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A Texas-Sized Winter Wonderland Awaits at Moody Gardens in Galveston

Getting into the holiday spirit is easy in Galveston, Texas, as one of the area’s largest attractions transforms itself into a magical winter wonderland experience. Moody Gardens hosts its annual Texas-sized holiday celebration with plenty of Christmas cheer for everyone. Holiday in the Gardens offers several different holiday attractions, as well as live entertainment, festive food, and more.

Moody Gardens Festival of Lights
Credit: Moody Gardens Festival of Lights by Moody Gardens Festival of Lights

One of the largest holiday attractions at Moody Gardens could also be considered the coolest place in Texas – literally. Ice Land is a 100-acre walk-through ice sculpture park that maintains a chilly temperature of 9 degrees throughout the holiday season. Ice Land is brought to life by master ice sculptors who create dazzling ice displays from nearly 2 million pounds of ice.

Ice Land takes on a new theme each year. Previous themes have ranged from SpongeBob SquarePants to Christmas Around the World. The 2022 Ice Land theme is Caribbean Christmas, where guests will find colorful underwater creatures and sunken treasures. Moody Gardens provides parkas for guests to wear while exploring the ice park, and it’s recommended to wear closed-toed shoes and bring a hat and gloves.

Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens
Credit: Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens by Moody Gardens

You can brighten up the holidays at the Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens. The annual tradition is the largest holiday lighting display on the Gulf Coast, with more than 1 million lights in creating a dazzling display along a mile-long trail. The lighted scenes wind through the Moody Gardens property and showcase spectacular views of Galveston Bay.

Ice skating rink at Moody Gardens
Credit: Ice skating rink at Moody Gardens by Moody Gardens

In addition to dazzling light displays and immense ice sculptures, Moody Gardens offers ice skating, train rides, holiday 3-D films, an arctic slide, live entertainment, and plenty of hot cocoa and festive food. During December, guests can also attend the Cirque Joyeaux Noel Dinner and Show – a holiday-themed mix of food, circus, and music.

Moody Gardens Festival of Lights
Credit: Moody Gardens Festival of Lights by Moody Gardens

Holiday in the Gardens is open daily from November 19th to January 7th. Admission prices vary for each holiday attraction, and combination packages are available as well. See Moody Gardens’ website for a detailed list of prices.

Website: https://www.moodygardens.com/holiday_season/
Dates: November 19th – January 7th, 2022

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