If you’re looking for a cool holiday outing, add this to your calendar. ice!™, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa’s immersive Christmas experience, returns for its third season, bringing one of the most unique holiday attractions in Texas. This year’s theme is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer™, a classic that kids love and adults know by heart.
The main attraction is a massive indoor icy wonderland, kept at a brisk 9 degrees. But don’t worry — you get to borrow a cozy blue parka before entering, though you probably still want to bring gloves and a hat!
Inside, you’ll wander through scenes from the nostalgic Rudolph story, recreated with more than two million pounds of colorful ice. There are towering sculptures, frozen tunnels, lots of photo ops and two-story ice slides that everyone will want to ride more than once.
One of the coolest parts of the experience is learning how it all comes together. Every year, a team of master ice carvers from Harbin, China, travels to build this signature attraction from scratch. It takes 40 ice carvers over 30 days to transform 6,700 giant ice blocks into detailed sculptures using techniques passed down through generations.
But the fun doesn’t stop once you leave the ice.
The resort’s Exhibit Ballroom becomes Reindeer Ridge, a 40,000-square-foot holiday hub packed with family-friendly activities. You can tube down Snow Flow Mountain on real snow, take part in a snowball challenge, decorate gingerbread houses or catch storytime with Mrs. Claus.
There are also plenty of time-honored classic holiday activities like Santa photos and letter-writing stations for Christmas wish lists. Then set off on the Reindeer Games™ Scavenger Hunt and explore the resort as you follow clues left by Rudolph to track down the Misfit Toys and help them find their way to new homes.
As fun as this is for a family, you don’t have to be a kid or have a kid to enjoy it. The Jolly Antler will be serving seasonal cocktails, and the resort’s Stay & Play packages can be tailored for families entertaining kids for a holiday treat or couples seeking a luxurious few days and nights with seven distinctive restaurants, wellness treatments, impeccable service and all the other lavish amenities on property.
“We’re thrilled to welcome guests back for the third season of our signature immersive Christmas experience, ice!, and introduce Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer as this year’s theme,” said Nina Shokrian, Director of Public Relations and Marketing at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. “While the stunning ice sculptures bring Rudolph’s story to life in an unforgettable way, the real magic happens when families experience it together.
From grandparents sharing memories of Rudolph from their childhoods to children discovering his story for the very first time, ice! creates moments of wonder, connection and joy that become part of a family’s holiday tradition. These are experiences that bring loved ones together and become cherished memories for years to come.”
ice!™ is one of those holiday events that’s easy to make a tradition. It’s festive without feeling overdone, and it’s definitely a unique place to chill out for a while and embrace the season.
