Gaylord Opryland A Country Christmas is officially underway, following a festive ceremony Thursday night to turn on the iconic hotel’s 2 million holiday lights for the season.
With acres of stunning decorations, dazzling shows and family-friendly activities, A Country Christmas at the 2,882-room resort has become a holiday destination for more than 1 million visitors annually.
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular® starring the Rockettes returns to the Grand Ole Opry House for its 13th and final season in Nashville. America’s #1 holiday show will celebrate the magic of Christmas like never before with an all-new, unforgettable experience as Santa Claus takes center stage with a re-imagined second act featuring technological enhancements and dynamic Rockettes choreography. The Rockettes will dazzle audiences with their iconic eye-high kicks in show-stopping numbers, including the holiday celebration of New York at Christmas as well as classic favorites like Parade of the Wooden Soldiers and The Living Nativity.
Country music powerhouse group RESTLESS HEART is bringing its rich, soaring harmonies to Gaylord Opryland’s A Country Christmas with the all-new A Season of Harmony Dinner Show. Known for chart-toppers like “The Bluest Eyes in Texas,” “I’ll Still Be Loving You,” “Why Does It Have to Be (Wrong or Right)” and “When She Cries,” the band—celebrating 30 years with its five original members—will perform holiday classics and original songs from its new Christmas album as well as favorite hits.
Gaylord Opryland’s signature ICE!™ attraction brings the classic holiday poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ to life in 2 million pounds of colorful ice sculptures carved by 40 artisans from Harbin, China. All new this year is The Frostbite Factory—an interactive area where visitors can watch artisans carving sculptures before their very eyes. Visitors age 21 and up can “chill out” at the new On The Blocks bar at ICE! This new upgrade option includes signature drink samples poured through an ice luge plus a souvenir glass.
We already have been to ICE this year and loved ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas theme this year. My boys, as always, loved sliding down the slide inside ICE! Make sure you bundle up, even with the big blue parka they give you, you still need multiple layers.
For more frozen fun, guests can brave the hills of the new Arctic Plunge Snow Tubing attraction—an extreme six-lane tubing hill covered in 1.5 million pounds of real snow—or go for a yuletide glide at the new 6,000 square-foot outdoor ice rink, complete with private rink-side cabanas and a DJ spinning tunes on the weekends.
This year, this was our favorite part of A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland. My boys couldn’t stop snow tubing and ice skating. It definitely is a fun, family attraction.
Guests will also be able to interact with beloved characters from DreamWorks Animation franchises including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and Madagascar. Highlights include a character-themed feast and sticky fun at Gingy’s Gingerbread Decorating.
Photos with Santa is sure to be a “hit” as Santa himself makes a special stop in Music City. Children can join Santa in his guitar-shaped chair surrounded by giant record albums to share their Christmas wishes.
Toe-tapping performances await audiences on one-of-a-kind Christmas midday and evening cruises down the Cumberland River aboard the General Jackson Showboat—one of the largest showboats in the country.
Delta Riverboat Rides on the resort’s ¼-mile-long indoor river and Carriage Rides offer unique ways to enjoy the holiday lights and decor.
Back for 2014 are favorite FREE activities like the Treasures for the Holidays Craft Show and the Outdoor Nativity with its audio rendition of the biblical story of the birth of Christ.
A Country Christmas has been hailed as one of the “Ten Great Places to Catch up with Santa” by USA Today; “The Most Christmassy Hotel in the Nation” by the Travel Channel’s “Extreme Christmas;” one of the top 10 places to spend Christmas in the world by Travel + Leisure; and a “Nashville treasure” by Southern Living.
Make sure you check out the Christmas packages & deals. It is definitely a Christmas wonderland that you don’t want to miss out on!
Do you know of any discounts for ICE or the snow tubing other than what is on the hotel website? I know some of the other Gaylord hotels are offering living social deals but I didn’t see any for Nashville. We will be there Sunday-Tuesday next week for the state Beta Convention.