An Opryland Christmas Extravaganza
Most everyone likes Christmas lights, right? There are Christmas light displays at people's homes, businesses, city and county parks, malls and hotels. Me? I'm a big fan. So when I realized that we would be driving by the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville right after Christmas last year, I decided it was high time that I experienced their display in all it's glory. Billed as a "lavish holiday display, with more than 2 million twinkling lights" Opryland is Christmas central in Nashville. Not only can you see the lights, you can see a Dr. Seuss musical, go tubing in real snow, ice skate on an outdoor rink, see The Gatlin Brothers in a christmas musical, slide down a slide carved from two million pounds of ice, and take a carriage ride around the grounds and through the lights. Whew!
We were driving home from Colorado and would be hitting the road again in the morning, so it would have to be just a quick look at the lights for me. But beautiful lights they are!
Some tips for visiting Opryland at Christmas -
- There is a $20.00 charge to self -park! This is not just at Christmas but year round. You can avoid this by parking at the Opry Mills Mall behind the hotel or by finding a place to park across the street from the hotel (restaurants and other hotels mainly) and walking there. You can also valet park and they will validate your parking if you spend $20 at one of the restaurants inside the hotel. I would suggest advance reservations if this is the route you're going.
- Be prepared for swarms of people. Like Disneyland at Christmas, bump into you, swarms of people. We were there after Christmas on a weeknight and it was so crowded. Come to find out that there was a bowl game going on during that time - the Music City Bowl - and that was part of the crowd. I'm not sure how to avoid the crowds unless you go in November on a weeknight possibly.
- This year the lights run from November 11 through January 1
- Of course, all the above mentioned activities aren't free - except the lights. Almost all of the other things to do include a fee and sometimes advance ticket purchase.
How about you? Have you been to see the Opryland Hotel at Christmas? Or maybe it's sister properties in Orlando, Texas or Washington DC?
This post is part of a link-up with: Travel Photo Thursday at Budget Travelers Sandbox, The Weekly Postcard at Travel Notes and Beyond, Weekend Travel Inspiration at Reflections Enroute and The Weekend Wanderlust Travel Blog Party!
We were driving home from Colorado and would be hitting the road again in the morning, so it would have to be just a quick look at the lights for me. But beautiful lights they are!
Some tips for visiting Opryland at Christmas -
- There is a $20.00 charge to self -park! This is not just at Christmas but year round. You can avoid this by parking at the Opry Mills Mall behind the hotel or by finding a place to park across the street from the hotel (restaurants and other hotels mainly) and walking there. You can also valet park and they will validate your parking if you spend $20 at one of the restaurants inside the hotel. I would suggest advance reservations if this is the route you're going.
- Be prepared for swarms of people. Like Disneyland at Christmas, bump into you, swarms of people. We were there after Christmas on a weeknight and it was so crowded. Come to find out that there was a bowl game going on during that time - the Music City Bowl - and that was part of the crowd. I'm not sure how to avoid the crowds unless you go in November on a weeknight possibly.
- This year the lights run from November 11 through January 1
- Of course, all the above mentioned activities aren't free - except the lights. Almost all of the other things to do include a fee and sometimes advance ticket purchase.
How about you? Have you been to see the Opryland Hotel at Christmas? Or maybe it's sister properties in Orlando, Texas or Washington DC?
This post is part of a link-up with: Travel Photo Thursday at Budget Travelers Sandbox, The Weekly Postcard at Travel Notes and Beyond, Weekend Travel Inspiration at Reflections Enroute and The Weekend Wanderlust Travel Blog Party!
Those are very pretty lights! $20 parking fee is pretty steep and those sorts of things are annoying, so the mall tip is helpful. It seems everything holiday related that's nice is always crowded, I guess because the enjoyment period is so finite!
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for holiday lights so I'm one of those visiting even if it's crowded ha ha! Their lights are beautiful at Opryland - I forgot to find out how long it takes them to work the display. Thanks for visiting, Eileen!
DeleteWhoaaaa! What a display. I see why it gets so many visitors. Thanks for the parking tips. $20 dollars is quite a bit but they need to make money in one way or another. #TPThursday
ReplyDeleteYea, I think the $20 is for those that come year round to just look around and not stay or eat. It's an incredible property but I bet the overhead is astronomical.Thanks for visiting, Ruth!
DeleteI've never visited Opryland, but this makes me want to go at Christmas time. The lights are spectacular! I might be visiting Nashville next Fall, but now I wish it was at Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI'd always heard that it was pretty spectacular (and I had been to Opryland at other times) but I had no idea of the grand scale of it all. It is something to see! You'll still enjoy Nashville in the fall, if you go. It's one of my top 5 cities. Thanks for visiting The Unpaved Road!
DeleteI love Christmas lights and I love country music so this is perfect for me. Hope to experience it one day. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on both, Anisa! Thanks for visiting!
DeleteI always like the display of lights at Christmas time. They make me feel like a child again and make life seem more joyful. #TheWeeklyPostcard
ReplyDeleteMe too! Thanks for visiting!
DeleteThat's a lot of lights. Quite impressive but I'm not a fan of crowds.
ReplyDeleteI used to think that I didn't mind crowds but the older I get, the more I find that's not true. I wasn't expecting the magnitude of the crowds we found here - and I'm blaming it on the bowl game being played then. I'm hoping that it's calm the rest of the holiday season - or at least on weeknights! Thanks for visiting, Rhonda!
DeleteWow! Looks beautiful! The one time I visited Nashville I was there for half a day and my mom wanted to see this because she said it was pretty cool, but we didn't have time. Looks like its even better at Christmas! #WeekendWanderlust
ReplyDelete(www.caliglobetrotter.wordpress.com)
It is something to see, though there is so much to see and do in Nashville! Hope you make it there on your next visit - or at Christmas! Thanks for visiting The Unpaved Road!
DeleteBeautiful! I love your Christmas lights photos especially the scene where the lights are twinkling their reflections in the water. Thanks for linking up with #wkendtravelinspiration!
ReplyDeleteThannks Jim! And thanks for the link-up!
DeleteThese are gorgeous! I went by a beautiful display here in Seoul the other night. I was in a taxi, so I couldn't get any photos. I need to go back with my camera. Thanks for linking up this week. #TPThursday
ReplyDeleteLove me some Christmas lights! And I love seeing displays in different cities! Thanks for visiting The Unpaved Road!
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