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Gaylord ICE! exhibit lights up holiday for D.C. visitors

If you’re in the nation’s capital this holiday season, and seeing the National Christmas Tree isn’t enough to get your sleigh bells jingling, the corporate elves at Washington’s Gaylord Hotel have uncorked some unique holiday spirit.

Located seven miles from the Pentagon at the newly developed National Harbor complex on the Maryland side of the Potomac River, the Gaylord is D.C.’s newest and biggest hotel and convention center. (The National Guard held its senior leadership conference there in November.) For the second year, the resort is launching an all-out assault to corner the holiday spectacular tourist market. This year’s campaign plan includes a 60-foot glass Christmas tree, more than 2 million dazzling lights and the coup de grace — ICE!, an indoor winter wonderland created out of 2 million pounds of hand-sculpted ice.

“People walk in and they’re simply amazed at the kind of art — and fun — we can create here,” Gaylord spokeswoman Amie Gorrell said. “It’s a pretty massive undertaking.”

The 15,000-square-foot attraction, hand-carved by 40 Chinese ice sculptors, features 10 holiday scenes. The best part: a two-story ice Christmas castle featuring Nutcracker guards and four ice slides for kids of all ages.

Depending on how many runs down the ice slides your fire team makes, it takes about 30 minutes to navigate the attraction, located under a huge, temperature controlled (9 degrees!) tent on the Gaylord grounds. Parkas are provided, but be sure to bring your own coat, hat, scarves and gloves.

When you’re done with ICE!, wander inside the Gaylord’s soaring 18-story glass atrium for stunning views of the Potomac River and some free holiday fun. There’s a 7,000-pound Tree of Light made of “candy” glass (nightly lighting is at 6 p.m.); dancing water fountains that shoot 60 feet into the air; concerts featuring local choirs; and even an indoor “snowfall” at 6:15 and 9:15 p.m.

It can get fairly crowded on the weekends, but the Gaylord’s size and the festive mood of the holiday crowds makes up for any elbow-bumping. (Insider intell: If the crowds are tight on the atrium floor, head topside and watch the tree lighting and fountain shows from the many accessible, atrium-facing balconies on the hotels’ upper floors).

“You don’t have to be a guest of the hotel to enjoy our celebrations,” Gorrell said. “We’re wide open to the public. Just come on inside.”

If you do decide to stay overnight, however, be sure to ask about government and military discounts. “We’re very military friendly,” Gorrell said. “We’ve even had the Pentagon Channel over here doing reports for the Armed Forces Network.”

The hotel has also partnered with the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots campaign and is donating toys and proceeds to the military charity.

A 10 percent or more military discount applies for ICE! tickets (with proper ID), sold for specific show times: $18 for adults (13 and up) and $10 for kids. We highly recommend you purchase them in advance.

Chris Lawson is a former Military Times managing editor.