought ice could be so gorgeous. And thanks for adding a what to wear section because this California girl would have no clue haha. Lovely blog!
Karina
I have to agree this needs to be on everyone’s bucketlist.
Whoa!!! How had I never even heard of this before? This is something I am totally going to discuss with my fiance – He would love this adventure. I am so thankful you shared this!
Make it a romantic adventure.
Wow!! The Ice Castle looks incredible!! I have never been to Wisconsin, but I will be adding it to my bucket list. Thank you!