Gaylord Texan – ICE!

Christmas in our household is synonymous with “touring Texas” so we can see our families during the holidays. Tour highlights include stops in the tiny towns of Lacoste and the not as tiny, but still not very big town of Kilgore. The year we added a leg to the tour and stopped in Grapevine (between Forth Worth and Dallas). One of the main attractions in Grapevine is the resort hotel, The Gaylord Texan. During Christmas, the Texan features a Texas-sized ice sculpture exhibit whose theme changes each year, but always includes a nativity scene. This year’s theme was Frosty! and included scenes from the cartoon Frosty the Snowman.

Already wrapped in our own winter coats, gloves, wooly socks and closed-toes shoes, we had to be “parka-fied” (a.k.a. fitted with parkas) before entering the exhibit that is kept a chilly 9 degrees (F). After being parka-fied, we entered the exhibit where we were greeted by larger than life ice sculptures of Frosty, Karen (the little girl who Frosty helps), Hocus (Magician Hinkle’s rabbit), and of course, Santa Clause (who took Frosty to the North Pole).

The process of creating the exhibit is just as interesting as seeing the finished product. The exhibit includes the Frostbite Factory where you can learn about how ice is made (it’s not just about freezing water), where the ice is made, and how long it takes to deliver all the ice to the Texan (the making of ice details).

Even if you do not venture into the ICE! exhibit, the Gaylord Texan Atrium is quite the site to see during Christmas. The Texan calls it, Lone Star Christmas–which means Christmas lights on a Texas-sized level. No matter the forecast outside, you are guaranteed a cozy walk through a Christmas wonderland thanks to the large atrium (you will forget that you are inside!).  The Lone Star Christmas boasts 2 million twinkling lights, 15,0000 ornaments, and multiple lavish holiday displays (great picture opportunities). I spotted official photographers near some of the holiday displays in case you don’t want all your pictures to be selfies.

Our trip to the Gaylord Texan included a one-night stay in their luxurious rooms. Our room’s balcony faced the atrium which gave us a great view of the Lone Star Christmas! A bonus to staying the night, if you are an early bird, is being able to walk through the atrium in the morning before the crowds arrive. My husband and I enjoyed walking along the indoor “Riverwalk” and checking out the holiday displays without having to dodge the masses. Quite the surreal feeling!

As much as we didn’t want to checkout, we had to get back to Kilgore for Christmas. Our extended leg on the Tour of Texas was definitely worth the trip and we hope to continue to find new stops on the holiday Tour of Texas in the future!