Local Conditions:  69° F   •   Today's Hours:  10:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Holiday in the Gardens Hours:  CLOSED

Galveston Island Hotel & Attractions

Open 365 days a year, Moody Gardens invites you to escape into a world of enchantment and exploration. Nestled on the beautiful Galveston Island in Texas, Moody Gardens is not just a premier destination for entertainment, it is a public, non-profit educational destination that aims to utilize nature in the advancement of rehabilitation, conservation, recreation, and research. With our lush tropical gardens, captivating wildlife exhibits, and thrilling attractions, we offer an extraordinary experience for visitors of all ages. Discover the immersive iconic pyramids, home to mesmerizing marine life, magnificent rainforests, and even an otherworldly discovery center. Immerse yourself in the wonders of nature, learn about conservation efforts, and embark on unforgettable adventures. Whether you're seeking family fun, educational experiences, or simply a tranquil retreat, Moody Gardens is your gateway to a world where curiosity knows no bounds. 

 

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Holiday in the Gardens

Open Daily: Now - January 6

ICE LAND · Festival of Lights · Value Days · Ice Skating · Hotel Packages · Holiday 3D Films · Rudolph 4D ·  Arctic Slide · Train Rides · Pictures with Santa · Nightly Fireside S'mores and more!

As Moody Gardens transforms into Holiday in the Gardens, it has become a holiday tradition as families throughout the region can enjoy a diverse range of attractions including ICE LAND, Festival of Lights which is a mile-long walking trail decked with two million lights and filled with sound-enhanced, lighted, and animated displays themed to everyone's favorite holiday music. Guests will also enjoy an outdoor ice rink, an Arctic Slide, holiday buffets, and train rides. Guests can also enjoy holiday 3D and 4D films. The Moody Gardens Hotel will feature an exciting new holiday show and the New Year's Palooza Family Celebration. Special Hotel Packages are available with the holiday attractions and events.

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Holiday in the Gardens Value Nights

Experience the most wonderful time of the year at Moody Gardens with our Value Nights at Holiday in the Gardens. During select Value Nights, guests can take advantage of a buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) ticket offer to the Festival of Lights trail or Holiday Pass which includes ICE LAND, Festival of Lights, four Arctic slide rides, train rides, ice skating, Aquarium Pyramid, 3D and 4D theaters starting at 4 p.m.

Every Thursday Now through December 28: Food Drive Thursdays
December 11: Pajama Night
December 12: Neon Night
December 13: Sensory Night
January 3: Bring Your Dog Night

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Ice Skating: Nightly & Rent the Rink

Open Nightly:  Starting at 6pm when the Festival of Lights trail opens. You must enter through the Festival of Lights trail to access the Ice Skating Rink (Ice Skating is included with your Festival of Lights ticket in the evenings!)

Afternoon Skate (12 - 4pm): Please refer to the weekly holiday attraction schedule for afternoon skating! Tickets are available on-site.

Rent the Rink: Rent out the Ice Skating Rink for your own private function for $150 for 1 hour. Call 409-683-4558 or email attractionsales@moodygardens.org

 

Individual attraction tickets are available on-site - times subject to change.

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A Christmas Wish: Holiday Spectacular

December 22 - 30 | Moody Gardens Convention Center

Embark on a journey like no other at Moody Gardens' “A Christmas Wish Holiday Spectacular." This spellbinding show combines the artistry of Broadway-style song and dance with mesmerizing acrobatics and more. The heart of the show lies in a captivating story of rediscovering the holiday spirit. Join our lead character, Natalie, on her transformative adventure as she dives into her cherished childhood memories inside an enchanting snow globe. With spirited characters, stunning visuals, and electrifying performances, this show is a heartwarming spectacle that will reignite your holiday joy! 

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Holiday Dining

Nightly Holiday Buffets
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
& Breakfast with Santa 

Leave the cooking and cleaning to Moody Gardens this holiday season and enjoy a delicious meal with your loved ones. 

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New Year's Celebrations

December 31 - January 2

New Year's Palooza
NYE Silver Celebration | Moody Gardens Hotel
New Year’s Eve Cruise | Colonel Paddlewheel Boat
& More

Ring in the New Year in style at Moody Gardens! Join us for an unforgettable New Year's celebration with a range of exciting events and packages to choose. from including New Year's Palooza, NYE Silver Celebration at the Moody Gardens Hotel, and New Year’s Eve Colonel Paddlewheel Boat Cruise! Hotel packages and tickets are available!

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Dinner Cruise on the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat

December 9 - Holiday Buffet

Enjoy scenic views and an amazing dinner while cruising down the bayou on the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat!
Boarding begins at 6:30 pm with the cruise being 7-9 pm.

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Winter 2023 Pyramid Kids Camps

December 18 - 21 & December 27 - 29

Great for all kids entering grades K-8! Camp programs include different attraction experiences, activities, games, crafts and experiments making every camp day unique! Daily camps are a great option for the kids during school break or a fun day for all the kids visiting during the holidays! Register for one day or multiple days.

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Educator Open House

February 3, 2024

Moody Gardens will be connecting you with nature through access to open attractions and various interactive IDEA stations on your own self-guided visit! Complete a scavenger hunt to earn CPE hours, and learn about educational resources Moody Gardens and local Galveston Island exhibitors can provide! Pre-registration is required!

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Dive Into The Gulf: An Exposition

February 23 - 25

This is a captivating event that unites scuba diving enthusiasts, science aficionados, conservationists, artists, and educators for an exhilarating weekend of exploration, education, and fun. Scheduled for February 23-25, Dive into the Gulf promises an unforgettable experience for divers, ocean lovers, and conservation advocates alike.

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Buy Tickets, Hours, Directions and more!

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Child and Diver

Purchase single day or value passes for our attractions and learn more about gift cards and membership passes.

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View of Pyramids

Stay at Moody Gardens Hotel and enjoy nearby attractions like the Moody Gardens Attractions and Moody Gardens Golf Course.

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Guest Room

With its stunning views, green fairways and gulf breeze, the Moody Gardens Golf Course has become one of the most popular golf courses in Texas.

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Golf Course

Experience the Rainforests of the World, Journey to New Depths in the newly renovated Aquarium Pyramid, Explore new worlds in the MG 3D and 4D Special Effects Theater, dive deep in 20,000 Leagues:An Interactive Adventure and more.

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Macaws

Enjoy Moody Gardens all year long with an Individual or Seasonal Membership. Your membership includes unlimited admission to most Moody Gardens attractions and other fantastic benefits.

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Penguin

Educational efforts at Moody Gardens strive to provide learning experiences through Field Trips, Teacher Workshops, Birthday parties and more for our guests that will instill enthusiasm, appreciation and stewardship for the natural world and its inhabitants.

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Child

Enjoy some of the great events happening at Moody Gardens all year long including Beats on the Beach, Holiday in the Gardens, Colonel Paddlewheel Dinner Cruises, Air, Car and Boat Show and more! 

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Turtle

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We Are A Cashless Property

  • Moody Gardens® has implemented a cashless transaction policy property-wide and currently ONLY accepts credit cards.

The Pyramid Promise

YOUR VISIT WILL BE CLEAN, SAFE AND FUN.

 

Special Notice: We encourage you to purchase your tickets online.

Cashless Transaction Policy Propertywide: We now have a cashless transaction policy and we accept credit cards only property wide to further reduce physical contact. Cash payment and checks cannot be accepted.

   

What They're Saying

A Variety of Fun and Educational Things To Do

We enjoyed our visit to Moody Gardens and left feeling like there were still more things to do. The aquarium has some excellent exhibits; we especially enjoyed watching feeding time for the penguins and the seals. The rain forest was amazing, with free-flying birds and free-roaming monkeys, as well as a gorgeous collection of tropical plants. There was a selection of 3D and 4D films; we saw the 3D film about sharks. We also took the paddle boat tour. Being on the boat was enjoyable, although the bayou on which it sails is very developed and not very scenic. I didn't have the chance to visit the "discovery" pyramid, but my daughter did and liked that as well. We ate at the Garden Cafe, with a pleasant view of the water and plentiful good food. We definitely could have spent a lot more time at Moody Gardens if our itinerary had allowed. (Note: the beach and waterpark were closed for the season when we visited, so call ahead for seasonal hours if that's something you'd like to do.)

Trip Advisor

Took visiting family to MG and had a blast! It's very big and we got there in the afternoon, so couldn't see all of it. We saw the Aquarium & Rain Forest pyramids, spent some time in the Lazy River and saw a 3D movie about Coral Reefs. Plus - We hit the food court for a yummy lunch. Not sure who had more fun, us or the kid! :-) Will be back soon to see the rest.

Yelp

I want to compliment you on your excellent customer service. Your responses to all my questions and concerns were very much appreciated. You are an asset to Moody Gardens, they are fortunate to have a representative like you. Also, want to tell you how impressed we were with the Thanksgiving dinner, the attention for safety precautions, the many stations and food selections were incredible.  The beautiful room, decorations & personal table attention were also appreciated. We enjoyed it all and plan to make it our new Thanksgiving tradition. The night was perfect, we also enjoyed the Festival of Lights. 

Trip Advisor

It was exceptional! All the staff were professional, polite and attentive. Hand sanitizer is located throughout the property, everyone wears masks and socially distancing is practiced. 

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