Nashville at Christmas 2026: Opryland, ice! and Holiday Tours
Prices & schedules checked October 18, 2026
The big one is A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland, running November 6, 2026 to January 2, 2027. Its headline attraction this year is ice! featuring “Home Alone”, the McCallister house carved from more than 2 million pounds of ice. These tickets are sold only by the resort — there’s no affiliate link here, and we don’t earn anything from it.
ice! at Gaylord Opryland: what to know
- Dates: Friday, November 6, 2026 to Saturday, January 2, 2027, at the Gaylord Opryland Events Center.
- Tickets: buy online in advance with a timed entry; there’s no on-site box office. Prices vary by date and time (pick a slot on the calendar to see them). Arrive at your scheduled time — early or late entry isn’t allowed.
- Cold: it’s kept at 9°F inside. Parkas are provided; bring hats and gloves. Allow about 20–40 minutes.
- Kids & access: ages 3 and under are free with a paid adult; under-18s need a paid adult with them. ice! is wheelchair accessible but the slides are not.
- Refunds: day-guest tickets are non-refundable (date changes may be possible); parking is extra.
- Also on: ice tubing and a new holiday cirque show, “POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance”.
Busy nights: resort access rules
The resort’s FAQ says that after 3:00 p.m. CT, access is guaranteed only for overnight guests and ticket holders every Friday and Saturday from November 20, daily November 23–26, and daily December 18–31, 2026. Without a room or a ticket, arrive before 3 p.m. on those dates. Any time is fine on November 6–19, Nov. 22, Nov. 29–Dec. 3, Dec. 6–10, Dec. 13–17, 2026 and January 1–2, 2027. The resort says more restrictions may apply without notice.
Make a night of it
We may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Details
General Jackson Showboat lunch or dinner cruise
- Price From $111.50 on Viator (as listed Oct 2026)
- Length About 4 hours on the listing; lunch or dinner options
- Boards 2812 Opryland Dr, so it pairs well with an Opryland visit; hotel pick-up from select downtown hotels
- Cancellation Free up to 24 hours ahead (Viator listing)
Holiday programming isn’t described on the listing, so check what’s on for your date before you book.
21+ Nashville Christmas Pop-Up Trolley Crawl
- When Every Friday and Saturday in December plus weekdays leading up to Christmas Eve, per the listing
- Price From $45 on Viator (as listed Oct 2026); about 2 hours
- Route A decorated trolley from East Nashville Beer Works (320 E Trinity Ln) to Christmas pop-up bars including Pearl Diver and Ernie’s Boondock, a photo stop at the downtown Christmas tree, then Jelly Roll’s Goodnight Nashville, 209 Broadway
- Notes Up to 20 riders; not wheelchair accessible; drinks are bought at the bars
- Cancellation Free up to 24 hours ahead (Viator listing)
Grand Ole Opry show
- Price From $61.55 on Viator (as listed Oct 2026)
- Where The Opry House, 600 Opry Mills Dr — close to Gaylord Opryland
Daytime in December: the Ryman, the Hall of Fame and the trolleys run year-round — see our one-day plan. Going on to the Smokies? Gray Line runs a Dollywood day trip from Nashville (about 15 hours, 7:00 a.m. departure, park admission and a $40 food voucher included; from $229.50 on Viator, as listed Oct 2026); check that your date falls in Dollywood’s season.
Sources
- Gaylord Opryland — A Country Christmas (Nov 6, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027; ice!, tubing, cirque show)
- Gaylord Opryland tickets — ice! featuring “Home Alone” (dates, 20–40 min, 9°F, age and refund rules)
- Gaylord Opryland — Christmas FAQs (advance tickets only, resort access dates)
- Marriott News — ice! 2026 themes and dates (Nov 6, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027 at Gaylord Opryland)
- Viator — General Jackson Showboat Lunch or Dinner Cruise (price, 4 hours, 2812 Opryland Dr)
- Viator — 21+ Nashville Christmas Pop-Up Trolley Crawl (schedule, route, price)
- Viator — Dollywood Day Trip from Nashville (15 hours, 7 a.m., inclusions)