When you come to Nashville, you’ll want to split your time between the Opryland area and downtown. The Gaylord Opryland Resort is always a magnificent place to stay with over 2800 rooms, but if you visit over the Christmas and New Years season, you’ll be treated to an amazing experience for the entire family. It’s been called one of the “Ten Great Places to catch up with Santa” by USA today and named one of the top ten places in the world to spend Christmas by Travel and Leisure Magazine.  A Country Christmas features more than 2 million lights and more than a dozen shows and attractions including, ICE featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles Schulz and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Radio city Rockettes, plus Louise Mandrall’s Joy to the World Christmas dinner and show, and A Country Christmas on the Cumberland.  In addition to the Christmas themed attractions and shows, you’ll want to see a performance at the legendary Grand Ole Opry, which is held at its original Ryman Auditorium location during the holidays, line dance at the Wildhorse Saloon, and board the General Jackson Showboat.   On board the world’s largest showboat, you’ll be treated to a four course dinner and fantastic show taking you through the history of country music in the glittering two-story Victorian theater.   The Gaylord Opryland makes getting around really easy with a shuttle to the Grand Ole Opry, Opry Mills, the General Jackson Showboat, and downtown to the Wildhorse Saloon as well as to and from the airport.

For New Years Eve, after our phenomenal dinner at The Capitol Grille inside the Hermitage Hotel, (I’ll tell you about it in my next entry) we split our time between downtown and the Opryland.  The Wildhorse Saloon featured live music by Ira Dean and J.C. Anderson, silk aerialist performers, a strolling magician, and stilt walkers.  There was so much more to do downtown at all of the bars and clubs, even a free concert outside the Hard Rock Café with a guitar drop at midnight, but we decided to head back to the warm Gaylord Opryland and hit the party at Fuse, Nashville’s only Vegas-style nightclub and the Triple Dance Party which was held in their large ballroom and featured a dance floor surrounded by three stages of non-stop music including an 80’s band, country band and Top 40 dance band.   For the families with children, there were free activities at the Delta Island Party, including face painting, music, and the Brightest Star Fountain Show.  After a night full of entertainment and partying, what could be better than New Years Day brunch at the Waters Edge buffet in the Delta Atrium?  The buffet, which is open year round, had an omelet station, oatmeal, a selection of fresh fruit and pastries, a carving station, and many other treats to ensure no one left hungry.

So while the Gaylord Opryland is extra special around the holiday season, it should be a definite anytime of the year if you’ve never been.