Two ice castles within driving distance of Burlington have opened ticket sales

April Barton, Burlington Free Press
·2 min read

Looking for a magical winter experience? Two ice castles in our region have recently opened up ticket sales for the two-month season.

The Ice Castles organization creates five ice structures across the U.S. for the public to visit, including one in Lake George, New York and one in North Woodstock, New Hampshire, both of which are about a two-hour drive from Burlington.

The ice castles include massive walls of ice illuminated by multicolor lights. They are formed by cascading water that gives the structures cave-like columns. In addition to walking through the frozen labyrinthine network of paths, there are ice slides, archways, caverns, tunnels and igloos to explore. There is also a polar pub where you can set your frosty beverage on an ice bar.

A view through the icicles in the New Hampshire ice castle in North Woodstock. Note: these icicles were there to look at but not to walk under.
A view through the icicles in the New Hampshire ice castle in North Woodstock. Note: these icicles were there to look at but not to walk under.

The structures offer ample opportunities for picture-taking, and new this year is the ability to book a private alcove for special events such as proposals. The arctic alcove costs $450 for one hour for up to six guests. The package includes a sleigh ride for the guests at the New Hampshire castle and two souvenir photos at the New York castle.

Closer to home:A national travel site calls 3 Vermont towns 'winter wonderlands.' Here are 3 they missed.

General admission tickets for Monday through Thursday are $20 (New Hampshire) or $22 (New York) for ages 12 and up, and $15 for ages 4 to 11. On Friday through Sunday and school holidays, adult prices are $29 while kids are $22. Tickets need to be purchased in advance and sell out quickly, especially on weekends.

The New Hampshire season runs from Jan. 19 through Feb. 25. The New York castle is taking reservations for Jan. 27 through Feb. 20 but is closed on Tuesdays. Visitors pick a 30-minute time slot when booking online.

What to expect if you go:New Hampshire ice castle tips from a 2020 visit

Ice Castles New Hampshire is located at 24 Clark Farm Rd., North Woodstock, New Hampshire. Reserve tickets at https://icecastles.com/new-hampshire/.

Ice Castles New York is located at Charles R. Wood Park, 19 W. Brook Rd., Lake George, New York. Purchase tickets at https://icecastles.com/new-york/.

Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Ice castles to visit in winter 2023: Ticket sales open for NY and NH