Editor’s Be aware: Gaylord Nationwide Resort offered a complimentary keep in order that TPG may get an inside take a look at the lodge and its facilities. The opinions expressed beneath are totally these of the writer and weren’t topic to evaluate by Gaylord Motels or any exterior entity.
For a lot of households, the vacations turn out to be extra of a holi-daze as they scramble to pack in all types of Christmas magic between Thanksgiving and New 12 months’s. Nonetheless, this over-tired, working mother of two discovered a option to pack in a season’s price of magical vacation actions into one weekend with solely a round-trip automotive trip required.
TPG was invited to take part in a vacation preview occasion on the Gaylord Nationwide Resort & Conference Heart. As a workers member who lives within the Washington, D.C., space with no plans that weekend, I obtained the garland-filled project (alongside my household).
The Gaylord Nationwide Resort and Conference Heart and the Nationwide Harbor space have all the time been a little bit of a thriller to me as a DMV (that is District, Maryland and Virginia) resident. I knew the realm primarily as one thing to take a look at whereas inching over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in bumper-to-bumper visitors. After an evening there, I realized that it is properly price a visit across the Beltway for a vacation go to.
Holidays at The Gaylord Nationwide Resort and Conference Heart
Vacation suites stuffed with sweets
As a part of this hosted keep, my household obtained a particular Christmas Dream Suite on the Gaylord Nationwide. The suite had a view of the resort’s Christmas tree, which hung within the huge atrium over a stage. There are common tree lighting exhibits, and the suite offers you an ideal seat for all of them.
Associated: Festive motels for individuals who actually love the vacations
The area itself was an infinite hospitality suite that includes a kitchenette, giant eating desk, two seating areas, an enormous toilet and a walk-in closet that I’m fairly certain is larger than one of many bedrooms in my home. Gaylord had kitted out all the area for Christmas with lighted garland, a tree and stockings.
The kitchenette was stocked with an enormous plate of vacation sweets and a scorching chocolate-making station.
Every day E-newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Every day e-newsletter
Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
The Christmas Dream Suite had a regular double queen room linked to the suite, which was additionally embellished with a lighted wreath over the nightstand.
Whereas the area was all about Christmas, it lacked some fundamentals you would possibly anticipate in a collection. For instance, the suite itself did not have a bed room, so if you happen to needed to sleep within the Christmas-themed area, you may be bunking on both a Murphy or couch mattress (the suite had each). It additionally did not have bathrobes or slippers, however I’m guessing that for a lot of households, the Christmas touches are luxurious sufficient.
Costs for the Christmas Dream Suites begin from $499 per night time for 4 individuals or $549 for six individuals (and include a double queen or single king connecting room). There are two different varieties of Christmas suites on the Gaylord: The Junior Christmas suite can sleep two and begins at $549 per night time, whereas the Grand Christmas Suite, can accommodate two individuals and begins at $599 per night time. (Sadly, the suites do not seem like bookable with Marriott Bonvoy factors however you’ll earn on a keep.)
A non-Christmas room on the Gaylord Nationwide begins round $160 per night time or 31,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors in the course of the vacation season; so, if you are able to do with out decorations, you possibly can nonetheless be on-site for all the vacation enjoyable whereas saving a bit bit of money. One nice perk in a single day company obtain on the Gaylord — suite or not — is early entry to vacation sights and precedence entry to eating places and bars on the resort.
The Nationwide Harbor space additionally has an AC lodge, a Westin and a Residence Inn, all inside a straightforward stroll of the Gaylord resort. So, you may have loads of different Marriott choices for a keep within the space.
Vacation actions at Gaylord Nationwide
Bear in mind how I stated you might pack a season’s price of vacation magic into one weekend? On the Gaylord Nationwide Resort in the course of the vacation season you possibly can:
- Go ice skating
- Watch a fireworks present from a Ferris wheel
- Get images with Santa and hearken to tales learn by Mrs. Claus
- Construct a gingerbread home
- Go snow tubing indoors
- See an incredible indoor ice exhibit that includes Rudolph
- See two completely different Christmas stage exhibits
- Go on a vacation scavenger hunt
Provided that our keep was lower than 24 hours, we did not expertise all the pieces the resort needed to provide, however we certain needed to.
Our first cease was the Capital Wheel, a 180-foot-tall Ferris wheel that sits alongside the Potomac River. Tickets for a spin on the wheel had been included in our go to (recurrently $17 for adults, $13.50 for youths), and we stepped on board proper after sundown. That looks as if a foolish time to hop on an attraction that is all concerning the views, however a fireworks present began at 5:30 p.m. and lasted for many of our trip.
I’ve a robust concern of heights that normally makes Ferris wheel rides depressing, however being up within the air was a completely new option to watch fireworks — and I beloved it. Nonetheless, a few of that braveness could have come from a pre-wheel cease at The Flight Deck, a waterside lounge that is a part of the wheel space, for a cup of vacation cheer. The Flight Deck would even be a great spot for fireworks viewing if you cannot time your wheel trip completely.
The Nationwide Harbor fireworks run each Saturday night time by means of Dec. 30 at 5:30 p.m. Nationwide Harbor additionally has a 60-foot tree, and from sundown till 9 p.m., it lights up in a blinding present.
Whereas Nationwide Harbor has loads of eating places to select from, we went again to the Gaylord to marvel on the Christmas decorations alongside the grounds and within the atrium. As soon as the solar was down, lights alongside the entrance of the atrium made it seem like Queen Elsa from Arendelle was in residence, whereas string lights alongside the timber and outlets gave it the texture of a vacation village.
1 of 2
JAMIE PAGE/THE POINTS GUY
We grabbed dinner at Previous Hickory, the resort’s steakhouse with a contemporary tackle Hunt Nation stylish leather-based and plaid. Our group ate crabcakes and steak; whereas the crabcakes had been wonderful, the steak was simply high-quality. Nonetheless, the service was stellar, and on a non-family journey, I would like to go a while at Previous Hickory’s trendy bar. I’ll level out that the restaurant is usually a little loud, nonetheless, and my husband, who suffers from listening to loss, had a troublesome time following the dialog. I do not undergo from listening to loss, and I did as properly.
Gaylord Nationwide has a number of extra informal eating choices, as properly. In-room eating is essentially the most informal since you possibly can put on your pajamas. Harbor Social is the resort’s sports activities bar with duckpin bowling lanes you possibly can reserve. The Belvedere foyer bar has nice views of the atrium, and there is at the moment an 80s-themed pop-up lounge on the resort’s roof, which needs to be price a go to for the views alone.
The Potomac District Cafe and Market has a collection of grab-and-go choices, in addition to full menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is also a straightforward stroll to dozens of eating places and bars at Nationwide Harbor, so you are not going to go hungry.
Ice! at Gaylord Nationwide
For a lot of households, the large draw for a go to to Gaylord Nationwide will probably be Ice!, that includes two million kilos of carved ice recreating scenes from the basic “Rudolph the Purple-Nosed Reindeer” film. The attraction is saved at 9 levels Fahrenheit, so you may wish to gown like Yukon Cornelius for a go to; parkas will probably be offered if you happen to want them.
Along with some unimaginable ice sculpting (groups labored for 12,000 hours to create the scenes), the exhibit additionally options ice slides and tunnels to wander by means of. The attraction runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. by means of Dec. 30 and from 10 a.m. to five p.m. on Dec. 31. Ticket costs vary from $25.99 to $43.99, relying on the day you go to; be sure you ebook tickets upfront.
If you happen to want much more winter enjoyable, it’s also possible to ebook tickets for Snow Move Mountain, an indoor snow tubing course. Resort company have early entry to the attraction from 9 to 10 a.m. every day. It opens to normal ticketholders at 10 a.m. and runs till 5 p.m. on Dec. 31. Every ticket consists of limitless runs in your ticket date. Provided that the mid-Atlantic has been starved for snow the previous few winters, that is your likelihood to suit a number of years’ price of sledding into at some point. Tickets are $25.99 per particular person, per day, and all riders have to be at the least 42 inches tall.
Visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus normally imply schlepping to the mall, however the holidays’ hottest couple is at Gaylord Nationwide all season. Visits with Santa require tickets starting from $40 to $99, relying on the kind of photograph bundle you choose. Tickets for a go to with Mrs. Claus, which incorporates tales and singalongs, are $14.99. On Dec. 13 from 12 to eight p.m., Santa will use his magic (and American Signal Language) to satisfy with youngsters who talk by way of ASL. Costs for this occasion are the identical as different Santa visits; nonetheless, for youths, assembly with a Santa who communicates the identical manner they do will probably be priceless.
Ice skating is obtainable from 9 a.m. to five p.m. each day till Dec. 30 for resort company and from 10 a.m. to five p.m. each day for non-resort company. Tickets are $22.99 per particular person. Your loved ones may also go to the gingerbread house-making station, the place tickets vary from $34.99 to $44.99.
Saving cash on holidays at Gaylord Nationwide
If you happen to’ve made it this far, you is likely to be pondering {that a} weekend of vacation enjoyable at Gaylord Nationwide would possibly burst your vacation finances. Nonetheless, it can save you some money by bundling tickets. A Silver Play and Save Go consists of admission to Ice!, snow tubing and the Reindeer Scavenger Hunt that includes Rudolph and the Misfit Toys. That bundle will run you $170.22 for one grownup and one youngster, a financial savings of 20% over reserving these actions individually.
With the Gold Save and Play Go, you get the identical occasions because the silver bundle, in addition to ice skating, gingerbread home making, Mrs. Claus’ traditions and the Snowball Construct and Blast (a carnival-like snowball throwing recreation). The Gold bundle saves 30% over reserving the occasions individually.
Attending to the Gaylord Nationwide
The Gaylord Nationwide Resort is about 10 miles south of the Nationwide Mall in Washington, D.C. The best option to get there may be to drive, because the resort is simply off Interstate 495 (the Capital Beltway) in Nationwide Harbor, Maryland. Parking on the resort is $36 per night time for self-parking and $59 per night time for valet parking. (The Christmas suites include valet parking for one automotive.)
Nonetheless, simply because driving is the best option to get to Gaylord Nationwide does not imply you are caught there when you park.
Nationwide Harbor is a cease on the Potomac Water Taxi route. You possibly can hop on board and cross the river to Previous City Alexandria, the place you possibly can wander the streets and absorb colonial-style Christmas decorations. Or you possibly can take the water taxi all the way in which to the Washington, D.C. neighborhood of Georgetown for the Georgetown Glow — a strolling route that options lighted artwork installations all through the neighborhood.
When you’re within the capital, you possibly can hop on a Circulator bus to go to the Nationwide Christmas Tree and the waterfront earlier than returning to the water taxi and heading again to the Nationwide Harbor.
If you wish to keep a bit nearer, Nationwide Harbor has a free shuttle service that may take you to the close by MGM On line casino to (attempt to) win some money; it may possibly additionally deliver you to Tanger Shops to spend your winnings on vacation presents.
Testing
I left my transient keep on the Gaylord Nationwide wishing for extra time — there was simply a lot to do. Nonetheless, on the flip facet, there was additionally simply a lot to pay for. With particular person actions working about $25 per particular person, a weekend of vacation enjoyable may get very costly in a short time for my household of 4. Add a keep in one of many Christmas suites, and our vacation finances may simply burst.
That is why I respect the methods it can save you on a vacation expertise like this. Shopping for a Silver or Gold bundle ticket for occasions is not low cost by any stretch. Nonetheless, it does make taking part in a number of actions extra inexpensive, with the Silver Play and Save Go hitting a candy spot by way of worth and the actions my household was most considering.
Grabbing an everyday room at a midweek fee or with Marriott Bonvoy factors on the Gaylord is one other good way to economize and get extra worth from all the pieces the Gaylord provides; that is very true when you’ve got youthful youngsters who aren’t topic to a faculty calendar.
Typically, it appears like essentially the most difficult a part of the vacation season is getting all the pieces executed whereas nonetheless leaving time for some magic. A vacation go to to the Gaylord Nationwide Resort is a good way to take a midseason break to get pleasure from quite a few enjoyable vacation actions multi function place.
