Moody Gardens: Festival of Lights & ICE LAND

About this adventure

On Galveston Island overlooking Offatts Bayou, Moody Gardens hosts one of the largest coastal holiday extravaganzas in the South: Holiday in the Gardens, anchored by the iconic Festival of Lights (Holiday Lights Trail) and the world-renowned ICE LAND. The outdoor lights trail meanders for a mile through tropical gardens and around the towering Rainforest and Aquarium Pyramids, illuminated with more than two million twinkling lights, animated coastal animal scenes, choreographed light tunnels, and an outdoor ice skating rink overlooking the bayou. Inside a giant climate-controlled tent chilled to a frigid 9 degrees Fahrenheit, ICE LAND showcases over two million pounds of hand-carved, vibrant ice sculptures crafted by master artisans from Harbin, China. Guests bundle up in complimentary calf-length parkas to slide down giant ice slides and explore frozen underwater seascapes. Additional attractions include 3D holiday films, Arctic ice slides, train rides, and waterfront fire pits for s'mores.