Ice Castles
Ice Castles
3.5
Points of Interest & LandmarksCaverns & CavesCastlesGame & Entertainment Centres
11:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
11:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Friday
4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Saturday
11:30 AM - 10:00 PM
Sunday
11:30 AM - 8:00 PM
About
Ice Castles is an awe-inspiring, must-see winter phenomenon that brings fairytales to life. The frozen attraction is located in four cities across North America. Ice Castles is built entirely by hand using hundreds of thousands of icicles hand-placed by professional ice artists. The castles include breathtaking LED-lit sculptures, frozen thrones, ice-carved tunnels, slides, and fountains.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
3.5
42 reviews
Excellent
11
Very good
10
Average
13
Poor
6
Terrible
2
Matt S
Marshfield, WI148 contributions
Jan 2018 • Family
We visited yesterday. The structure it self is neat to see and the kids had fun until they got cold. You could see everything in less 15 minutes. Admission isnt terrible but it was not worth our drive to get there from central Wisconsin.
Written 14 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking a chance on us and making the drive to the Ice Castles. We're so sorry to hear you didn't have a great experience. We do our best to create a fun environment for people of all ages and we're sorry to hear that it wasn't worth the money for you. We hope you have a better experience next time if you choose to visit again. Thank you for the honest review.
Written 15 January 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
appraisals1938
Saint Paul, MN2 contributions
Feb 2017 • Business
Think the warm weather has taken it's toll on it this year, but it's still cool to see. Did have some friends that lost $ on tickets for the week or so they were shut-down due to warm temps, they never got a response back for re-booking, which was not so cool.
Written 15 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're sorry to hear no one ever reached out to your friends! We'll make it right. Would you have them email us again for a refund? info@icecastles.com
Written 15 January 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Brandon B
Somerset, WI80 contributions
Jan 2017 • Family
We took our 2 boys (18 months and 5 years) during a Tuesday night to the Downtown Stillwater Ice Castle. They had 2 long slides for adults and older kids as well as 3 short slides for the younger kids. The maze wasn't really a maze, just a few paths in the ice walls. There were a few tunnels, but no more than 3. The lights were really cool. We spent about 45 minutes inside. It was cold, but the kids didn't flinch. The fires were nice for everyone to get warm. The biggest issue was the value. For the 3 paying customers we brought in, it cost us more than $10 an hour. Could we have stayed for more than 45 minutes? Sure, but there really was not much to do for the price we paid. A fun experience once, but not worth it.
Written 9 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the honest review. We take customers' concerns very seriously. The building and maintenance of the Ice Castles is a very delicate process and we try to get pricing down as much as we can to make it affordable and enjoyable for our customers. With that being said, however, we'll pass your thoughts onto our team. We appreciate you taking the time to visit the Ice Castles!
Written 15 January 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kathryn_Spoor
Anoka, MN108 contributions
Jan 2017 • Couples
If you're like me, when you hear "ice castle" you think of a structure made of ice. Particularly bricks of ice making up a castle-like structure. That is NOT what this is. Have you ever seen a fountain that was left on during the winter? The mounds of ice that it creates is what you are going to see here on a massive scale. To say that it is not impressive wouldn't be entirely true. It's a beautiful thing to see and you can get some amazing photographs at the ice castles. . . . . BUT. . . . . for $18.00 a person? Also, keep in mind that you're standing in and on ice which means it's FREEZING! Want to put on that extra layer that you have in the car "just in case"? Sorry! Once you leave that's it. No re-entry. In other words, you're only really in there for so long before you have to leave because of the cold alone. I don't want to sound too negative here, but I just can't wrap my head around paying the price of admission for less than an hours worth of "attraction".
Written 6 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're so sorry to hear you had a negative experience. We're always striving to improve and we'll pass on your feedback about re-entry and cost of admission to our team. Thank you for your honest review!
Written 15 January 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Cuttletony
61 contributions
Jan 2018 • Friends
This Ice Castle is one of the things that I've been waiting for since I moved to Minnesota. It turned out to be super disappointing. The ticket is very expensive for the size of the castle. We were able to walk around it within five minutes. There is a slope for kids and adults to play with but it was too crowded. Generally speaking, it is not a recommended destination.
Written 6 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CaptTrouble
Hudson, WI7,852 contributions
Feb 2017 • Solo
This was a very touristy attraction, with high ticket prices and not much delivery. And, with warmer than normal winter temps, it melted faster than I think the promoters intended.
When new, the ice was cool but there were the ugly water valves. A good thing to take small children to but not interesting to adults.
When new, the ice was cool but there were the ugly water valves. A good thing to take small children to but not interesting to adults.
Written 7 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback. You're right, the Ice Castles is dependent on cold weather conditions. Without the cold, the Ice Castles can't survive long. We're sorry to hear that it was beginning to melt when you visited, but thank you for checking it out. We appreciate the review!
Written 15 January 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Theresa
Pueblo, CO87 contributions
Jan 2017 • Couples
We went on the first day it opened around sunset, it was gorgeous seeing the ice glow in the setting sun. They had purchase-ahead tickets with the confirmation sent via text, so it was easy to get in. It was expensive, but a fun experience to do once. Inside they had a shed which sold hot chocolate and coffee. They had a little bonfire for people to warm up.
Written 22 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting! We're so glad to hear you thought it was beautiful and worthwhile. The LED changing lights in the ice is so unique and we're so glad you got to experience it. We hope you stayed toasty with hot chocolate in hand. Thank you for leaving a review!
Written 15 January 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ViajeroJBW
Maple Grove, MN634 contributions
Jan 2017 • Family
On Sunday, January 30, our family went to see the Ice Castles in Stillwater. There was a good-sized line waiting to get in, but it moved quickly. My wife bought advance tickets online. I believe the tickets were more than $12 per person but less than $20 per person. Can't recall. In any case, we made our way inside and wandered around the various parts to take in the assorted views. Several good photo opportunities. We were able to navigate the whole thing pretty quickly - probably in and out in less than 30 mins. It was cool to see but not worth the price of admission. Can't say I'd wholeheartedly recommend this attraction. Not bad - just not stellar.
Written 7 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the honest review. We're so glad you took the time to check out the Ice Castles. Customers may stay as long as they want once they pay the entree fee, and we're sorry to hear there wasn't enough to keep you entertained. Some locations have performances or special appearances on weekends. We hope you visit again this season and have a better experience!
Written 15 January 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kathie H
Rochester, MN27 contributions
Feb 2017 • Friends
My husband and I went for the day with another couple - we're all 50 and over. To guarantee getting in, you have to purchase your tickets in advance so we did and got the 3:30 time slot which we thought was good because we would be able to see this in the day and night with the lights. Well, you can do pretty much be done looking at everything, including taking some photos,in about an hour, soo we had some time to kill until it got dark, to see the Ice lit up. They have a little concession area where they sell hot chocolate, capacchino, coffee, and warm cookies. There is also about 3 fire pits where you can warm up - although there is nowhere to sit down-- keep that in mind. The whole area is no larger than an elementary size gymnasium. You can pretty much park anywhere downtown and walk there. If you have kids, you can bring a sled which was pretty common with families. There are ice slides, 2 that are small for like 1-3 or 4 year olds,and a larger 20 ft or so slide for older kids- or kids at heart,,,with that slide you have to crawl through a tunnel. It was fun, but if we would have known ahead of time we would have planned more to do in Stillwater!
Written 5 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the feedback! We do our best to ensure a great time for our guests, but we're sorry to hear that it didn't live up to your expectations. We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. It helps us know what we're doing great and what we could do better. Thank you for visiting!
Written 16 January 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Diane M
Dorena100 contributions
Jan 2017 • Couples
We discovered this attraction on TripAdvisor with a post in which the traveler complained about being turned away because they did not come with tickets in hand. Traveling in by train from the West Coast we purchased our tickets for the ice castle in Stillwell, MN well in advance for the only night we would be in the area and arranged to rent a car. The day before we arrived, we received an email that the ice castles would be closed on our reserved day and for several days afterward. We cancelled the rental car and arranged to do something else. Then while on wi-fi outage on the 22-hour train ride, we received another email that the ice castles would be open after all, not in time to re-arrange our trip again. We have been sending emails for over a week now as the ice castles team re-directs us here and there to supposedly get a refund. Don’t know if we ever will see our money again, but a warning to all, don’t buy your tickets in advance unless you are OK with losing your money if the attraction decides to close down for the day and you are unable to re-schedule.
Written 31 January 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We're so sorry to hear about the scheduling mishap. While I don't know the exact details of why the Ice Castles closed during your allotted time, I do know that it closes if the weather is too warm and the ice starts to melt. If you haven't already gotten your refund please email us at info@icecastles.com and we'll get this figured out. Thank you!
Written 16 January 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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