Christmas at the Gaylord Texan Resort (and 50% off ICE! tickets)

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One of our favorite family traditions is to spend a holiday weekend at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas, just north of Dallas. As soon as you walk in the door, it’s going to be a toss-up as to which of you - the adults or the kids - are most wondrous about the sparkling lights and decorations that turn the Gaylord Texan into a fairyland of Christmas and Hanukkah cheer.


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TRY ONE OR MORE OF THESE ACTIVITIES:

  • Mrs. Claus’ storytime and cookies: Join Mrs. Claus for the reading of holiday classics and join along in the singing of Christmas carols during this 30-minute show. Includes Mrs. Claus’ world-famous cookies dunked in cold milk.

  • Ice skating: Enjoy a perfect day or evening under the stars by going on a yuletide glide at Gaylord Texan's 6,000-square-foot outdoor ice skating rink.

  • Santa’s Snow Throw: Grab a bucket of real snowballs, then take aim at the interactive targets created by Santa's Elves.

  • Snow tubing: Thrill-seekers of all ages will enjoy barreling down our 8-lane, two-story-tall, indoor hill covered with two million pounds of real snow!

  • Christmas Carousel: Get in the holiday spirit by taking a spin on this timeless family-friendly ride. 

  • Merry Snoopy Scavenger Hunt: Search high and low to help Snoopy deck his house out for the Dog House Decorating Competition in this fun scavenger hunt. Complete the quest to win a souvenir.

  • Gingerbread decorating shop: Choose from three different design options and then make your way over to meet the gingerbread man for a heartwarming hug you can capture with your own camera.

  • Escape rooms: Two fun holiday-themes

  • Visit Santa, of course!

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GOOD GRIEF! GAYLORD TEXAN ICE! 2019

The gorgeous ice sculptures of Charlie Brown and friends are carved from more than two million pounds of colorful ice. Crafted by master artisans who travel to Texas from Harbin, China, families can enjoy spectacular holiday scenes, colorful characters and ice slides. We rode down the ice slide until my hands were so cold I had to head out for some hot chocolate.

Before you enter the ICE! display, each of the people in your party is handed a giant blue parka to borrow to keep you warm (and dry on the ICE! slide). You’ll feel the chill of 9°F as soon as you approach the door to the tent, so be sure to bring your hat and gloves. My friend Heidi recommends hand warmers, which is a brilliant idea to keep both your hands and your photo-taking devices comfortably warm.

Winding your way through the ICE! display, you’ll find hand-carved scenes from the holiday movie classic A Charlie Brown Christmas. Two million pounds of ice have been shaped by Chinese artisans into colorful, whimsical sculptures. And as you prepare to exit ICE!, an ethereal clear-ice set of sculptures will tell the story of the Nativity.

On your way out of the ICE! tent, rub your hands together, get warm, and turn in your parka. Then turn toward the hot cocoa and warm up. Or if you’re a little crazy, like me, get Carvel ice cream (with sprinkles, of course).

My friend at Rebecca of R We There Yet Mom is offering a coupon for 50% off tickets to ICE! Use the code RWETHEREYET online.

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Kristin Shaw