Lake George Ice Castle Visit
Author: Alexandria S.
Summary: Ice Castles is a beautiful winter attraction featured in 5 cities across the US.
Date: Observations and data recorded on February 6th, 2023.
Site/location: Ice Castles Lake George is located at 19 West Brook Road, Lake George, NY 12845
Distance from Camp Hudson Pines: 14.5 miles
Participants: 37 year old, 36 year old, 8 year old, 5 year old, 3 year old and 1 year old
Length of Observation: Approximately 2 hours
Links:
Activity: Lake George Ice Castles are a fun family outing that is a good way to round out the end of the day during your winter getaway. We went on the first day it opened for the season because of the weather and it was very crowded. I would avoid opening night in the future if possible.
We spent time exploring the Ice Castle sitting in thrones made of ice and helping our kids climb through tunnels and do fun slides.
Ice Castles are definitely a popular photo opp and there were a lot of people who came prepared with tripods etc.
It was pretty magical to be there at sunset and we had so much fun spying little ice gnomes and talking about how it was constructed.
There's a sidewalk going around the outside of the Ice Castle with some accompanying lights. The end of the experience features fires and hot chocolate available for purchase.
Reflections: Ice Castles are a lot of fun! If you attend at the opening around 4 pm, be prepared to stand in line. Their process for getting in isn't the most efficient. Our wait was approximately an hour long.
Be aware, the name of the road on which Ice Castles is located has recently been changed. It did not appear in our GPS as Elizabeth Little Boulevard- instead it appeared as the former West Brook Road. We used Google Maps and at the time of our visit, it was called West Brook Road.
Ice Castles Lake George is not accessible or for people with difficulty walking. The ground inside is chopped, deep ice and snow. If you need a cane, walker, wheelchair, or any device- even if you have bad knees- Ice Castles may not be for you.
For parents of young children, strollers are prohibited at Ice Castles and as it is challenging to walk, the 3 and under set may get quite tired! Be prepared with baby or toddler carriers.
Always check that Ice Castles is open as it is a weather dependent activity. Additionally, depending on the weather and some other factors, various features (like tunnels or slides) of Ice Castles Lake George might be closed.
The tunnels and slides are very fun for kids! Some are height dependent but there are a few that are accessible to children of any height.
The time of day you visit changes the Ice Castles experience quite a bit! Visit during day time and you see the beauty of the ice! Visit at night and the ice is fully lit with all sorts of colors.
Ice Castles are just that- ice. Come in full snow gear to take full advantage and don't forget snow gloves!