Joe Louis orders a cold drink on the rocks

 

Bars come in many forms. There are karaoke bars with phonebook sized selections of songs. There are rodeo bars with mechanical bulls begging you to challenge them. There are jazz bars for those cool enough to be hep cats.

As a fan of nightlife I love a good bar gimmick. When I heard of ice bars, I was all in. Talk about a chill night out! I went with a couple of friends in town. Although there is a fully functional bar to take advantage of, the real fun lies in the gimmick. The animal sculptures made of ice, benches made of ice, an ice “fireplace”. And for some reason there was a chest full of goofy hats.

What better way to cool off than a nice cocktail inside an igloo?!

Queenstown, New Zealand

 

Choices
There are two ice bars in Queenstown. They each advertise itself as better than the other, but in the end they are comparable. Go where your friends are going or just flip a coin.

Plan ahead
Book through an activity website and save yourself $20-$30. Don’t worry if you’re dressed for summer; a warm coat is provided upon entry.

An interactive bar
Getting a drink is only a small part of the fun. Take funny pictures posed with ice sculptures, play ice hockey on a table made of ice, and try out the ice luge.

A smashing good time
What’s the best part of drinking cups made of ice? Easy clean up. On your way out of the bar smash the glass in the rubbish bin. Cheers!

 

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Resources

Minus Five Ice Bar: http://www.minus5icebar.com/

Below Zero Ice Bar: http://www.belowzeroicebar.co.nz/