Celebrate Christmas at the Region’s Best Holiday Destination
By WP Creative Group
Gaylord National’s holiday extravaganza is back this year. Here’s what to expect.
The countdown to Christmas is on, and 2021 is the year to make the celebrations bigger and more exciting than ever.
There is no better place to celebrate the holidays than at Gaylord National Resort, which hosts the Washington D.C. region’s largest holiday celebration. Perched on the riverbank at National Harbor, Gaylord National is the place to truly get into the festive spirit, with a variety of activities and events for the whole family.
“We’re really excited to be bringing Christmas back to the Capitol region this year. We have been doing holidays here in D.C. since we opened in 2008,” says Jennifer Cerasani, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Gaylord National Resort. “There’s no other place in the area where you can come and have so many unique and different activities – and you can stay overnight to take your time to enjoy everything.”
Making holiday movie memories
“There are so many wonderful holiday offerings at the Gaylord. It’s a chance to create really special memories,” said Tom Riford, Maryland Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience.”
Making its Gaylord National debut this winter, the resort’s headline attraction is the Gaylord Hotels’ original production I Love Christmas Movies™, an immersive, multimedia experience that allows guests to walk through holiday movie scenes complete with replica props, audio and more. The guided tour features five beloved films: The Polar Express™, Elf™, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation™, A Christmas Story™ and The Year Without a Santa Claus™.
In the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation part of the attraction, visitors will be able to plug in the iconic lights decorating The Griswolds’ house. In the Elf section, guests watch Narwhal, Buddy and friends begin their journey to New York to find Buddy’s dad. “There’s nothing like it in the area, and we’re so excited to be able to share this with our fans,” says Cerasani.
Holly jolly thrills
There is plenty to do for holiday thrill-seekers too. In the resort’s new Snow Factory play space, the white stuff is guaranteed for the Snowball Build & Blast, where you can build and toss real snowballs and boost the power of the snow making machine. Meanwhile, the Snow Flow Mountain snow tubing experience offers a wild downhill ride as you sit in a giant inner tube and slide down the slope. In the resort’s Winter Square, there are Ice Bumper Cars, which let you zoom around on the ice, bumping your family and friends as you go, and ice skating, both with a breathtaking view of the Potomac River.
“I think that a lot of people will love the festive atmosphere of both the Gaylord and all of National Harbor,” says Riford. “The holidays are a great opportunity for travel – yes, to our nation’s capital, but also just across the river, to National Harbor.”
Fun for any age
For younger guests, Gaylord National offers Storytime with Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Traditions, with a jovial retelling of T’was the Night Before Christmas, as well as holiday song singalongs and Santa’s favorite snack: freshly-baked Christmas cookies with cold milk. At another festive story time, families can watch the Sugar Plum Fairy and Nutcracker Prince as they regale the tale of The Nutcracker in an entertaining, interactive experience that includes holiday singalongs. This experience is a complimentary attraction exclusively for overnight guests. And for little ones who love crafts, families can build, decorate – and snack on – gingerbread houses.
The Gaylord National’s eighties-themed rooftop lounge Replay is serving up Christmas-themed milkshakes alongside spectacular harbor views. In the lower atrium, The Christmas Tree Lot pop-up bar offers cozy cocktails and Instagrammable moments – promising memorable experiences for the entire family.
The atrium’s all aglow
At the heart of the resort, a 55-foot Starlight Christmas tree will be suspended in the remarkable 19-story atrium and will be illuminated several times a day during the high-energy #LIT Laser Show.
“There are some special perks that you get as an overnight guest,” says Cerasani. “It just is magical when you can be in your pajamas, look down on the atrium and see everything that is happening.”
The atrium is the setting of a new stage show, The Greatest Story – a musical interpretation of the origins of Christmas, told through the eyes of six international storytellers. Also in the atrium, amateur sleuths can hunt for hidden holiday decorations in the Merry Snoopy Christmas Scavenger Hunt.
Booking your stay
Fresh from a $64 million renovation completed earlier this year, Gaylord National is one of the area’s best-loved resorts, and for locals and visitors alike, the resort’s Christmas on the Potomac extravaganza is an experience never to be forgotten. From November 26 to December 31, Gaylord will be getting into the Christmas spirit with snow, trees and twinkle lights at every turn, as well as over dozen different festive experiences for all ages, whether you’re a kid or a kid-at-heart.
“Holidays at Gaylord National are magical because it’s all breathtakingly beautiful and you have such a variety of activities,” says Cerasani. “If you love the holidays, there is no better place to be than Gaylord National during Christmas.”
