Colorado Travel: Everything You Need to Know About the Ice Castles (Dillon, Colorado)

The Ice Castles in Dillon, Colorado, are usually one of the top destinations in the winter. Below, I am giving you all the inside scoop you need to know to enjoy your day trip to the famous Ice Castles.

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Ice Castle Tips

Buy Tickets in Advance:

This is a no brainer. Be sure to buy your tickets in advance because this experience is in high demand by locals and people who travel from out of state. They will sell out! They sell out every year. Buy your tickets in advance to guarantee entry; then, you can spend additional time planning other activities such as spending a day in Breckinridge.

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Mari’s Scoop

If you didn’t get your tickets, no worries. Ice Castles reserves a limited amount of tickets to sell at the door. Yes, this is risky, but if it’s the only option you have, you take it. That’s what I did. I knew it was a toss-up as to whether or not I would get in, but I did it anyway. It was worth it.

What to Wear:

Let me tell you. It does not matter how nice it feels outside of the Ice Castles. Dress warm! Once you inside and surrounded by ice, you will be cold. Here is my list of must-haves: snow boots, a long warm coat or short coat and snow pants, gloves, and a beanie or earmuffs. With these four items, you can keep yourself warm, enjoy the ice slides and not have to rush through the tour.

Best Time to Go:

Choose the best time for you to visit the Ice Castles. Seeing the castles at night is probably the most popular because of all the colorful lights; however, I imagine that the day is less busy. You will have a 30-minute timeframe to enter the castles, but you can stay as long as you would like once you are inside.

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Mari’s Scoop

My recommendation would be to go at sunset; this allows you to enjoy the castles during the day and then see the lights turn on for the night. You get to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Kids:

Ok, so I didn’t go with any kids, but I did see many families while I was there. The one tip I can give you is to take a slide. A slide will help you move the little ones around. There is a lot of snow on the floor, and they will get tired. Be sure to take water and snacks for them as well.

What to Expect:

Crowds: You can expect to have many people around, but of course, it will depend on the day and time you go. Popular spots tend to be busy on weekends. I always try to travel during the week to avoid crowds. While there are a lot of people, everyone seems to be very patient and enjoying their time.
Photos: You can find endless spots to take great photos.
Ice Slides: There are also a few super fun ice slides, so don’t miss out.
Time: Expect to take a least 1 hour to see the Ice Castle and enjoy them leisurely. However, I would say it could take a good two hours.
Parking: There is plenty of parking, and people are continuously arriving and leaving.
Other things to do: The Ice Castles are in Dillon, which is about a 20-minute drive to Breckinridge, so if you can, stop by the town. It’s a super cute town. You can also visit the outlets in Dillon. Another option is going tubing in Frisco. Make a day out of your trip.

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Conclusion:

There you go. Here is everything you need to know for your trip to the Ice Castles in Dillon, Colorado. The biggest takeaways from my trip are to dress warm, make a day out of it by visiting different nearby locations, and have fun. You want to be sure to take your time and enjoy your time.

What tips do you have that I missed?