The ice castles in Woodstock, New Hampshire is an extraordinary child-friendly experience location in the beautiful mountain region of New Hampshire. With various types of activities designed with families in mind, you are sure to find an outdoor experience the entire family will love.

Know Before You Go

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Packing Practically

Apparel

Weather is a worthy variable to consider. I closely monitor the weather before any trip. In our original plan, we were slated for an evening at the ice castles with a real feel of -16. That’s a quick no from me as it’s below my lower limit for winter safety. We pivoted and chose to swap our tickets for a different time and day at no extra charge.

Here’s my recommendation: dress for cold and remove layers if necessary. Exploring the ice castles requires proper winter layering which, for us, boils down to

• wool base layers
• fleece mid layers
• waterproof snowsuits
• balaclavas
• waterproof mittens
• wool or alpaca socks

It’s easy enough to remove layers if needed. During our trip, it was a beautiful sunny day with a real feel around 30 degrees. After much climbing, crawling, and walking through the castles, our youngest child was feeling overheated. We removed her midlayer, and after she was comfortable. Easy pivot. You can’t have a good time if you’re not comfortable, so dress for success and be ready to pivot.

Gear

Sled

It’d be wise to bring a sled if you have toddlers. The snow in and around the castles isn’t cleared other than being walked upon- it’s not easy to remove fallen snow in and around the ice castles- so the terrain was bumpy, lumpy, and hard for little legs to walk through. We were grateful we had a sled to pull our littlest around when her legs needed a break.

It was easier than a pack as she easily hopped in and out as needed. We brought an inexpensive sled that was easy to lay flat in our trunk, and we felt okay leaving propped against the castles when we wanted to explore or walk the woodland forest trail.

Water Bottles / Jug

It’s just as important to hydrate in winter as it is in the summer. Winter weather is dry. Plus, you and your children will work up a sweat. We bring an insulated stainless steel gallon water jug on longer trips for water bottle refills.

Food

A food truck is on site. Options include fried chicken, fries, corn dogs, and the like. Prices hover around $8. The only seating available is benches and Adirondack chairs. So without a proper table, we were happy to have portable food. We choose to bring our own food on 99% of our adventures so we have an affordable, nutritious option. Sometimes we eat out for fun, but it is rare. We prefer picnics. The choice is yours.

Layout & Amenities

The ice castles are like a maze with trails that reconnect and offshoots that lead to rooms, alcoves, and different spaces such as slides. It’s fun to navigate. You can spend some time meandering through the castles. Or choose one of the bigger activities, such as slides, woodland walk, snow tubing, or sleigh rides, along the perimeter of the ice castles. No matter how you choose to explore, don’t forget to look up. The view is stunning.

Ice slides / Kids Corridor

There are a variety of ice slides throughout which are a joyful experience. I can’t resist a slide, so I tried them all. You must be 38 inches tall to ride the two larger slides. The largest slide you are given a mat to slide down upon. The smaller two, you’re on your own. The two larger slides have an attendant at the top managing the situation, so kids aren’t getting trampled at the bottom. All staff were kind and patient. The smallest of the slides requires a tunnel crawl, and there is not an attendant there so there were some pile ups. Nothing I was concerned about, simply FYI. Our children found these most enjoyable.

The Kids’ Corridor was a favorite for my youngest (3). With a long tunnel through the ice, she loved crawling to the smallest of the slides. I went through with my kids, and it was a good time indeed.

Snow tubing

At the far end of the ice castles, there is a snow tubing hill for those taller than 36 inches. You’re given a tube at the bottom that you must pull up. Lap riding is not allowed. An attendant assists at the top to maintain safety. He was very kind and patient, allowing time for families to line up and go together while also helping out with younger children. I appreciated that. The hill itself is okay, though nothing to write home about. While you pick up some speed, it’s a fairly gentle hill. Our children enjoyed it nonetheless and we went down a few times.

Polar Pub

We sailed right past this since I don’t drink and it was 11 AM. I noticed there was spiked cocoa, cider, beer, and winter cocktails. Apparently kids can accompany you into the area if that’s your thing.

Sleigh Rides

This opportunity looked delightful. Lovely horses who seems well cared for, with a beautiful carriage to follow took families on sleigh rides through the wooded section at the far end of the ice castles near the snow tubing hill. It’s $25 per person with those 3 and under free. We chose to not partake, but people who did looked happy to me.

Woodland Walk

My personal favorite was the mystic woodland walk. It was lovely during the daytime and a nice peaceful calming activity when we needed a break from the excitement of the castles. The walk was well packed and doable for little walkers. Many pristine ice sculptures lined the path, which we were happy to stop and admire. Many lights were illuminated along the path, and despite it being daytime, were still quite pleasant. We are excited to return next winter for an evening visit. There was a magical vibe similar to the Vermont Institute’s Annual Forest of Lights, which we adore.

Food Truck

The food truck area is pleasant with multiple fires going to thaw you if necessary, as well as a sitting area. Here you’ll find Adirondack chairs that offer a nice place to rest and enjoy something to eat or drink while you watch kids fly out of the largest ice slides. We sat here a long while and sipped hot chocolate, watching the kids play.

Bathrooms

Portable toilets are located at the entrance and on the perimeter of the ice castles, nearer to the food truck area. Though not uncomfortably close. There is also a trailer with larger, spacious spaces. These have sinks with soap. This is the more family friendly option as you have space to help your children, if needed.

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Worth a visit

The ice castles in Woodstock, New Hampshire are worth a family adventure. It’s a pleasant way to spend a few hours connecting on a beautifully ephemeral adventure. The layout is thoughtfully designed. The amenities are child-friendly. There are a variety of adventure levels, so family members of all ages can enjoy the splendor. We are eager for a return visit next year to experience the nighttime magic. Life is wild. Life is precious. Life is ephemeral, and so are the ice castles, so adventure on if it appeals to you.

Also Check Out

Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences