With the opening of Florida’s first snow park, Snowcat Ridge, Floridians will no longer have to travel up north to experience a snow day.

Stationed in Dade City, Snowcat Ridge features a 60-foot-tall, 400-foot-long snow tubing hill for single, tandem, and family-style tubing, as well as a 1000-square-foot snow dome called the Arctic Igloo.

As Florida’s first and only outdoor snow park, Snowcat Ridge produces enough snow to fill over 10,000 square feet, despite the warm Florida fall and winter weather.

While the snowy slopes are one of the main attractions, the park also has a 10000 square foot snow dome called the Arctic Igloo. Inside is a giant snow play area where visitors can build snowmen and make snowballs out of real snow. The igloo also has a bunny slope for younger riders, designed especially for children three years and younger.

Because the igloo temperature is around 30-degrees Fahrenheit, park administrators suggest guests wear appropriate, warm, water-resistant clothes, including gloves and boots. Because Florida’s normal climate does not offer many days for heavy weather, guests who do not own any winter clothing are able to purchase basic snow gear like hats, gloves, and jackets at the park.

After spending time in the snow, guests can relax in the Alpine Village, which features a holiday market with various local vendors offering food, drinks, shopping, and more. Nearby is also a campfire to roast s’mores in the viewing area, where visitors can watch the nightly snowy slopes music and light show, which starts at sunset, alongside the fire.

Regarding COVID-19, before entering, guests and staff must pass a temperature check. Additionally, the capacity of several attractions is limited to maximize social distancing.

The park is requiring guests to wear a face-covering at all times during the Snowy Slopes and inside the Arctic Igloo. Visitors are not mandated to wear a covering in the Alpine Village if they are socially distancing.

Due to popularity and limited capacity, owners recommend purchasing passes ahead of time to guarantee access to the park.

General admission tickets include a designated two-hour snow tubing session on Snowy Slopes and all-day access to the Arctic Igloo and Alpine Village until closing.

For those wanting to spend more time tubing, there are also unlimited admission passes, allowing guests endless hours on the Snowy Slopes from the moment the park opens.

Depending on the date, general admission tickets start at $24.99 online – five dollars more at the gate –, while unlimited passes start at $59.95. There is also a $14 entry fee per vehicle.

Snowcat Ridge is open on select days at 27839 Saint Joe Road in Dade City, FL 33525. While the park is typically open from three to ten, hours vary by date. For more information and tickets, visit snowcatridge.com.