Huge one-of-a-kind Christmas ice sculptures, a high-kicking night of festive fun with the world-famous Rockettes, a holiday meal with country legend Louise Mandrell and an evening carriage ride to see the bright lights and life-size outdoor nativity scene.
A Country Christmas celebration includes the ICE display where the theme is the Grinch. With a ticket upgrade, you can meet the Grinch, skip the long lines and get a hot chocolate after touring the icy display. Shown visiting with the Grinch are: Angela Gary, Jake Myler and Sarah Gary.
‘A Country Christmas’: Magical celebration in Nashville
The sights and sounds of the Christmas season come to life at Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tenn., for the 25th annual “A Country Christmas” celebration. With millions of sparkling lights at the huge hotel, huge ornately decorated trees and an outdoor nativity display, it really is a Christmas wonderland. It’s magical and you can’t help but smile and get in the holiday spirit as soon as you enter the lobby.
While there are lots of holiday travel destinations in our area, Gaylord’s “A Country Christmas” is without a doubt the top choice for seasonal fun. Just a few of the reasons include that it’s just a few hours drive away and the affordable packages that combine the hotel stay and tickets.
Another plus is that you don’t have to leave the resort grounds and a hotel shuttle takes you to the different areas on the complex and even into the downtown area. And there are lots of events that appeal to people of all ages — from toddlers to senior citizens. These are just a few reasons “A Country Christmas” is the top choice for a holiday destination. Even the Travel Channel called Gaylord Opryland Resort “the most Christmassy hotel in the nation.”
“A Country Christmas” is offered at the hotel through Jan. 4. Among the highlights during our stay was the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes. No matter how many times I see it, I am always fascinated by the “Parade of the Wooden Soliders.” It has been performed by Rockettes since 1933 and continues to be a favorite part of the show for many. The precision and perfection of the dancers is simply amazing.
We also enjoyed our visit to the “ICE!” display. It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind display with over 1.5 million pounds of ice. The winter wonderland has the Grinch as its theme and many of the scenes from the classic Christmas tale are included. ICE also features slides for kids and adults, as well as a nativity scene. Be sure to take the blue parka offered at the door as it is an average of 8 degrees inside the ICE display.
We also had a wonderful evening at the “Joy to the World” Louise Mandrell Christmas Dinner Party. This spectacular dinner show featuring holiday musical performances makes for a fun evening at the hotel. Louise has a wonderful voice and plays a variety of instruments, including a guitar, drums and accordion. Mandrell is known for her comedy and this was featured in a scene with “Lou the Mailman.”
While at the Gaylord Hotel, you can spend hours just wandering through the hotel and checking out all of the wonderful holiday displays. My nephew and I did just that during our four-day stay at the hotel. I lost count with how many times he said, “This is so beautiful.” There are also so many great photo spots in the hotel, that you are sure to capture a shot that will look great on your Christmas cards.
A life-size nativity scene is located just outside the lobby. Huge trees, wreaths and festive decorations and millions of lights are everywhere you look. Go both during the day and night. During the day, you can see all of the details in the display. At dark, it becomes a special spot with lights. For a great view, take a carriage ride.
Be sure to also take a boat ride through the hotel in the Delta area. Lush tropical plants and waterfalls are located along the river – all inside the hotel. With more than 50,000 tropical plants, rare international blooms and romantic Southern species, the horticultural displays at Gaylord Opryland are among the most exquisite in the world. It’s a beautiful place to visit any time of the year. Each of the gardens is housed under one of the hotel's soaring atriums, creating a series of breathtaking horticultural wonderlands.
A special feature at the hotel during the holidays is the “Winter Wonderland” area where you will find the “Treasures for the Holiday” craft show, a Hall of Trees exhibit, train rides for the kids and photos with Santa. This “Winter Wonderland” also has elves who help youngsters decorate gingerbread houses. We had a great time topping our gingerbread house with plenty of white icing and hard candy.
The rooms at the hotel are spacious and you should definitely get one with a garden view. Sitting on the balcony overlooking the gardens is wonderful. It’s relaxing to order room service to enjoy on the balcony or just sit back and watch the crowd below.
RESTAURANTS, SHOPPING
You really don’t have to leave the resort it offers plenty of shopping and restaurants inside the hotel. Everything from hamburgers to steak to pizza can be found at the restaurants in the hotel.
We had the most wonderful meal at Cascades Seafood Restaurant. Steak, tuna and sea bass are all wonderful choices. Appetizers to try include the fish dip and smoked oysters. Both are a real treat. A kids menu is also offered.
The setting at Cascades is magical and literally sparkles as the sound of flowing water surrounds every table. During the holidays, the restaurant is a great place to check out the new Rockabilly Christmas show. While dining, you are entertained with Christmas classic tunes of the 1950s. A live band, dancing girls, floating icebergs and Santa’s lost sleigh are located in the waters of the Cascades Atrium. Be sure to check the schedule to see when performances are held.
Another great dining choice at the hotel is Water’s Edge Marketplace Buffet. The menu changes daily and includes dishes from around the world. The desserts are also wonderful so be sure and save room to try at least one of them. The restaurant is conveniently located at the Delta Atrium along the indoor Delta River, teaming with fish and ducks.
For information on packages or to purchase tickets, go to www.ChristmasatGaylordOpryland.com. You can also call toll free 1-888-999-OPRY with any questions or to make reservations during the Christmas or any time of the year. Year round for information on Gaylord Opryland, go to www.gaylordorpyland.com.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
While there are lots of holiday travel destinations in our area, Gaylord’s “A Country Christmas” is without a doubt the top choice for seasonal fun. Just a few of the reasons include that it’s just a few hours drive away and the affordable packages that combine the hotel stay and tickets.
Another plus is that you don’t have to leave the resort grounds and a hotel shuttle takes you to the different areas on the complex and even into the downtown area. And there are lots of events that appeal to people of all ages — from toddlers to senior citizens. These are just a few reasons “A Country Christmas” is the top choice for a holiday destination. Even the Travel Channel called Gaylord Opryland Resort “the most Christmassy hotel in the nation.”
“A Country Christmas” is offered at the hotel through Jan. 4. Among the highlights during our stay was the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes. No matter how many times I see it, I am always fascinated by the “Parade of the Wooden Soliders.” It has been performed by Rockettes since 1933 and continues to be a favorite part of the show for many. The precision and perfection of the dancers is simply amazing.
We also enjoyed our visit to the “ICE!” display. It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind display with over 1.5 million pounds of ice. The winter wonderland has the Grinch as its theme and many of the scenes from the classic Christmas tale are included. ICE also features slides for kids and adults, as well as a nativity scene. Be sure to take the blue parka offered at the door as it is an average of 8 degrees inside the ICE display.
We also had a wonderful evening at the “Joy to the World” Louise Mandrell Christmas Dinner Party. This spectacular dinner show featuring holiday musical performances makes for a fun evening at the hotel. Louise has a wonderful voice and plays a variety of instruments, including a guitar, drums and accordion. Mandrell is known for her comedy and this was featured in a scene with “Lou the Mailman.”
While at the Gaylord Hotel, you can spend hours just wandering through the hotel and checking out all of the wonderful holiday displays. My nephew and I did just that during our four-day stay at the hotel. I lost count with how many times he said, “This is so beautiful.” There are also so many great photo spots in the hotel, that you are sure to capture a shot that will look great on your Christmas cards.
A life-size nativity scene is located just outside the lobby. Huge trees, wreaths and festive decorations and millions of lights are everywhere you look. Go both during the day and night. During the day, you can see all of the details in the display. At dark, it becomes a special spot with lights. For a great view, take a carriage ride.
Be sure to also take a boat ride through the hotel in the Delta area. Lush tropical plants and waterfalls are located along the river – all inside the hotel. With more than 50,000 tropical plants, rare international blooms and romantic Southern species, the horticultural displays at Gaylord Opryland are among the most exquisite in the world. It’s a beautiful place to visit any time of the year. Each of the gardens is housed under one of the hotel's soaring atriums, creating a series of breathtaking horticultural wonderlands.
A special feature at the hotel during the holidays is the “Winter Wonderland” area where you will find the “Treasures for the Holiday” craft show, a Hall of Trees exhibit, train rides for the kids and photos with Santa. This “Winter Wonderland” also has elves who help youngsters decorate gingerbread houses. We had a great time topping our gingerbread house with plenty of white icing and hard candy.
The rooms at the hotel are spacious and you should definitely get one with a garden view. Sitting on the balcony overlooking the gardens is wonderful. It’s relaxing to order room service to enjoy on the balcony or just sit back and watch the crowd below.
RESTAURANTS, SHOPPING
You really don’t have to leave the resort it offers plenty of shopping and restaurants inside the hotel. Everything from hamburgers to steak to pizza can be found at the restaurants in the hotel.
We had the most wonderful meal at Cascades Seafood Restaurant. Steak, tuna and sea bass are all wonderful choices. Appetizers to try include the fish dip and smoked oysters. Both are a real treat. A kids menu is also offered.
The setting at Cascades is magical and literally sparkles as the sound of flowing water surrounds every table. During the holidays, the restaurant is a great place to check out the new Rockabilly Christmas show. While dining, you are entertained with Christmas classic tunes of the 1950s. A live band, dancing girls, floating icebergs and Santa’s lost sleigh are located in the waters of the Cascades Atrium. Be sure to check the schedule to see when performances are held.
Another great dining choice at the hotel is Water’s Edge Marketplace Buffet. The menu changes daily and includes dishes from around the world. The desserts are also wonderful so be sure and save room to try at least one of them. The restaurant is conveniently located at the Delta Atrium along the indoor Delta River, teaming with fish and ducks.
For information on packages or to purchase tickets, go to www.ChristmasatGaylordOpryland.com. You can also call toll free 1-888-999-OPRY with any questions or to make reservations during the Christmas or any time of the year. Year round for information on Gaylord Opryland, go to www.gaylordorpyland.com.
Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.
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