It's Not Just a Little Cold, It's Freezing (But Still Fun) 

If you have lived in Texas for quite a while, chances are that you almost never don a huge parka when winter rolls around. That's why the ICE! exhibit is such a thrill for many of us. The indoor attraction is kept at a frigid nine degrees Fahrenheit, so you'll truly get to have a frozen winter experience. Don't worry, though, you'll still stay quite comfortable thanks to the free parka the venue will provide. Stroll around in an overly fluffy blue coat and you'll feel like you've stepped straight into the North Pole. Do remember to bring gloves though, or your hands might go a little numb. A hat and scarf wouldn't hurt, either. 

There Are More Than Two Million Pounds of Hand-Carved Ice Sculptures 

Yes, you read that right: two million pounds. Every character, holiday symbol, and building you'll gaze upon was carved by one of the 40 participating ice sculptors. The exhibit is a 14,000-square-foot maze, and as you wander through it, you'll see sculptures of all sizes and colors. How do the creators achieve such an attraction? Well, a team of talented artists travels to Grapevine from across the world in China to spend nearly a month transforming pound after pound of ice into a winter wonderland. They work inside a freezer and take shifts carving, which would be torture for most Texans. However, these sculptors endure plummeting temperatures in Northeast China, so they're more used to working in the frigid cold. To learn more about the team and the process of creating ICE!, you can visit this website. 

You Can Take Pictures With a 52-Foot-Tall Christmas Tree 

The tree rotates and shines with thousands of ornaments and beautiful colors. It's the perfect photo opportunity for friends, couples, or families. Oh, and there's also a life-sized gingerbread house and a sparkling, crystal-clear Nativity scene. What child (or adult) wouldn't want to see such festive holiday decorations? 

Two Exciting Words: Frozen Slides 

As you make your way through the stunning exhibit, you'll eventually stumble across not one, but five two-story tall ice slides. Visitors of all ages can climb to the top and have a blast sliding down the ice. In general, the attraction seems to be mostly geared towards children, but if the holidays aren't the time unleash your inner child, then when can you? 

You'll Get to Explore the Decked-Out Gaylord Resort 

Just entering the Gaylord Resort is a holiday experience in itself. You can watch a professional ice carver create impressive sculptures on the spot, have cookies and milk with Mrs. Claus, or go snow tubing. It should be noted that most of these experiences don't come free with your admission to ICE!, so you'll want to plan accordingly. Even if you don't want to fork over any extra cash, you can find pleasure in the 2 million twinkling lights that are strung up around the resort, as well as the many other festive decorations. 

Do you like visiting the ICE! event every year? If so, leave comments or recommendations for others! 


*No one at BubbleLife was paid to write this post and we have absolutely no affiliation with ICE! or the Gaylord