ICE! Exhibit at Gaylord National, National Harbor, Maryland

This year, the ICE! exhibit at Gaylord National in National Harbor, Maryland, features “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Whether or not you’re into Dr. Seuss, you’ll be in awe seeing the amazing work of ice artists from the town of Harbin, China, who transformed 2 million pounds of ice into the town of Who-ville.

Our family had a chance to visit the ICE! exhibit recently and despite the freezing cold, we all had a fun time. We actually spent the entire day at Gaylord National, where we had brunch with Santa after visiting the ICE! exhibit, rode the Potomac Express and got splashed by water during the fountain shows. We had such a blast that our family plans to make it a yearly tradition from now on! Here are some tips if you’re planning on going to see ICE! this holiday season.

How to dress
It’s 9 degrees in the exhibit, so dress warmly. You don’t need to put your kids in their snow gear, but do layer up so you can take the layers off after you’re done with the exhibit. Wear boots, a hat and gloves. You’ll also get a snow parka that goes all the way to your calves (your toddlers will most likely swim in them); plan to wear the parka over your coat. There are restrooms outside of the exhibit, or you can walk across the street to the hotel and use the more comfortable restrooms in the hotel to change.

What to expect
Expect to be in awe that you forget how cold it is. Bring your camera and remember to charge it before you leave your house. Our batteries died in the middle of the exhibit, so I had to take off my gloves to change our camera batteries in the freezing cold. Not fun!

ICE! Exhibit at Gaylord National, National Harbor, MD

In addition to the beautiful ice sculptures, there are ice slides that both adults and kids can enjoy. There’s a slide just for kids under the age of 4 as well. If you’re planning on taking a picture or recording a video of your toddler going down the slide, go to the slides on the left hand side. I was waiting for my husband and daughter to go down the slide on the right hand side forever. After going down the kids’ slides a few times, they found me and asked where I had been! Make sure to sit on your parka when you go down the slide or you’ll get stuck. If you do get stuck, don’t worry, there are staff members who will help you get down the slide.

In terms of crowds, it’s busier on weekends and around Christmas. We went to see the exhibit on a Saturday morning at 11 am and it was busy, but we actually got through the line pretty quickly. There was a sign in the queue area that it may take 60 – 90 minutes to wait in line, but we were in line for less than 10 minutes. To keep you entertained while in line, they have a gallery of Dr. Seuss artifacts and memorabilia as well as a video on the making of ICE! as you go through the queue.

During crowded times, keep a close eye on your kid, especially since everyone looks the same from the back with their blue snow parkas. It helps if you wear a bright-colored hat so you can spot each other more easily.

Tickets
Get your tickets in advance, especially if you’re going on a weekend or closer to Christmas or New Year. Tickets are $29 for those ages 13 to 61, $18 for kids ages 4 to 12, $23 for seniors (62+) and free for kids under 4. Military discounts are also available, except on Saturdays. Just bring a print out of your receipt to pick up your tickets at the box office in the pavilion. If you forget your receipt, you can also show them your ID and the credit card that you used to purchase the tickets.

Parking
There is a parking garage across the exhibit and you can purchase the parking ticket in advance online for $10. Bring your receipt to the ICE box office to get your parking ticket; you’ll need it to exit the parking garage. It’s cheaper to pay for your tickets in advance, especially if you’re planning on staying in the area for a few hours.

Other things to do
In the ICE! Pavilion, you can also go ice skating ($12 per person), see a Christmas tree made of Peeps (free) and visit Mrs. Claus’ crafts corner. The ice skating rink is open during the same hours as the ICE! exhibit and Mrs. Claus’ crafts corner is open in the afternoon on weekends only (5 pm and 7 pm on Fridays; 3 pm, 5 pm and 7 pm on Saturdays and Sundays).

While you’re there, walk across the street to enjoy the beautiful holiday decorations at Gaylord National Hotel. The lower atrium is completely decked out! There are Christmas trees all over the lobby, a large glass Christmas tree in the lower atrium, a train (Potomac Express) that little kids will enjoy, fountain shows, Dr. Seuss sculpture garden, retail shops, indoor snowfall in the evening, breakfast with the Grinch, brunch with Santa and pictures with Santa. Check out Gaylord National’s website for a complete list of things to do while you’re there.

If you plan on staying for lunch or dinner in the area, there are several restaurants in the lower atrium of the Gaylord National hotel. It’s convenient if you want to check out other attractions in the hotel and completely avoid the cold weather after experiencing the 9-degree temperature in the ICE! exhibit. For kid-friendly restaurants in the hotel, check out Pienza Italian Market for a buffet-style meal, National Pastime Sports Bar and Grill for an American fare, or Java Coast for salad and sandwiches.

I hope you and your family get a chance to check out ICE! this season. See more pictures of the ICE! exhibit on my Facebook page and check out 25 fun holiday things to do with kids in Washington, DC, metro.

ICE! at a glance
What?
15,000-square-foot of ice sculptures with “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” theme.

When?
The ICE! exhibit is open daily from November 18, 2010, to January 9, 2011, including holidays. Hours vary by day:
Monday – Thursday (up to December 16th): 12 pm – 7 pm
Monday – Thursday (from December 20th to January 6th): 10 am – 9 pm
Friday: 10 am – 10 pm
Saturday and Sunday: 9 am – 10 pm (including Christmas Day and New Year Day)

Where?
The ICE! Pavilion is located across from the Gaylord National Hotel (you’ll see a large white tent). Gaylord National is located at 201 Waterfront St, National Harbor, Maryland (map it).

How much?
Tickets are $29 for those ages 13 to 61, $18 for kids ages 4 to 12, $23 for seniors (62+) and free for kids under 4. Military discounts are also available, except on Saturdays. Get your tickets online.