I spent Thanksgiving partly on the road- we went to see my husband’s dad who lives just outside of Nashville, TN. You very soon get the impression that you are “not in Kansas, anymore” Dorothy- a different world awaits.
Take Opryland. Opryland, in Nashville, and the mall next door, in an interesting mix between Disneyland (redneck style), a pretty fancy resort, and Vegas without the gambling. There are great shows, decorations bordering on over the top, and huge families, easily accommodated at restaurants. They were filming a cable show on Camp Cooking- cuisine over the campfire; The Rockettes had a Christmas Show; and families moved into their hotel rooms with coolers and mimi-fridges, not a common sight north of the Mason-Dixon line.
Much of Opryland leaves you feeling like you’ve just been on a trip to Frontierland mashed up with the Grand Floridian- the Conservatories are gorgeous and many hotel rooms have New Orleans-esque balconies you can sit on and watch the world go by (indoors of course.) The service is fantastic- everyone, from the housekeepers to the maintenance people, to the guest services people are friendly and helpful. They have put alot of money into making this place a destination, and have succeeded. It’s a familoy safe destination with lots of eye candy and country music, and if this is your thing, you should make the pilgrimage.
I have posted a bunch of pictures of Opryland and the ICE show on my flickr site- wsh1266. Go take a look!