Nashville shines for the holidays

Gaylord Opryland Hotel

By Rhonda Osborne

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, and nothing gets me in the spirit more than Nashville’s many holiday events. If you’re looking for family-friendly holiday travel destination, I highly recommend Nashville.

This year my first stop is at Gaylord Opryland Hotel for The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the world-famous Radio City Rockettes. This live production has amazing costumes, lighting and holiday scenery, as well as a cast and crew of nearly 100 members performing such favorites as “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” and the “Living Nativity.”

Jeannie Schulz, wife of the late Charles Schulz, cheers on Charlie Brown and Snoopy at ICE! featuring A Charlie Brown Christmas at Gaylord Oprland Resorts "A Country Christmas." (Photo: Aaron Crisler)

I then head over to Opry Plaza at the Gaylord for ICE!, an ice sculpture exhibit, which, this year, is done in the theme of A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Another must-see is the Festival of Lights at the Wilson County Fairgrounds, a driving tour that includes hundreds of thousands of lights, animation, beautiful lighted scenes, and many more displays. One of my favorite scenes is the Grinch in Fiddlers Grove Jail.

My favorite part of the holiday events in Nashville is by far the annual Nashville Christmas parade and tree lighting in downtown Nashville. Festivities begin with the lighting of the Nashville Christmas tree at the public square, then comes fireworks and the parade, with floats ranging from nutcracker to castles. With the many restaurants and hotels located downtown, you can easily make a night of this. Within walking distance to Broadway, where the parade runs, are the Sheraton Nashville Downtown, Doubletree Hotel Nashville, Hilton Nashville Downtown, and the Courtyard by Marriott Nashville, which all have great accommodations for holiday travel to Nashville.

A Turn of the Century Christmas (Photo: Sam Davis Home and Museum)

From the A Turn of the Century Christmas at the Sam Davis Home and Museum to the Victorian Masquerade Christmas at Belle Meade Plantation, there is something for everyone in the family to enjoy.

And don’t think the festivities end on Christmas — the Music City Bowl takes place Dec. 27 at LP Field. This holiday tradition has been taking place in Nashville since 1998, bringing in fans from all over the country. And you won’t want to miss the New Year’s Eve Street Party downtown on Lower Broad in front of Hard Rock Café,
which will feature great live music, fireworks and a guitar drop at midnight. Trust me, when it comes to holiday travel, I think Nashville has a lot to offer.

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