Nashville Opryland Staycation
We headed over to Nashville’s Opryland for a staycation to celebrate the end of the school year and had the BEST time! The hotel is very family friendly and B-E-A-UTIFUL. It features 9 acres of indoor atriums, an outdoor pool, live music, special summer activities such as the atrium fountain show and live performances, scavenger hunts & hotel garden tours. And of course – SoundWaves!
Typically we venture all around the resort, but this trip we couldn’t drag our kids out of SoundWaves if we tried! After 8 straight hours there, we were able to pull them out to eat dinner. They both agreed it was their “best day ever.”
After three or so staycations a year since our boys were babies, we consider ourselves “Opryland experts.” I wanted to share some of our tricks that we’ve picked up over the years and answer some FAQ’s.
Atrium view rooms are SO fun. We love watching the twinkle lights on the balcony. Grab an ice cream at the end of the night and sit out on the balcony as a family. It truly has a magical feel! Since it was such a quick stay we did the regular atrium room. When we come at Christmas we will sometimes stay in the upgraded atrium view room. We chose the two queen beds (you can also chose a king) The upgraded atrium has two bathrooms, a living area and a kitchenette. In the living area is a murphy bed (the kids think that is so fun!) and a pull out couch as well. It’s a great option to have a separate space for the baby to sleep or if you are coming with another family and need a gathering place.
If you are coming predominantly for SoundWaves this summer, I would suggest booking the Garden section. It’s the closest area to the water park.
SoundWaves is the BIGGEST hit with our boys. We decided to get a cabana this time with the baby. It was nice to get a designated meet up spot and have somewhere that Cambre could nap. (We shut the curtains while she was napping.) A waiter comes around and you can order food/drink to the cabana. The cabana is an additional expense, but it really made our trip this time. If you are worried about shade.. there are umbrellas at some of the chairs outside as well as some more shady spots inside. You would need to get there early to save those on busy days.
The waterpark has both an indoor and an outdoor section. There was a baby/toddler splash area that Cambre just loved. Most of the slides were 42″ and up to ride. Our boys could go on everything if we were with them. There are indoor & outdoor play areas with a big bucket.. they spent a ton of time in those! Food is available and drinks (including cocktails!) inside of SoundWaves.
One of the questions that was frequently asked on Instagram was about leaving the resort. We personally do not leave the resort, but you totally could! With how many restaurants and shops are on property, we find it simpler to stay put.
Speaking of restaurants… Old Hickory Steakhouse is our favorite food on property. A bit more upscale than the others and on the pricier side. If you’d like the splurge just be sure to make a reservation for that one. Cascades (near the waterfalls) features a breakfast buffet that our children love. Ask if there are available seats in the booths under the cave. Just a fun little touch for the kids! They also have an Italian restaurant, Mexican restaurant, pizza spot etc. that are very kid friendly. If you venture down to the Magnolia area there are pubs and more adult style spots as well.
Each night we also go by the arcade. Just a quick trip since it’s not too big. Always a fun way to end the night out.
Local residents… be sure to check out the deals. Right now they are offering 40% off as a local discount.
Opryland has become our children’s favorite family tradition. The memories made here are priceless to us. We consider ourselves lucky to have something so special this close to home!