Discover the Hill Country this Holiday
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. 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.
This fantastic resort also introduces a Grinch-themed scavenger hunt, “The Grinch’s Wonderful Awful Idea Scavenger Hunt.” Families can solve clues and riddles to thwart the Grinch’s mischievous holiday plans, with a seasonal reward upon completion. 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 — it’s perfect for creating a memorable holiday keepsake.
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. Guests can also warm up at the s’mores station, share holiday wishes by writing letters to Santa, and enjoy visits with Santa Claus, complete with a photo opportunity.
This spectacular experience opens November 23, 2024, and runs through January 5, 2025.
About JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
Located just 12 miles from San Antonio International Airport, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is a premier luxury destination. The AAA 4-Diamond resort has 1,000 custom-designed guest rooms and 265,000 square feet of meeting space. 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 a variety of culinary experiences.
