San Antonio, Texas, is where you’ll want to visit this holiday season; the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa invites guests to experience the wonder of ICE! featuring Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! This magical event debuts as part of the resort’s annual Hill Country Christmas celebration and promises an enchanting escape into the world of Who-ville with awe-inspiring ice sculptures, holiday traditions, and interactive winter activities.

We have always loved seeing ICE! at the Gaylord Texan Hotel. But this one is really unique. It transforms 20,000 square feet of resort space into a frosty 9-degree wonderland crafted from over two million pounds of ice. In partnership with 40 master artisans from Harbin, China, the experience brings the world of the Grinch, Cindy-Lou Who, and other iconic characters to life through intricately detailed sculptures and towering ice scenes. This year’s attraction has two-story slides, walk-through displays, a life-size Nativity scene, and memorable photo opportunities. Don't worry about being cold; we stayed toasty and warm in the resort’s signature blue parkas provided on-site.

We also loved the Reindeer Ridge, a festive 40,000-square-foot exhibit featuring family-friendly activities, including Snow Flow Mountain—a multi-lane tubing hill crafted from real snow—and Snowball Build & Blast, an interactive game where guests make and toss snowballs. Additional highlights include Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions, where she retells “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” with sing-alongs, cookies, milk, and the Gingerbread Decorating Corner. It was so fun to create edible masterpieces alongside Nutmeg the Gingerbread Man.

Who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt? The resort has also introduced "The Grinch’s Wonderful Awful Idea Scavenger Hunt." This is a great multi-generational activity where families can solve clues and riddles to thwart the Grinch’s mischievous holiday plans. Finding clues and solving riddles to help save the joy of the season was very exciting, and we received a special stocking stuffer when we completed our quest.

For those looking to create customized holiday memories, the Build-A-Bear Workshop® offers the joy of designing furry friends with festive attire, scents, and sounds—perfect for creating memorable holiday keepsakes. Personalizing our bears and participating in the one-of-a-kind heart ceremony was a fun experience. 

Returning holiday traditions include the Shine Light Show, featuring thousands of dancing lights set to music, the Polar Plunge in the resort’s pools, and live reindeer visits, which are really fun. You can also share holiday wishes by writing letters to Santa, and enjoy visits with Santa Claus, complete with a photo opportunity. And don’t miss the s’mores station; it’s a great place to warm up and have a treat.

This Hill Country Christmas is magical for all ages. Exclusive ICE! Stay & Play Packages include overnight accommodations and two tickets to ICE! per night, and exclusive access to Extra Cool Hour and Chill Pass benefits offer early admission to the attraction and skip-the-line access to the festivities. Guests can reserve these packages online using booking code 1GC at JWHillCountryChristmas.com. This spectacular experience opens November 23, 2024, and runs through January 5, 2025.

For a luxurious and complete holiday escape, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa offers an extensive range of amenities, including the 9-acre River Bluff Water Experience, eight diverse dining venues, two championship golf courses, the Lantana Spa, a Topgolf Swing Suite, sports courts, and scenic trails.

Located just 12 miles from San Antonio International Airport, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is a premier luxury destination and a great destination any time of the year. This AAA 4-Diamond resort has 1,000 custom-designed guest rooms. It is also home to the PGA TOUR’s Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio, along with a world-class spa, extensive water park, and various culinary experiences. This might just be our favorite resort in Texas – and we cannot wait to return!