Who doesn’t love a good solo adventure? In February 2022, I traveled solo to Minnesota (my 39th state!) and had the ultimate winter weekend. I went dogsledding, snowshoeing, and of course had to visit the photo-famous Ice Castles! I didn’t really know what to expect, other than what I saw on Instagram. Here are 5 tips for visiting Minnesota’s Ice Castles solo!
Book your tickets in advance
To secure your time, make sure you plan ahead and book your tickets in advance on their website! Tickets were available at the window day of, but there was no way to guarantee your entry. This is especially true if you plan on visiting on a weekend or holiday. I visited on President’s Day in 2022 and they were actually sold out of several time slots already. Thankfully I was lucky enough to get the one I wanted, but wise not to risk it!
Tip: before checking out, search for promo codes! There are several floating around and it will save you a few dollars.
Get the earliest timeslot
If snapping photos is a top priority, you’re going to want to get there as early as possible. When I visited, the earliest time was 11:30 am and I arrived a few minutes before the doors opened. Tickets are sold in half-hour increments so every thirty minutes I was there it kept getting busier and busier. I was so thankful to have some time when I first arrived to take photos with very few people around!
Bring a tripod
If taking photos of yourself is a top priority, a tripod is a must when visiting Minnesota’s Ice Castles solo! I did not bring mine in, as I figured I would be able to prop my phone on the icy walls with my Pop Socket. It wasn’t the best, but it did work a little. Finding a place for my phone was really tricky and I wasn’t able to choose my angles or locations as freely. The walls are a lot smoother than I anticipated so my phone would never balance or would slide down almost instantly. I was at the mercy of wherever my phone would stay put for a few minutes!
Wear supportive shoes
This may sound silly, but I didn’t expect the floor of the Ice Castles to be what it was. I was imagining a solid surface that would allow for easy walking. Instead, it was covered with soft snow crystals and it was trickier to walk on than regular snow. You’ll sink in quite a bit and there were times when it was hard work trudging through the caves!
There are a lot of kids
I really did not know what to expect in terms of the crowd. I had seen photos of the Ice Castles on Instagram, so naturally I assumed it’d be full of influencers doing everything for the gram (I’m a little guilty). Instead, it turned out to be more of a family destination with a ton of kids. There are several large ice slides in the center of the castle where the kids can play, which surprised me! The bright side is that most of the kids stayed in that area to play, but don’t be surprised if a few run into the background of your photos.
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