Travel

New Hampshire Ice Castles Opens Early Amid Winter Weather

Go Inside New Hampshire’s Stunning Ice Castles

25 million pounds. That’s how much ice was used to build the popular Ice Castles attraction in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. Located outside the charming town of Woodstock, the (literal) winter wonderland is celebrating its 12th year in operation. Colder than normal weather over the past month allowed the exhibit to open early last Friday, which, according to Ice Castles CEO Kyle Standifird, was one of the earliest dates in the exhibit’s history.

Lights embedded in ice formations glow at dusk, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in North Woodstock, N.H.
(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

The ice features are created by growing and then harvesting thousands of icicles. Staff then blast them with sprinklers to enlarge them. In addition to the White Mountains location, there are Ice Castles in Utah, Minnesota and two locations in Colorado.

Jessica Sullivan holds out her ring finger after accepting a surprise marriage proposal from longtime boyfriend Brian Jacques, of Fairhaven, Mass., at Ice Castles, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in North Woodstock, N.H.
(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

On opening day, at least one proposal occurred at the Ice Castles. Jessica Sullivan, of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, said “yes” after her boyfriend (now fiancee) Brian Jacques got down on one knee on the ice. “It’s a beautiful place,” Jacques told the Associated Press. “I definitely thought, this is the time and place to do it.”

What To Do If You Go

Towers, ice slides, tunnels and caverns are all part of the fun at Ice Castles. And for those who prefer a less active experience, there are ice sculptures to see, paths to walk and even an ice bar called the “Polar Pub.”

How To Get There

New Hampshire Ice Castles is located in North Woodstock, in a place where GPS may not work, so it’s recommended that you write down these directions. The company also notes that ice features are weather dependent, meaning some features may not be available at some times, so make sure you check the forecast before you go!

This segment originally appeared in today's edition of the Morning Brief newsletter. Sign up here to get weekday updates from The Weather Channel and our meteorologists.

Senior writer Chris DeWeese edits Morning Brief, The Weather Channel’s weekday newsletter.