HOLIDAY TRAVEL: What Makes Christmas at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville So Special

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 most beautiful and magical moments you can experience. WE go EVERY single year from the time Keatyn was a baby. 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!

November 10, 2023 – January 1, 2024:

CHRISTMAS AT THE GAYLORD OPRYLAND

Christmas at the Gaylord Opryland is a Nashville holiday tradition with ICE! featuring The Polar Express, Ice Tubing, holiday lights, Ginger Bread Decorating, musicals and more! Here’s a look at Christmas at Gaylord Opryland 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 from Harbin, China 

The ICE! 2023/2024 Theme Is….

What is the big reveal for 2023… drum roll please…​​​​​​​This year’s ICE! theme is the one and only: The Polar Express! The American classic “The Polar Express” is carved into 2 million pounds of colorful ice sculptures! With a train cart you can actually go inside, displays of the iconic “Hot Chocolate” scene, and more! It’s a cool 9 degrees inside, but our signature blue parkas are warm and toasty. Step into a winter wonderland carved by expert artisans out of 2 million pounds of colorful ice in this Gaylord Hotels original experience!

Tickets are available HERE

Outside ICE!: Tubing, Ice Skating, and More!

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. Both are $18.99 per person. * For more info on all the fun activities going on including time slots, pricing, and more, visit HERE

Swimming in Winter: SWINTER at SoundWaves!

Soundwaves indoor/outdoor water park opened this year and let me tell you it’s 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 votamin 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 Keatyn and Charlie (and the adults, too) had a great experience. I talked a lot about it on my Instagram which you may have seen (if not, head over to my “highlights” section and look for the TRAVEL highlight!). 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!

For more info on all of their attractions, pricing, and more, visit https://www.soundwavesgo.com/

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 disocunted rate. The hotel is directly beside the Grand Ole Opry aso you can catch a show and take a shutte. The hotel has waterfalls and an oasis of luscious gardens in additon 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.

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 ($32/day self-parking or $40 valet). 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!). You can of course also take public transportation (EX: bus, Uber, Lyft, etc.).

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. Price of admission is $14.00/adults and $12.00/children.

The Rooms:

If you are a hotel guest, let’s chat rooms. Having the in-laws in town, we opted for a big suite fit for the whole family! They have a variety of rooms ranging from your classic 1-2 bed rooms all the way to deluxe suites. Prices vary depending on room selection, dates, and more. With outstanding views and wonderful accommodations it’s a MUST in Nashville.

For more information on room bookings and hotel accommodations, visit https://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-rooms/bnago-gaylord-opryland-resort-and-convention-center#m-guest-room-container

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. Price per ride is $10.99 – all ages.

Ok I hope I covered it and if you have any questions feel free to email me, comment on here or find me on Instagram. We love making Gaylord Opry a part of our holiday traditions and I know you will too.

For a full list of all Christmas Gaylord Opryland activities including times, locations, pricing, and more, visit: https://tickets.gaylordopryland.com/?_ga=2.187722728.1945393437.1574869936-401569676.1574869936

Have you celebrated Christmas at the Gaylord Opryland? Share in a comment below!