A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS AT THE GAYLORD OPRYLAND
Gaylord Opryland’s “A Country Christmas” is a Nashville holiday tradition with ICE!, Tubing, holiday lights, musicals and more! Here’s a look at A Country Christmas by the numbers…
• 3 million holiday lights
• 15,000 poinsettias
• 15 miles of green garland
• 10 miles of hand-tied, red ribbon
• 48-foot-tall Christmas tree
• 2+ million pounds of ice for ICE! attraction
• Nearly 7,000 giant blocks of colored and clear ice
• 40 ice artisans
It’s Christmas season at Gaylord Opry which is one of my very favorite holiday traditions. If you’re making plans to travel to Nashville around Christmas or a local looking for things to do, one of the most sought after is celebrating Christmas at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Hotel. It is one of the most beautiful and magical moments you can experience. WE go EVERY single year. I scoured their website for detailed info paired with my local knowledge. I’m going to tell you everything you need to know to ensure your 1st (or 27th) visit exceeds your expectations and more!
Outside ICE!: Tubing, Ice Skating, and More!
We haven’t experienced this part yet but we have been dying to go. We always pass by when we see it walking into Ice! There is tubing down a 15 foot high, four lane tubing hill. Side note you must be minimum 42 inches tall to ride. There is also ice skating on a 9,000 square foot outdoor rink.
Swimming in Winter: SWINTER at SoundWaves!
Since Soundwaves indoor/outdoor water park has opened, it has amazing. It looks like an an oasis when you walk in and you can never run out of things to do. There are beautiful plants and garden-esque decor in the walls and designs. The temperature stays at 84 degrees year round and the glass roof helps you get your dose of vitamin D even if you’re inside. My favorites are the lazy river and uptempo river but the waterpark also includes multiple slides and toddler-friendly play areas, and more! We have visited their amazing waterpark twice now, once in the summer and then once during the fall, and it exceeded our exceptions and more! Both of our children (and the adults, too) had a great experience. Whether you’re into fast-paced thrilling rides, or just like to lounge down the lazy river and kick your feet up, there’s something made for everyone!
Also you can still visit the hotel without being a hotel guest. They have tons of convenient parking, depending on how much you want to spend. One of the most popular places to park when going to ICE! or just visiting the hotel for fun, is to park for FREE at the Opry Mills Mall in the parking lot (if you’re willing to walk a little!).
The main attraction where most guests enter to see the Christmas joy is the Delta Atrium and the Cascades Atrium. There are Christmas lights everywhere so there’s no way you can’t be in the Christmas spirit. Another fun thing to experience is the Delta Riverboat Christmas Cruise for a 15 minute tour of the quarter mile river in the Delta Atrium.
Inside the Hotel: Greenery, Decor, Food, and more
Now for the biggest and probably best part of it all: the hotel. The Gaylord Opryland is a huge, gorgeous, and super fun hotel and resort that will be fun for the whole family. As stated on their website, “Situated in the heart of Nashville, our luxury hotel allows you to hit all the high notes of Music City both in the area and under our roof. You can add on Soundwaves admission at a discounted rate. The hotel is directly beside the Grand Ole Opry as you can catch a show and take a shuttle. The hotel has waterfalls and an oasis of luscious gardens in addition to a full-service spa. What about restaurants? Well they have steak, Mexican, Italian and Japanese restaurants in addition to a frozen yogurt or gelato dessert.
Outdoor Decor: Lights, Horse Carriages, and the True Meaning of Christmas
When we come to see the lights we also venture outside for their outdoor nativity scene and to watch all the horse drawn carriage rides. Carriage rides are approximately 12 minutes in length.