Nashville is a great place to take a family vacation. That's because the country music capital of the world is full of things to do! From learning about American history at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage to world-class entertainment at the Grand Ole Opry, there is no shortage of activities and sights to see.

The question is, where are you going to stay!

Nashville is a huge city with many options to choose from, but few other hotels can compare with the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Here are seven compelling reasons to make this your home base when vacationing in the Nashville area.

SoundWaves Waterpark

If you're traveling with the kids, you can bet they'll love the Gaylord Opryland Hotel because it features the SoundWaves Waterpark. This amazing park contains four acres of water fun and activities. Just a few of the indoor and outdoor features include:

  • Stage Dive body slides

  • Rapid Remix raft ride

  • Up Tempo Rapids River

  • A lazy river

  • A lagoon pool

  • Bass Drop open-flume slide

  • Tidal Track Wave pool

  • Rock'N Racer four-lane slide

Pools, Whirlpool, and Sauna

If you aren't traveling with kids, or if you're looking for something a little more relaxing to do while the kids are splashing around in the waterpark, you're covered at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. The hotel has two seasonal outdoor pools, the Cascades and the Magnolia, so you can work on your tan while you sit by the pool. There is an indoor heated pool, called the Relache, and there's a small kiddie pool that's perfect for the youngest members of your family.

That's not all! The hotel also has a whirlpool if you want to relax and unwind after a long day in the city, as well as a sauna, which is the perfect way to warm up on a cold winter day.

Relache Spa

Speaking of relaxing, there's no better way to unwind than to relax at a spa. The Gaylord Opryland Hotel has one on-site called the Relache Spa. It is a European-inspired spa in a massive 20,000 square foot facility offering just about any kind of service you can imagine. Just a few you'll find on the menu include:

  • Body scrubs

  • Couple's massages

  • Facials

  • Makeup services

  • Massages

  • Therapy baths

  • Body wraps

  • Eye treatments

  • Lip treatments

  • Manicures and Pedicures

  • Waxing

That's not all! The spa offers some unique services as well. You can find fitness counselors on-site who can help you craft a new workout routine you can start when you return home, as well as kid-friendly services, so the whole family can enjoy the spa.

Plenty to Eat

Did you know the Gaylord Opryland Hotel is the largest non-gaming hotel in the continental United States? It should come as no surprise, then, that there are plenty of options if you're feeling a little hungry!

There are over a dozen restaurants and bars on the property for you to choose from. Go to the Fuse Sports Bar to catch the game and grab a bite to eat, pick up a quick sandwich for lunch at the Delta Marketplace, or take your date to the Old Hickory Steakhouse for dinner. You can even find frozen yogurt and gelato in the hotel!

Indoor Atrium Jungle

You won't find anything quite like the atrium jungle inside the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. You'll find more than 50,000 tropical plants inside the atrium. You'll see banana trees, fiddle leaf figs, and fragrant flowers, as well as impressive waterfalls.

Sipping a cup of coffee or grabbing a quick lunch in the atrium can be a relaxing way to spend a few extra minutes, but there's even more you can do. Grab the kids and take a boat ride through the atrium! The boat will take you on a 4.5 acre tour of the garden inside the hotel.

The indoor atrium also ensures that nearly every room in the hotel has a beautiful view. With nine waterfalls, there's also a chance that your room is right next to one. Leave your balcony door open at night and you have the perfect, relaxing, natural white noise machine to help lull you to sleep.

The Nightlife

If you're traveling without the kids and you're looking for something fun to do after the sun goes down, the Gaylord Opryland Hotel has some exciting options. Findley's Irish Pub and Fuse Sports Bar are great places to grab a relaxed drink. If you want a more special nightlife experience, try the Library Lounge at Old Hickory Steakhouse.

No matter where you grab your drink, you don't have to sip on it at the bar. As long as you have paid for your drink, you can wander the resort because it's an open cup hotel!

Winter Fun

It's true that the city of Nashville comes alive in the summer, but that doesn't mean the city isn't worth visiting in the winter! The weather can be a little gray and dreary, but that means there are fewer travelers during the winter months, which means fewer crowds and more affordable prices!

It's true that you won't be able to enjoy the outdoor pools at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel in the winter, but they replace warm outdoor fun with winter fun.

ICE! is an indoor dreamland that is completely sculpted out of two million pounds of ice. Inside the 40,000 square-foot refrigerated events center, you'll find a two-story ice slide, magnificent ice carvings, and a 21 and over bar.

Snow tubing can be found at the resort as well. A 15-foot tubing hill features four lanes and plenty of snow that will keep the kids entertained for the afternoon.

Christmas is an especially great time to visit the hotel because no one decorates the way the Gaylord Opryland Hotel does!

If you're planning a trip to Nashville and you want your hotel to be a destination in and of itself, you definitely need to check into the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. You and your family won't be disappointed!