Are you celebrating Christmas in Nashville? Will you be visiting during the winter months? If you’re looking to get in the holiday spirit check out some of the best Nashville Christmas events!
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Growing up in Nashville, TN, I have always spent Christmas in Nashville!
Christmas is such a beautiful time of year and I love spending December doing various things to get me in the holiday spirit – and luckily there are no shortage of things to do in Nashville to do just that.
There are tons of Christmas events in Nashville throughout the winter months and I’m going to make sure you know all the best ones to check out!
This post is all about Christmas in Nashville and Nashville Christmas events!
Christmas in Nashville: Nashville Christmas Events!
1. Check out the lights at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel!
One thing I try to do pretty much every year to start getting in the Christmas spirit is go down to the Gaylor Opryland Resort & Convention Center! Whenever tourists ask me things to do, I tell them to literally just go walk around this hotel – and they typically look at me like I’m crazy and ask why they should do that if they aren’t staying there. But let me tell you, almost everyone who grew up in Nashville grew up going to walk around this hotel sometime during the holiday season pretty much every year.
Honestly, the hotel is beautiful any time of year. There are waterfalls, rivers you can take boat rides through, tons of restaurants, shopping, and so much more. This hotel feels like a whole world within itself.
Every year, starting in November, they decorate the entire hotel in the most beautiful Christmas decorations. And the best part? You can check it all out for free!
Outside you’ll see a massive nativity scene and all the surrounding trees are wrapped in lights – literally the hand wrap every single branch. It’s stunning. Then inside you’ll see lights and decorations everywhere you look, from the gardens to the ceilings. There are tons of massive Christmas trees in every room. While you’re walking around checking out the decorations make sure you stop by for one of the fountain lights shows as well!
I always make a point to walk around the Gaylor Opryland Hotel, but one year I decided to do a little staycation as well! Whether you live in Nashville or not, I highly recommend staying there some time. We got a hotel with a balcony, and if you’ve ever been there, you know that the balconies actually open to the inside of the hotel (even though the area it opens up to looks like you’re outside with all the waterfalls, trees, plants, and rivers flowing through).
We ate at the Old Hickory Steakhouse and I highly recommend it! Not only were the food and service great, but the views of the hotel were also wonderful.. and they had such amazing entertainment! Here’s a picture of part of our dinner in Opryland:
It was so fun to walk around, have a really nice dinner, and then be able to head straight back to our hotel room and people-watch from our balcony. Looking at the lights at The Gaylor Opryland Resort is definitely the perfect way to spend Christmas in Nashville!
2.) ICE!
ICE! Is technically a part of the Opryland Hotel, although it is in a separate building – within walking distance. Unlike Opryland Hotel though, you will need a ticket!
Each year they transform the inside of this building into a whole world totally made of ice! You will see some of the most massive ice sculptures you’ve ever seen. Each room is filled with a new scene totally carved out of ice. There are even slides made of ice you can take a ride down! This year’s ICE! theme is Frosty the Snowman.
It probably goes without saying, but make sure you dress warm! It obviously stays pretty cold. They sell drinks, and alcoholic beverages, and have hot chocolate you can partake in either before or after walking through. Right outside the building they also have more “tubing” slides and typically have a fire pit where you can roast marshmallows for making smores!
3.) The Holiday Lights at Cheekwood
Cheekwood is another beautiful place to check out any time of year – but they do a little something special for the holiday season! Starting in late November they create a magical one-mile walk filled with over a million lights.
You can grab tickets in advance for this experience! While you are there to check out the lights make sure to tour the mansion. This year they are having it decorated by Laura Dowling – who was once the florist for the White House.
While you’re there you also will get to enjoy smores, drinks (alcoholic drinks as well!), and check out their Holiday marketplace!
4.) Christmas Cruise on the General Jackson
I love taking dinner cruises – and the General Jackson is a fun one to check out! They actually do them throughout the day as well, from lunch to midday, to evening and dinner cruises… you can find them at various times of the day.
Each year they do a special Christmas cruise around the holiday season. You’ll have food, you’ll have drinks, and you’ll enjoy a wonderful show full of Christmas music! Check out their website for more details on times and tickets!
5.) Go See The Opry Country Christmas Show
Starting December 1st, The Opry puts on 10 special nights leading up to Christmas to do a special country Christmas show. You’ll hear all your favorite Christmas songs performed by some of the biggest country stars in Nashville. They go all out and really make it an incredible festive experience. This Nashville Christmas event is a great way to start your winter celebrations!
6.) Attend the Annual City Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
Every year the Mayor invites all Nashvillians to come down to the Public Square Park to watch the lighting of that year’s Christmas tree. There are always performers – this year there will be songs sung by an elementary school choir and songs sung by singer and actress, Grace Leer.
They also encourage you to bring an unwrapped toy to the event to donate to the Metro Nashville Police Department’s Christmas Basket Program.
It’s a short event, but if you are in downtown Nashville make sure to stop by!
7.) Dancing Lights of Christmas
Located on the Wilson Country Fairgrounds, the Dancing Lights of Christmas is Tennessee’s largest drive-through and music show. Not only can you drive through the beautiful lights, but they also have “Santa’s Village” where you can visit with Santa and enjoy a petting zoo!
Everything you can do at the Dancing Lights is included in your ticket price. Tickets are $35 for your vehicle! So no matter how many people you go with – as long as you’re all in the same car – it’ll be the same price for all of you!
8.) Check out a Christmas Themed Pop Up Bar
Pop-up bars are very popular in Nashville, and many places have started doing Christmas-themed ones around the holidays. Keep your eyes peeled for more than show up cause there are always more being created, but here are some great ones you can check out!
- The Rink Above Broadway
- 9 3/4 at Union Station
- Rudy’s Rooftop Retreat
- Christmas at Hidden Bar
- Camp Bobby at the Bobby Hotel
This post was all about Christmas in Nashville: Nashville Christmas Events!
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