After having such a great time at Gaylord Opryland Resort during the Christmas holidays, we decided to shoot up there again for a couple nights. This time, we were celebrating our anniversary, and while we didn’t stay quite as busy sprinting from one place to the next, the change of pace was nice.

If you’re wondering, Opryland is great for couples. It is also a wonderful place to take the family, with kids staying and eating for free this summer. Had we known this, we may have taken the munchkins.

The Blue Guitar
He Said: Our time began with a beautiful blue Gibson guitar. Basically, the hotel started a program that lets you take a sweet guitar in your room and rock out through your headphones. I’m no Ty Tabor or Mike Ness, but I had a good time fiddling around in the room. And I looked pretty rad doing it, too—right?

She Said: Sure. Very cool.

Musical Boat
She Said: Fortunately, our musical experiences weren’t limited to your blue guitar playing abilities.

He Said: What are you saying about my guitar playing?

She Said: Nothing. Anyway, we were fortunate enough to get a ticket on the impressive 300-foot paddlewheel General Jackson Showboat for an evening cruise down the nearby Cumberland River. This dinner cruise is part of Gaylord Opryland’s All-American Country Getaway Package. What a fun experience.

The show is called Country Music USA: A Nostalgic Journey through America’s Music. After floating down the river during the sunset, we enjoyed a yummy meal and then saw Nashville’s downtown city lights. To top the evening off, we were entertained by a talented group of performers who lead us through the songs that made us all love country music. As it was quite chilly in the theater, be sure to bring a sweater or jacket if you don’t want to wrap yourself in an extra table cloth.

He Said: But that evening chill was also part of the charm. Honestly, I expected a hokey evening of entertainment, but those four folks sang their hearts out and were super entertaining. I highly recommend the General Jackson. Because as Jessica said, these songs did make me (dare I say it) fall in love with country music.

Hall of Fame
He Said: Like the boat ride, I had low expectations of the Hall of Fame. I guess the generic stuff that passes for country on the radio had me scared. Once we got going, I was mesmerized. Those guys and gals who got country started did it with guts and occasionally glory. Their playing was passionate, their stories real, and it made me want to like country.

While listening to the music, I felt like I was back at Grandpa and Peppi’s house, rolling my eyes while they listened to their old records. Speaking of, I think I’m going to try to find some of those and give them a listen.

She Said: Touring through The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum was very interesting. I am a fan of country music but don’t know much about its roots. Taking the audio tour was very informative and fascinating. It was neat to see the actual instruments, clothes, cars, letters, etc. of country music legends. And I would recommend doing the audio tour. It cost a few more dollars, but you learn more than just from reading the displays. Tickets to Hall of Fame and Museum are also part of the All-American Country Getaway Package.

Food
She Said: If there is one thing that the Opryland Resort should be known for, it is their delicious food. Every meal we enjoyed great service and amazing cuisine. For breakfast, the Water’s Edge Marketplace Buffet has any breakfast food you can imagine in any amount you want. It is a great place to start your day under the colorful umbrellas in the sunny atrium.

For lunch or dinner, catch a short shuttle ride to the Wild Horse Saloon in downtown Nashville and give their fried pickle appetizer a shot. I don’t care for pickles, but these are worth trying. The Apple BLT was yummy and the Monkey Love banana cream pie cheesecake was to die for. We were at the historical restaurant for lunch, and I’d love to go there for dinner and dancing at night.

He Said: The pickles were worth trying? We ate about half the basket and we weren’t even hungry. They were that good. And Monkey Love was definitely a highlight. The lowlight of our overall food experience was the fact that I gorged myself again and again.

Every time we went into a restaurant, I was still full from the meal before. I’d order something light and would wind up ordering more and more and eating it all. I felt disgusting, but I felt so good at the same time. Fortunately, Old Hickory Steakhouse gave a respite. Kind of. They brought a lot of food out, but it was all in relatively small portions. And that filet mignon made my taste buds wonder if they’d ever feel so good again.

hesaidshesaid@danielkbrantley.com