Have you ever watched Frozen and wished you could hang out in Elsa’s palace of ice? When you take a trip to Dillon, Colorado, it feels like you’ve been transported straight into a flurry of crystal magic! If the cold never bothered you anyway, you’ve got to add the Dillon Ice Castles to your bucket list.
We drove out to Dillon from Denver on our recent Colorado weekend trip and it was our favorite part of the whole vacation. Here are six tips for visiting the Dillon Ice Castles so that you too can journey “into the unknown.”
What are the Dillon Ice Castles?
You may be curious about how the ice castles ended up in this small mountain town and who put them there. While the icicles photograph beautifully and look really natural, the castles are in fact man-made. They are created annually in Utah, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Colorado and the structures only remain standing during the winter season.
The ice castles began when a man named Brent Christensen created one for his kids in his own backyard in Utah. What started out as a family passtime became a huge hit with his neighbors and eventually his whole town. He realized his method for building an ice castle was something families all over the country could enjoy.
These days, icicles are formed one by one daily and then strategically arranged by a team of artists to construct the ice castles each year. They are then sprayed with water to increase their size and shaped into the spectacular frozen palaces you can visit today.
Tips for Visiting the Dillon Ice Castles
1. Buy your tickets for the Dillon Ice Castles online ahead of time.
The Dillon Ice Castles are operating at a lower capacity to allow social distancing during Covid-19. If you plan to purchase tickets to the ice castles in person upon your arrival in Dillon, you aren’t guaranteed to score one of the limited spots and you’ll pay a higher price tag. Reserve tickets online for $18 on weekdays or $23 on weekends here.
2. Visit on a weekday for reduced crowds.
When you purchase your tickets online, choose a weekday to visit if you possibly can. We intentionally planned our Colorado vacation itinerary this way because the weekend dates during our trip were completely sold out. But I’m also really glad it worked out that way, because the crowds were so light while we were there! You’ll get nicer photos, and it will be even easier to social distance.
3. Visit towards the end of the day for the best photo opps.
During daylight hours, the ice castles are mostly white with a glacial blue glow. They look absolutely stunning in photos, whether you have a professional camera or simply and iPhone with you. After the sun sets, multicolored lights embedded inside the icles make them glow like a rainbow. If you time your visit just before sunset, you can capture the ice castles both during the day and at night to experience the beauty in each form.
We originally planned to stay until nightfall, but a huge snow storm rolled in to Dillon towards the end of our visit. We decided due to our inexperience driving in snow that we should head back to Denver before it got too dark!
4. Wear winter gear and plenty of layers.
The temperature will likely drop below freezing in Dillon throughout the winter season, and especially inside ice castle structures. Dress warmly like you would for a ski trip or a mountain hike. I made sure to include plenty of layers and cute scarves on my Colorado packing list to help me stay warm. Austin’s hands and feet did get especially cold while we were there, so we recommend purchasing some hand warmers in Dillon before you enter the ice castles.
5. Take a bathroom break beforehand.
Once you enter the Dillon Ice Castles, there are no bathrooms inside. And once you exit the Dillon Ice Castles, there is no re-entry. Enough said!
6. Don’t skip the ice slide!
The ice castles have dozens of different caverns and sculptures throughout, and one of them is interactive. Guests can slide down an ice hill on a small plastic toboggan as part of the experience. You might assume with a glance that this feature is only for kids, but adults can take on the ice slide too! Don’t assume it’s not worth your time or you’re too cool to do it. It’s so much fun! When we visited on a weekday evening, there wasn’t even a very big line to ride.
Tips for Planning a Colorado Weekend Trip
We absolutely loved our time in the Colorado mountains, and I know we will treasure the snowy memories forever. If you’re inspired to plan your own Colorado weekend trip, check out the blog posts below.
The Perfect Colorado Weekend Itinerary 2021
The Boulder Dushanbe Tea House
My Denver Biscuit Company Review
X Instagrammable Places Around Denver, CO
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