Great food, great fun, great memories in a great big resort: It can only be Gaylord Opryland! Our most recent visit to this family-friendly hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, sealed the deal for us as one of our favorite places to visit as a family. Just a 4-hour drive from Indianapolis, Gaylord Opryland Resort has nine acres of indoor gardens and is an all-in-one resort — offering everything in one place. You’ll find an upscale indoor/outdoor water attraction, Soundwaves Water Park, restaurants and shops, a full-service spa, events and entertainment happening all day, and much more.
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Gaylord Opryland is top-notch all throughout the year, but visiting during the summer for the resort’s Summer of More event is amazing. Guests are invited to enjoy a variety of seasonal activities, including brand-new, fantasy-filled Pirates & Princesses themed experiences. Here is a sampling of just some of the things we enjoyed during our Summer of More at Gaylord Opryland!
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Summer of More Family Activities
Gaylord Opryland is great for families — there’s always something fun happening throughout the year. This summer, the theme around the resort is pirates and princesses! Kids and their families can look forward to special events and activities that will keep them busy all throughout their stay.
Adventure Kids’ Clubhouse
In this all-new experience, kids can let their inner artist come to life while creating delightful, seasonally inspired crafts. Little artists can choose to paint a plant pot or a canvas, and create a unique memento to take home!
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Adventure Kids: Join The Club!
Young guests are invited to join Bella the Blue Tick Hound, Brody the Black Bear and Sophie in this new, live interactive show where they will learn, imagine, explore and discover the wonders of summer.
Pirate Treasure Hide and Sea-k Scavenger Hunt
Families can set off on a swashbuckling scavenger hunt throughout the resort to search for clues and uncover hidden gems in this interactive treasure quest. This was one of our favorite activities because it took us all over the huge resort (and we got lots of steps!).
Delta Riverboat Ride & Lost Treasure Flatboat Voyage
One of my family’s favorite features of Gaylord Opryland is the river that winds its way throughout the resort’s Delta Atrium. During our visit, we climbed aboard the Delta Riverboat, which was transformed into a themed ride: Lost Treasure Flatboat Voyage. This fanciful flatboat voyage took us on a trip to look for clues to find rare and priceless gems — including a pot of gold at the end of the ride (a box of chocolate gold coins!)
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Friday Night Fireworks
On select Friday nights this summer, Gaylord Opryland guests can enjoy a free fireworks show on the Magnolia Lawn! Festivities start at 6:30 pm with live entertainment, food trucks, and other fun activities. The 10-minute “Sounds of America Fireworks Spectacular” kicks off at 8:45 pm. Event dates include June 7 &14; July 12,19, & 26; August 2 & 16; and September 1.
Soundwaves Indoor & Outdoor Waterpark
If you’re looking for summer fun, you can’t beat Soundwaves, the upscale aquatic attraction located inside Gaylord Opryland. This indoor and outdoor waterpark has many attractions, including Nashville’s only FlowRider®, eleven waterslides, rapid and lazy rivers, a wave pool, a water playground for young kids, water obstacle courses, and many more.
This is a great place to relax and unwind with your family, and personally, we can stay here all day! We don’t even have to leave the waterpark when we get hungry, because there’s a restaurant (Decibels) inside the indoor waterpark, with lots of food options for kids.
New for 2024, SoundWaves is hosting late-night “Sound Raves” on select dates this summer! From 8:30 pm to midnight, the water park transforms into a glowing party with DJs, dancing, themed food and drinks, and even hair braiding and neon body paint. The best way to guarantee your spot is with the exclusive Late Night SoundWaves package, available for select dates in June, July, August, and September.
A World of Cuisine
On this recent visit to Gaylord Opryland, we went in and tried some of the many restaurants throughout the resort. From steaks to sushi and breakfast buffets to pizza, a myriad of dining options await guests. Here were two of our favorites.
Ravello
One of our favorite restaurants in Gaylord Opryland is Ravello, an upscale yet family-friendly located in the garden courtyard, featuring Southern Italian cuisine. Here, you’ll find a large kids menu with offerings like wood-fired pizza and spaghetti, as well as delicious entrees like lasagna with bechamel, and appetizers like burrata and prosciutto served with toasted crostini.
Jack Daniel’s at Gaylord Opryland
For a more casual lunch, we love Jack Daniel’s, a family-friendly eatery serving comfort Southern food, as well as great burgers and salads. Definitely be sure to order some of the Jack’s Honey Rolls, which are made with honey harvested from the nine beehives that live at Gaylord Opryland!
Exotic Atrium Adventures
The resort’s three garden atriums are perfect for relaxing summer strolls. Spanning over nine acres, the atriums are home to thousands of plants, flowers, breathtaking waterfalls, and a river.
More Info
Summer of More activities are happening at Gaylord Opryland now through September 2, 2024. For more information about Gaylord Opryland Resort and to book an overnight stay, room package, or events and activities, visit GaylordOpryland.com.
