I wish I could put into words the joy my family felt while experiencing Snowcat Ridge. From the moment we even approached the parking lot, we were transported into a magical winter wonderland that was unlike anything we had seen so far this holiday season. As we drove underneath the road covered in twinkling Christmas lights, I knew it was going to be a night to remember and it truly was.
Snowcat Ridge is such a unique experience because it offers Floridians a true taste of winter, with snow, tubing, ice skating, and all the winter activities the heat causes us to miss each holiday season. Snowcat Ridge is Florida’s only Alpine Snow Park and is located about forty minutes from Tampa. So let’s break down exactly what you will experience there!
The kids were beyond eager to experience snow, so our first stop was the Arctic Igloo located towards the back of Snowcat Ridge. If your little ones are too small for the larger alpine slides, inside the Arctic Igloo you will find slides small enough for little ones to enjoy. You will also find snow toys, real snow, and a whole lot of fun! My best advice for enjoying the Arctic Igloo is make sure you bring clothing appropriate for snow. Bring coats, gloves, hats, and even boots so you can enjoy the snow without getting too cold.
Our next stop was Crystal Ribbon, the ice skating rink! I was really worried to give it a try because I had only been ice skating once in my life and I held on to the wall the whole time, but my Wisconsin-born husband was eager to take the kids. We ended up having the most magical time and I honestly could have stayed there all night! Here are some things to know about Crystal Ribbon:
- Your general admission ticket includes entrance to Crystal Ribbon, but does not include ice skate rental. All day ice-skate rental is $9.95.
- The age requirement to enter Crystal Ribbon is two years old and the smallest size skate they have is a youth size 9. For the little ones they offer trainers, which they can either use to hang on to, or they can sit on it while parents push them. If you use one of the trainers you will need to stay in the rink area and not go on to the ice skating trail.
- The training aid rental is an additional $9.95 for two hours. These are also limited, so if you feel you may need one plan on arriving early.
If you are needing to take a break, wanting a snack, or drink, you are going to want to head to Alpine Village. The Alpine Village is where you are going to find food trucks, the gift shop, and igloos illuminated by Christmas lights where you can get off your feet for a bit. You will also find fire pits and s’mores kits are available at the food trucks! It is also the best place to enjoy the Snowy Slopes light show. The Alpine Village food court has four different food trucks, a coffee stop, and a Biergarten! Food and drinks are an additional purchase.
Now let’s talk about the main attraction: the snowy slopes! Enjoy tubing down a 400 foot-long tubing hill. You can choose from single, tandem, or the family option. For the single and tandem guests must be over the age of two and 42 inches. For the family slide the height requirement is 36 inches, but you will be seated with other people. I tried the single slide and wow is it fast! It was a lot of fun, but I preferred the family slide so I could watch the kids enjoy it. My two had the time of their lives on the big slide and could have gone on it over and over again!
Your general admission ticket includes two hours of tubing time. However you can upgrade your ticket for unlimited tubing which will get you on the slopes as much as you want ALL DAY! This is definitely a good upgrade to keep in mind if you are planning on going on a weekend where the lines may be longer.
Tickets range anywhere from $26-$39, but this event is lasting until March 27th, so you have plenty of time to enjoy all of the fun! All tickets are $5 more at the box office so make sure you buy in advance. To see more from our experience, make sure you head to Instagram and click the highlight bubble labeled “SnowcatRidge”. Happy Holidays, everyone!
Marvelous Mrs. Morin 