Holiday in the Gardens runs Nov. 21 through Jan. 2 at Moody Gardens in Galveston with ICE LAND, Holiday Lights, live shows and dining. Plan your visit.
Moody Gardens kicks off the holiday season Nov. 21 with the Holiday in the Gardens Festival, a six-week celebration of lights, ice, live entertainment and holiday dining that runs through Jan. 2. Millions of lights, more than two million pounds of hand-carved ice and a brand-new live show fill the property, and parking is free the entire season.
The Holiday in the Gardens Festival runs Nov. 21 through Jan. 2 at Moody Gardens in Galveston. The festival includes ICE LAND: Caribbean Christmas, the mile-long Holiday Lights trail, outdoor ice skating, holiday 3D and 4D films, Breakfast with Santa, holiday dining and A Very Electric Christmas live show. Parking is free throughout the festival.
Two million pounds of ice, 9 degrees and a tropical Christmas you can walk straight through.
This year's ice attraction brings a tropical twist to the Moody Gardens holiday tradition. Kept at a steady 9 degrees, ICE LAND features more than two million pounds of hand-carved ice shaped into colorful Caribbean scenes, including an underwater world filled with tropical fish, rays, turtles and sharks. Guests can ride the Giant Ice Slide and warm up afterward with a festive drink at Shiver's Ice Bar.
A mile-long walking trail with more than two million lights and water views the whole way.
The Holiday Lights trail winds a full mile along Offatts Bayou, with illuminated scenes, more than two million lights and open views of Galveston Bay. Along the route, guests will find outdoor ice skating, the Arctic Slide, holiday treats and dining stops, making it an easy centerpiece for an evening on property.
A new glow-in-the-dark production from Moody Gardens and Lightwire Theater, Dec. 19 through Jan. 2.
Staged at Moody Gardens Hotel, A Very Electric Christmas follows Max, a young bird blown off course to the North Pole, in a story about family, friendship and hope told through music, storytelling and illuminated puppetry. Every show ticket includes admission to Holiday Lights, so the two pair naturally in one evening.
The smaller traditions are where families tend to spend the most time.
Holiday 3D and 4D films, including Scrooge 4D and Rudolph 4D, play in the MG3D Theater and 4D Special FX Theater with special effects throughout. Young guests can ride the Kiddie Train through a section of Holiday Lights. Breakfast with Santa returns Dec. 12, 13 and 19-23 with a family buffet breakfast and photo time with Santa on select mornings in the hotel ballroom.
Thanksgiving through Christmas Day, the kitchen stays busy.
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Moody Gardens offers Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining, along with fine dining at Shearn's Prime Seafood & Steaks overlooking Galveston Bay. Reservations are recommended on holiday dates.
Stay overnight and the whole festival is a short walk away.
The Holiday Value Package includes an overnight hotel stay, Value Day passes to the attractions and covered parking. The Lights & Ice Package includes an overnight stay, ICE LAND, Holiday Lights, ice skating and covered parking. Family packages add a Holiday Kids Experience with a guided Aquarium Pyramid tour before opening on select dates, plus a surprise gift pack each night of the stay.
The season keeps going right into 2027.
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New Year's Palooza runs Dec. 30 through Jan. 1. The family celebration includes a Family Fun Zone with bounce houses, arcade games, air hockey and foosball, an Adult Lounge and attraction passes, along with tickets to A Very Electric Christmas.
On Dec. 31, Shearn's Prime Seafood & Steaks offers a special dinner with views of Galveston Bay and the evening's fireworks. The New Year's Eve Celebration at Moody Gardens Hotel features live music by Radio Live, hors d'oeuvres, complimentary drink tickets, a cash bar and a beach ball drop finale for guests 21 and older.
Corporate parties and group visits both have a home here.
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Groups can celebrate together with options ranging from attraction visits to full corporate holiday parties. Group rates and event details are available through Moody Gardens Group Sales at 409-683-4558 or attractionsales@moodygardens.org.
Here is what to know before you go.
Dates: Nov. 21 through Jan. 2
Location: Moody Gardens, One Hope Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77554
Parking: Free throughout the festival
Tickets and information: 409-744-4673
Hotel reservations: 409-741-8484
Group sales: 409-683-4558
Holiday in the Gardens is built to fill an evening or a full weekend, and the packages make the overnight version easy. Pick your dates, grab your tickets and come see what two million pounds of ice looks like.
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