***We received free admission to a few SummerFest attractions at Opryland Hotel. All opinions are 100% mine.***
Two days ago, the kids and I spent several hours at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Resort in Nashville. If you have never been to Opryland Hotel and you’re in the Nashville area, you must visit. This place is truly amazing and must be experienced. It’s an oasis under one roof filled with tropical plants, waterfalls, fish and even a riverboat cruise. The hotel feels like being in the tropics. Every time we come here we see something new … it cannot all be seen in one trip I’m sure. 
Now through September 5, visitors can enjoy SummerFest at Opryland which has a lot to offer with a theme centering on Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.
SummerFest gives you access to all of Opryland’s amenities, including boat rides, live entertainment, poolside fun, dining, and a roster of family-friendly events and activities based on the stories of The Jungle Book’s Mowgli.
The resort’s subtropical plant life and waterfalls help set the stage for the jungle theme. Among the ticketed events is Mowgli’s Mission Scavenger Hunt, an interactive adventure through the resort.
There’s fun for foodies, too, including Junior Chef Camps led by the hotel’s award-winning executive chefs; Sundae Sundays at Delta Delight Frozen Yogurt; S’mores Please at Cascades American Cafe; and refillable Icees at the outdoor pools.
You can get an up-close look at frogs, snakes and other little creatures in The Learning Log terrariums.
The sounds, sights and stories of the jungle come to life on the Jungle Riverboat Cruises, the resort’s 1/4-mile-long indoor river.
The cool glasses are a must on this boat ride.
I spotted some grapefruits.
Guided tours of the resort’s nine acres of indoor gardens are also available.
Aren’t these waterfalls stunning? Hard to believe they are inside a hotel.
After the boat ride, we ate at the Solario Cantina.
The food was plenty and delicious. My daughter and I ordered chicken fajitas while my son tried the chicken quesadillas. We couldn’t finish it all so we took it home and ate it for lunch the next day.
SummerFest also features an array of free activities, including the all-new “Sounds of Summer” Fountain Show, animal encounters, family movie nights and the SoBe Splash Party — a poolside experience filled with music, games, contests and more. In addition, junior golfers ages 15 and younger can play one free round for each full-paying adult.
The Grand Ole Opry and the Opry Mills Mall are only a few walking minutes of the hotel. Parking at the resort is expensive. However, if you decide to eat there, the resort restaurants will validate parking. We always park at the mall which is really easy ( a 5 minute walk) and essentially no more of a walk than some of the further corners of the hotel parking lot.
At Christmas time, Opryland hotel is magical – truly a must-see. You can read about here and here.
Have a great weekend!
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