THE GAYLORD RESORT AND CONVENTION CENTER, NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND

We only decided to go to National Harbor a few days previously.  Perhaps I should have done more research on our hotel, but as we were within a 30-mile radius, I jumped in.  We were both ready for a trip as it has been a while.  To Gregg I said, "What do you think about going over to National Harbor and stay overnight somewhere?"  

We have talked about it several times over the past year.  He was on his laptop and had booked the hotel, plus tickets for the ice show I had been telling him about.  I was very surprised when we pulled up to the place.  It was a lot larger than any we have stayed at before.  The top photo shows only a small part of it.  I had forgotten it was also a convention center.  Me in the planning stage: "The hotel where the ice show takes place, wouldn't it be a good idea to stay overnight, so that we didn't have to drive home late and in the dark?"  It was also very nice that we didn't have to worry about parking.  It was a hike to the exhibit but mostly inside the hotel, with a short walk from there to the large enclosure (my idea of a hike may be different than yours).  The weather was quite dreary, but all our entertainment was at the hotel for our short stay, so no walking around in the rain.

There are two buildings inside the atrium that look like regular sized homes.  They are shops.In the photo below, halfway down the large atrium window, you can make out the arches supporting the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.  Virginia is on one side of the Potomac River, Maryland is on the other.  We were in Maryland where National Harbor is located.  This is also the view from our room.Just to give you an idea of how big this place is, there are 1,996 rooms and 110 suites, seven restaurants, and a 19-story glass atrium with views of the Potomac River.  As mentioned, it is also a convention center and it has 95 event rooms, 537,430 square feet of meeting space, and a 20,000 square-foot spa.  It also employs 2,000 people. 

We went on a weekday thinking this would be a quieter time.  It was but I can only imagine what it must be like on the weekend.  There were lots of families there for the ice show.  

 

There is a 55-ft tree suspended from the ceiling.  It comes to life when it gets dark and all the lights are switched on.  There is also a stage and we were treated to Christmas carols later that evening, along with a laser light show when the singing had stopped.  The people above must have been in the preparation stage as that show didn't take place until later.  I took videos of the laser lights and have included short movies of them below.  Here are three photos to be going on with.  This display is free.  My photos and the two short videos don't do it justice.  (If anyone has a problem with flashing lights, I would skip the movies.)

The lights and music are synchronized with a fountain that shoots 60 feet high. 

There is also a nightly indoor snowfall.

It is very pretty at nighttime.

We stopped off at this place.  No tables inside but plenty in front. It is well stocked with beverages and food, and other items.  A coffee for me and a cold drink for Gregg.  Neither of us were feeling that hungry and by that time were a little tired, so we decided not to go to the restaurant for a sit-down meal. Instead we bought chicken salad sandwiches to share, and took them up to our room.  They were excellent!

We walked by a duck pin bowling alley with a bar.

Close-up of the mural.I enjoyed the hotel very much.  There are a lot of hotels in this area.  Within walking distance if you go out the front doors, the MGM National Harbor Resort and Casino is just up the road to the right.  

Now for the videos.

If you go here it will take you to a website called Fun in Fairfax VA where I got some information, and I enjoyed their photos.  

I can see where the flashing lights might be a problem for those who have issues, so please don't play them if you think they would affect you.

On select days, Christmas on the Potomac features two Christmas shows in the Atrium. Both shows are free to watch but guaranteed ticketed seats have the best view, so I read. We were in our hotel room while taking these.  If we come here again next year, we thought we would reserve a room more in the center of the atrium’s back wall looking straight on, and probably not much higher than the fifth floor.  Our room was on that floor but in the corner with an okay view.  We could open the doors which had a rail but no balcony, and decided that we would prefer looking down from a more central position.  The center rooms and those on the side of the atrium have the balconies.  It would be great to sit out and listen to the choir from above, and watch the laser show afterwards.  I expect these rooms would go fast, and booking them well ahead of time would be the way to go. Just something to think about.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing a little bit of our hotel.  This link will take you to the original built in Nashville, Tennessee, with its history. That hotel was built to support the Grand Ole Opry. Similar hotels have been built in Texas and Florida.

(more photos to follow soon)