Living in Nashville, TN has a ton of perks and one of them is being close to Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Our family has made it a yearly tradition to plan a staycation weekend during the holidays at the hotel. If you have yet to experience Gaylord Opryland during the holidays, you must plan a visit! Here are 5 tips to help you plan an unforgettable, fun filled staycation to Gaylord Opryland Hotel during the holidays!

1. Plan your stay at Opryland Hotel from Friday to Sunday.

There are so many things to do and see at Gaylord Opryland during the holidays that a three-day stay is a must. I also like to head down early on Friday to go shopping at Opry Mills Mall before check-in. Not only do you beat the Nashville traffic but you can grab a new outfit too! There are over 200 stores for you to shop with family dining and entertainment options as well. Some of my favorite stores at Opry Mills are Express, Aerie, American Eagle, and Adidas.

ABraidedBlonde Tip: Bring a Wagon! Not only can your kids hop in for a break, but you can put your bags in there too!

2. Spend all day Saturday checking out the holiday activities.

We spent the entire day doing all the things that Gaylord Opryland has to offer during the holidays. There are so many activities for the entire family. We did the outdoor activities first. We went ice skating, ice tubing, and ice bumper cars! Ice tubing had to be our family’s favorite. Our family enjoyed getting to make our own gingerbread house at the Gingerbread Decorating Corner. Annie enjoyed the icing the most. We continued the fun with the Reindeer Games™ Scavenger Hunt Featuring Rudolph and The Misfit Toys.

I loved hearing the laughter and seeing the smiles of my family while we made these special memories! Gaylord Opryland Hotel knows how to create magical family holiday fun. They offer an array of other activities as well. Check out the entire list here.

ABraidedBlonde Tip: Bring matching PJs for the whole family for the perfect photo op!

3. Check out Mission: Save Christmas featuring Elf™

The inspiration for this unforgettable event was the hit Christmas movie, Elf. Your mission is to journey into Buddy’s world and help save Christmas. You have to complete several interactive activities to help get enough Christmas Cheer. This event is an immersive experience. It is perfect for the ENTIRE family. There are several areas in the event that are perfect for an #ELFie so make sure you take tons of photos.

ABraidedBlonde Tip: When booking your scheduled time for tickets, go between 6 – 7 pm.

4. Check out the restaurants inside the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.

After your family fun-filled day, head over to the Jack Daniels for dinner. Jack Daniels is one of the many places to eat inside the hotel but it is one of our favorites. Before you leave on Sunday, make sure to have brunch at The Falls.

ABraidedBlonde Tip: Make reservations to avoid the long wait times!

5. Take advantage of tons of places for the perfect photo ops.

Gaylord Opryland goes all out when it comes to decorating for the holidays. There are tons of beautiful Christmas lights to see inside and outside. They host nightly tree lighting too. One of the most iconic photo spots is the massive Christmas tree! The Christmas light show is one of my favorites as well.

FAQ:

1. Do we have to stay there to do all the Christmas stuff?

The resort access plan is to manage capacity and crowds on peak dates (weekends) and to ensure an enjoyable experience for overnight guests and event ticketholders. 

At the same time, non-overnight guests and non-ticketholders are welcome to visit weekends by arriving on campus by 2 pm and can stay as long as they like; or can visit anytime Monday-Thursday

ABraidedBlonde Tip: Bring a tripod and use a self-timer to get the perfect family photos!

These are just a few things that you must do during your visit at Gaylord Opryland Hotel during the holidays. Our family looks forward to our stay every year. We can’t wait for next year! If you are ready to book your staycation to Gaylord Opryland Hotel, head on over to their website to book your visit!

Our family also loves to visit Opryland Hotel during the summer as well! Check out my other blog post about our summer stay and activities! Looking for more tips about Nashville, TN or travel? Make sure to follow me on Instagram or TikTok!