With the weather getting colder and the holidays closer, one of our favorite things to do is watch Christmas movies with our family and friends. At Moody Gardens we bring holiday films to the next level by showing them not only in our 3D theater but our 4D Special FX Theater as well.

This year Moody Gardens is thrilled to present Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer in our 4D Special FX Theater which combines 3D projection with audio and timed sensory elements. While watching the holiday classic guests can feel the wind in their face as Rudolph flies through the sky and smell Christmas trees and cookies when at Santa’s castle. Perhaps the most enchanting part of the experience, however, is the snow that falls inside of the theater at the same time that it falls in the film. The 4D experience engages all the senses and leaves guests wishing that they could join Rudolph as part of Santa’s team. There is no doubt that after the film, children and adults alike are left feeling  the Christmas spirit!

To experience the sensory adventure of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer in our 4D Special FX Theater you can purchase tickets in the Visitor Center for $10.95 for adults, $8.95 for children and seniors, and free for children under 3. If you have a day pass or membership the theaters are included for you to enjoy!

It may be 9 degrees, but the heat is on as the CAA Harbin Ruijing Carving Team has nearly completed Scene 3 of ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures, A Caribbean Christmas. Be sure to get your ticket to this, the Festival of Lights and all of the other holiday attractions at Moody Gardens November 12 – January 8.

After your cruise through the Gulf of Mexico via the RV Manta Research Vessel, you will discover your path into the depths of the Gulf of Mexico in Scene 3. You’ll encounter vibrant corals as part of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary! Immerse yourself in all that this unique experience has to offer as you discover amazing holiday surprises along the way.

Moody Gardens is also offering an Ice Carver V.I.P.  Experience with a behind-the-scenes tour of these skilled carvers transforming these huge blocks of ice into magnificent towering ice sculptures. Next, you will be escorted to the Aquarium Pyramid for a Penguin Encounter during which you get to meet a real penguin!  This is followed by an authentic Chinese lunch accompanied by a Q&A session with the master ice carvers themselves!  This $199 per person package also includes a Penguin Art painting by a Moody Gardens penguin and a ticket to visit ICE LAND and Festival of Lights once these attractions are completed and open for the holiday season. For reservations, please call 409-683-4368. (Reservations are required one week in advance. Prepayment is required at the time of your reservation. This package is discounted to $179 for Moody Gardens members).

You can watch all of the action live with our webcam.

The holiday season at Moody Gardens will kick off on November 12, 2016 and run through January 8, 2017.

The CAA Harbin Ruijing Carving Team has been hard at work to bring you and your family an incredible Caribbean Christmas celebration this holiday season.  New sculptures are evolving everyday as the season opener of November 12^th draws near. Be sure to check out all of the action LIVE.

Take a underwater tour of the Gulf of Mexico as you become a passenger in an iced out submarine. Gaze into the large portholes and observe beautiful marine life such as tropical fish and vibrant corals from the Flower Garden Banks Marine Sanctuary. As you ascend to the surface get ready for the ride of your life as you glide down the giant Oil Rig Ice Slide on your complimentary Moody Gardens parka provided for this unique experience!

You can still reserve a personal behind-the-scenes tour of this year’s ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures, A Caribbean Christmas so don’t miss out! Be frozen in awe as you witness the ice carvers transform huge blocks of ice into magnificent towering sculptures. Next, you will be escorted to the Aquarium Pyramid for a Penguin Encounter during which you get to meet a real penguin!  This is followed by an authentic Chinese lunch accompanied by a Q&A session with the master ice carvers themselves!  This $199 per person package also includes a Penguin Art painting by a Moody Gardens penguin and a ticket to visit ICE LAND and Festival of Lights once these attractions are completed and open for the holiday season. For reservations, please call 409-683-4368. (Reservations are required one week in advance. Prepayment is required at the time of your reservation. This package is discounted to $179 for Moody Gardens members).

Buy your tickets in advance as they are now on sale! Check out our Facebook page to retrieve the Early Bird Promo Code to receive $5 off holiday Day Passes. The holiday season at Moody Gardens will kick off on November 12, 2016 and run through January 8, 2017.

It’s been just a few weeks since their arrival and the CAA Harbin Ruijing Carving Team has already completed Scene 2 of this year’s ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures, A Caribbean Christmas and Shivers Ice Bar! Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy this cool attraction with a Moody Gardens flare as its grand opening will kick off on November 12th.

In this part of your journey you will encounter a sunken ship, buried treasure, a lighthouse, beautiful tropical fish and corals on your way to the ultimate Caribbean destination for the holiday season!

Moody Gardens is also offering an Ice Carver VIP Experience with a behind-the-scenes tour of these skilled carvers transforming these huge blocks of ice into magnificent towering ice sculptures. Next, you will be escorted to the Aquarium Pyramid for a Penguin Encounter during which you get to meet a real penguin!  This is followed by an authentic Chinese lunch accompanied by a Q&A session with the master ice carvers themselves!  This $199 per person package also includes a Penguin Art painting by a Moody Gardens penguin and a ticket to visit ICE LAND and Festival of Lights once these attractions are completed and open for the holiday season. For reservations, please call 409-683-4368. (Reservations are required one week in advance. Prepayment is required at the time of your reservation. This package is discounted to $179 for Moody Gardens members).

You can watch all of the action live on our webcam.

Buy your tickets in advance as they are now on sale! The holiday season at Moody Gardens will kick off on November 12, 2016 and run through January 8, 2017.

Moody Gardens has a whole bunch of animals ranging from Madagascar jumping rats to giant Amazon River Otters but only one of our animals has been with us the longest. Cookie, our Sulfur Crested Cockatoo, has the distinct honor of being the longest resident on property.

Before we get into Cookie’s story here is some general background information on his species. Sulfur crested cockatoos, Cacatua galerita, are native to Australia, New Guinea, and some of the islands of Indonesia. The species conservation status is currently listed as least concern meaning that their numbers are healthy in the wild and they do not currently face the threat of extinction.

Cookie arrived at The Moody Gardens Education Department, then called Seaside Safari, in 1988 and has been here ever since. For the 28 years Cookie, who is at least 33 years old, has been here he has been an animal ambassador. Animal ambassadors represent their counterparts in educating our guests about animal biology and conservation.  These animals are not usually viewable to the general public, as their appearance for special programs is by reservation only.  The animal keepers work with the ambassador animals for presentations and events such as camps, sleepovers, birthday parties and a wide array of learning opportunities through our education department.

You can get a chance to get up close with Cookie and learn more about him and our many other animals on property by checking out one of our education programs. To get all the details and to book your own party click here!

It’s been less than two weeks since their arrival and the CAA Harbin Ruijing Carving Team has already completed the all-new Shivers Ice Bar, the only bar made completely out of ice in the Lone Star State and beyond! Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy this cool attraction with a Texas flare when ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures, A Caribbean Christmas opens to the public on November 12th.

Those 21 and up are invited to take a break from their aquatic journey and cozy up to the bar for some cool holiday spirits provided by Texas Tail Vodka as well as other beverages that will be offered. For those who may not be familiar this company hails from Alvin, TX and has truly set the standard for premium signature alcohol. Texas Tail Vodka was created in 2007 by two men who met at a field party looking to create a hand-crafted spirit made in Texas for Texans. After three years of finding the perfect blend of wheat and corn the local men knew they had set the standards for the best Texas vodka! Cheers to an amazing holiday season with friends and family!

Moody Gardens is also offering a new Ice Carver VIP Experience daily through November 6. This behind-the-scenes tour offers special access to see the CAA Harbin Ruijing Carving Team of master ice carvers from Harbin, China as they transform 2 million pounds of ice into magnificent towering ice sculptures. Next, you will be escorted to the Aquarium Pyramid for a Penguin Encounter during which you get to meet a real penguin! This is followed by an authentic Chinese lunch accompanied by a A&A session with members of the ice carving team. This $199 per person package also includes a Penguin Art painting by a Moody Gardens Penguin and a ticket to visit ICE LAND and Festival of Lights once these attractions are completed and open for the holiday season. For reservations, please call 409-683-4368. (Reservations are required one week in advance. Prepayments are required at the time of your reservation. This package is discounted to $179 per person for Moody Gardens Members).

You can watch all of the action live on our webcam.

Buy your tickets in advance as they are now on sale! The holiday season at Moody Gardens will kick off on November 12, 2016 and run through January 8, 2017.

With a little over a month before opening day of this year’s ICE LAND: Ice Sculptures, A Caribbean Christmas the CAA Harbin Ruijing Carving Team has already completed the towering Aquarium Pyramid within Scene One of your aquatic adventure!  Be one of the first to check it out in person by booking an Ice Carver V.I.P. Experience to see the ice carvers in action as they create this amazing art ice endeavor.

We don’t want to ruin all the surprises, but the CAA Harbin Ruijing Carving Team has set the stage for a dramatic welcome as you enter ICE LAND to see Scene One. The main entrance to this unique ice attraction features a replica of the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid along with a vibrant color wall that reads, “Moody Gardens, A Caribbean Christmas.” Currently in progress is a replica of the R/V Manta, the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary research vessel. The 82-foot, high-speed Teknicraft catamaran is used primarily as a research platform, conducting research and monitoring activities in the waters of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, but mostly within sanctuary boundaries. Guests will climb aboard this ice structure to begin their aquatic journey to their Caribbean destination for the holiday!

For the first time ever, Moody Gardens is offering an opportunity of lifetime as you can receive a personal behind-the-scenes tour of these master artists transforming these huge blocks of ice into magnificent towering ice sculptures. Next, you will be escorted to the Aquarium Pyramid for a Penguin Encounter during which you get to meet a real penguin!  This is followed by an authentic Chinese lunch accompanied by a Q&A session with the master ice carvers themselves!  This $199 per person package also includes a Penguin Art painting by a Moody Gardens penguin and a ticket to visit ICE LAND and Festival of Lights once these attractions are completed and open for the holiday season. For reservations, please call 409-683-4368. (Reservations are required one week in advance. Prepayment is required at the time of your reservation. This package is discounted to $179 for Moody Gardens members).

You can watch all of the action live by our webcam.

The holiday season at Moody Gardens will kick off on November 12, 2016 and run through January 8, 2017.

Galveston Appreciation Day is October 16! In addition to inviting people that work and live on the island to come to Moody Gardens for free admission to various attractions, we are excited to offer a plant giveaway!

For the past seven years Moody Gardens has given away over 7,000 plants to people looking to add a little island flair to their yards and homes. For this year’s Galveston Appreciation Day we have 2,000 plants up for grabs! We will be giving away Washington Fan Palms, Date Palms, Sago Palms and Mexican Oleanders. In order to grow that many plants over the years the Moody Gardens ground crew collects seedlings from all around property and brings them to our onsite Nursery Holding Yards. Our Nursery Holding Yards are made up of green houses and storage tents that are tended to by an employee named Poncho who weeds, prunes, fertilizes, and waters the plants.

In addition to Galveston Appreciation Day, we also donate compost, mulch and some plants to schools, churches, and other non-profits in the area.

If you live or work on the island and would like to have a palm tree or oleander for your own yard, register online here! Palms can be redeemed on property from 11:00 a.m. through 2:00 p.m. on October 16.