Need something fun to do with the kids during Winter Break? Head on over to the Gaylord Hotel at National Harbor and visit the ice exhibit. You can easily spend a full day walking around the National Harbor: shopping, eating, and completing all the activities at the Gaylord. We were invited to experience all the activities during media day. Our group included adults, a 3 year old, an 8 year old and a tween, and we all had a great time. You should try to make it a Staycation by booking a hotel room at the Gaylord National as well. The rooms are so luxurious and right outside of DC, so a perfect location for a winter getaway.
Gaylord ice exhibit activities:
- Breakfast with the Peanuts Gang at the Pienza Marketplace
- ICE around the world exhibit
- Spinning tea cups ride
- Carousel
- Cookie or gingerbread house decorating
- Hot cocoa snack area
- Storytime and cookies with Mrs. Claus
- Build-A-Bear Workshop
- Elf scavenger hunt
- Christmas Train Ride
- Beautiful gift shop
If your kids are as bored as mine are, you will want to get them over to the ice exhibit and wear them out. Being the worrisome Mom, I do want to share one important tip if you plan to visit the ICE exhibit. Bring along your own hats and gloves! It is SO COLD inside the ice exhibit (only 9 degrees). Yes, the hotel provides the warm blue parkas that everyone can borrow, but you really need your own warm weather gear for each adult and child. Also, try to make reservations in advance for ICE so you do not have to wait in line for tickets. Click here to reserve a room or tickets for ICE. If you are an overnight guest you can get into the ice exhibit an hour earlier than everyone else and enjoy a less crowded experience.
One more thing! Do you need something fun to do on New Year’s Eve? Come join us at the Gaylord National for the biggest party in DC. Click here for more info on Big Night DC. There will be 15 different themed party areas, food, drinks, dancing, bands, DJs, party favors, and so much more. We are counting down the days until the big event.
Have you ever been the Gaylord National Harbor or the ice exhibit? If so, what was your favorite part? If not, what are you waiting for?
Our family was hosted by the Gaylord National so that we could experience all of the ice exhibit activities. All opinions and thoughts are 100% our own.
WOW! What a cool place that is. I sure hope I make it here at some point so that I can see it for myself.
It is such a fun place to visit! I hope you can come to DC one day.
We don’t live anywhere near this great looking fun exhibit. Hope tons of people take advantage of it on their break.
There are other Gaylord hotels around the US, so maybe there is one near you!
What a fun exhibit for winter break! I know my kids would love to visit this, looks like a lot of fun for the whole family!
We need fun things to keep the kids busy over spring break, right? I hope you have a chance to visit one day soon.
I don’t live anywhere near this, but I so wish I did! This looks like a really fun time, and I bet my son would love it.
Kids love the ICE exhibit! It is amazing how it can appeal to kids of all ages and to adults too!
ICE is amazing! We went a few years ago and thought it was spectacular. The brilliant colors were absolutely stunning. So glad your family had this opportunity.
So glad you were able to visit ICE recently. It really is an amazing sight and SO much work goes into it.
This looks like a blast! I think my daughter may feel that she’s too old for this, but momma would love it! LOL. Thanks for sharing!
You really cannot be too old to enjoy this. My tween loved it and took so many photos and videos. I think it is really an activity for all ages.
What a great place! I wish we had something like this closer to our home, we would visit often! I hope we get to visit this center one day!
There are multiple Gaylord locations, so check them out and see if you have one closer to you.
WOW what a great place to visit. I hope to one day make it here to see all this wonderful fin.
I hope you can visit soon!
This time of year surely seems to be the time for Ice shows. YOu look like you all had a great time. And you really can’t see these on tv.
This is way better than a TV ice show. You really can feel how cold and amazing the ice scupltures are.
I have heard some buzz about tis exhibit. I need to add it to our bucket list! I think my boys would love it!
Awesome! You will have the best time!
This place sounds like so much fun! I know my children would have a ball here! Thank you for sharing!
Your kids will love this exhibit! It is a super fun vacation activity.
It looks like you all had a fantastic time during your winter break. Visiting the Gaylord Ice Exhibit looks like a lot of fun for the whole family. I would love to see this amazing art work. These sculptures look gorgeous and very interesting indeed. We will have to check this out for sure. Thanks for sharing the information and your experience.
It is definitely worth a day trip to the National Harbor.
Looks like you guys had a great time! I would love to take our little ones to something like this if it was available.
It is such a fun activity for kids and adults of all ages. We saw really young kids and grandparents.
Awww this looks like so much fun! I love that Gingi the Gingerbread man was there!
The gingerbread was so cute! The 2 year old was chasing him saying I am going to take a bite out of you! Hahahahaha
never knew a cool place like this existed! what a fun spot to take the kids and have them run off that plenty of energy they seem to never get rid of : )
This exhibit is very “cool” and yes, a perfect place to use up that winter energy!
omg i love this. everything is so bright and alive. it looks like so much fun. also great post you captured some awesome moments
Thank you so much. We created many memories at ICE for sure.
What a fun time it looks like you all had! I wish they had this place around here. That giraffe looks so cool!
The ice giraffes were so amazing! They looked just like the stuffed animals.
How awesome is that! My kids would definitely love to explore there. Great photos!
Thank you! It is a truly magical experience for children and adults!
Oh wow! This looks like so much fun, I wish we had a place like this here.
There are a few Gaylord hotels around the US, so maybe they have one closer to you.
Looks like a fun exhibit for kids! I would love to take my kids to this place! Looks fun!
It is such a great place to visit. Your kids will love it.