Ice Sculptures at Moody Gardens!

Had an absolute blast during Thanksgiving in Houston! 🎉 So many fun activities and delicious food to share, and I can’t believe I haven’t had time to write about them until now 🤣. First up: the incredible ice sculptures at Moody Gardens—you don’t want to miss this winter wonderland! This year, Moody Gardens brought in 30 ice sculptors from Harbin ❗️ to create an indoor ice sculpture exhibit kept at a chilly -12°C (9°F) 🥰. The sculptures feature iconic landmarks and symbols from around the world, and they’re absolutely breathtaking. Representing China are a majestic archway, stone lions, and cute giant pandas 🐼—the details are so intricate, they look incredibly lifelike! The sculptures from other countries are equally impressive too. Those sculptors are true artists—total masters of their craft! 👏 Good news: Ice Land provides parkas for all visitors, so you don’t have to bring your own heavy coat. Just make sure to keep it on the entire time you’re inside—you’ll definitely need it to stay warm in that frigid temperature! 🧥 Overall, the experience was fantastic—I even think it’s better than the ice sculpture museum I visited in Alaska before 🤣. Bonus: You can grab a couple of drinks inside! I didn’t get to try them, but I was curious if they use ice cups like they do in Alaska 😂. 💸 Discount Tip: I bought my tickets through a deal I found on Moody Gardens’ official Instagram Story—use the code HOWHOU25! I got an after-4 PM combo ticket that gives access to multiple parks. Here’s the price breakdown: ❌ Original Price: $60 ✅ Discounted Price: $51 📅 My Timeline (Super Efficient!): 1️⃣ 4:00-4:30 Aquarium Pyramid 🐠 Dive into a world of marine life! The pyramid is home to all kinds of fascinating sea creatures—perfect for a quick, colorful visit to start the day. 2️⃣ 4:30-5:00 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (4D Movie) 🎬 Heads up: You will get sprayed with water during this movie ❗️ The 4D effects are super immersive, making you feel like you’re actually underwater with Captain Nemo. 3️⃣ 5:00-5:20 Discovery Museum 🧪 It’s located on the second floor above 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The current exhibition focuses on music and film—quick but interesting, a nice little break between activities. 4️⃣ 5:30 Light Before Christmas (3D Stop Motion Film) 🎄 A cozy, festive 3D movie that gets you in the holiday spirit. The stop-motion animation is charming, and it’s a great way to wind down before the evening fun. 5️⃣ 6:20 Scrooge 4D: A Christmas Carol ❄️ Another awesome 4D experience—this one even has snow falling inside the theater ❗️ The effects are top-notch, and the classic Christmas story feels brand new in 4D. 🌟 6:40 Arctic Slide 🛷 An outdoor ice slide! You’re supposed to be able to ride it 3 times, but I only did 1 because it hurt my tailbone 😅. Still fun if you’re careful—just sit properly! 🌟 7:00 Ice Land ❄️🐼 The main event! Spend some time admiring all the amazing ice sculptures. Don’t forget to take photos (but keep your phone warm—batteries die fast in the cold!) 🌟 7:40 Holiday Lights ✨ This is definitely worth checking out! The festive lights are beautiful and make for great photos. I’ll post some pictures in the comments later! Following this timeline, we finished around 8 PM—perfect for a not-too-late night after a full day of fun. 🥇 My Top Picks (Ranked): 1. Ice Land 2. Holiday Lights 3. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Overall, I highly recommend this trip to Moody Gardens—especially if you’re looking for festive, family-friendly fun in Houston. The ice sculptures are incredible, the shows are entertaining, and the discount makes it totally worth it. Go check it out! ❤️ #US #Texas #Houston