Enchant 2022 - Nashville
WEDNESDAY - DEC 21
When Amanda told me she wanted to go to something Christmasy in Nashville that was sponsored by Hallmark: I’ll let you imagine my level of excitement about that. However, the notion of visiting a place we haven’t been to all year, plus getting to hang out with friends was good enough for me. So, we decided to try out the Hallmark Enchant Christmas Lights in downtown Nashville. The 4 person family pack was around $100 so we were hoping for a great experience compared to what we are used to around North Alabama in terms of Christmas lights
We booked a room at the Embassy Suites at Vanderbilt because they had a shuttle that would take us to the event. That way we didn’t have to deal with parking. Of course the other bonus was the manager’s afternoon drinks and food special and the complimentary cooked to order breakfast. Always a winner. I noticed there was another Embassy (brand new) very near to the one we picked, but all their rooms looked like studio rooms with no separate bedroom, which was a no-go. That was also something I’ve never seen at an Embassy and I”ve been staying at them since around 2008. Our first room had a funky smell so we requested a new one and got moved down the hall to one that smelled clean.
Weather wise, we picked the best night of December to go, as it was in the mid 50s and really pleasant. Of course, the next day Nashville got hit with a big snow and ice storm, so I’m glad we went when we did! That’s always the risk though of buying outdoor event tickets weeks in advance - you never know what weather conditions will be like. Doesn’t matter too much if it’s just adults, but when you’re toting a baby and all the baby stuff it makes a difference in the enjoyability factor.
We needed some real food and went over to Urban Cookhouse which was right beside the hotel. It’s one of our favorites in Huntsville because it’s a lot healthier than other food joints. Dinner didn’t disappoint. We headed back to the hotel to grab quick snacks before loading up to go see the lights
ENCHANT NASHVILLE
Spectacular. That’s about the best word to describe the light display at Horizon park. We got there around 6:30 PM and as the night went on, it got more and more crowded. It’s hard to tell in the initial photos, but it was pretty busy. By the time we got ready to go around 8:30, it was packed almost shoulder to shoulder inside. You enter on the upper levels of the stadium and there are dozens of booths set up where local artisans are selling their goods. It’s neat to walk around and see what all the booths have. As you make your way to the South end of the complex, that’s where you go down onto the field via a ramp (or stairs if you prefer) and begin your journey though the lights.
Main Exhibit - The main exhibit is set up as a maze that you meander through at your leisure. There’s a fun game you play where you try and find all the reindeer and get stamps at each reindeer station. A few times we ended up going in circles, but overall it was a fun experience. Hidden in there, we found a light up dance floor for the kids that was packed. There’s also ice skating for an additional fee.
Food - If you read the reviews online, you’ll quickly see on site food is expensive. We paid $23 for a chicken finger basket and a bottle of water. We did make that feed all of us though. After 2 hours of walking around the dinner we had eaten just a few hours before had quickly worn off.
THURSDAY - DEC 22
We got up early Thursday morning and ate a decent breakfast at the hotel before heading to the Galleria at Cool Springs to kill some time. We stopped by my friend Shane’s house and hung out for a couple hours and then made our way back to Huntsville. We stopped in at the Dragon Cafe place at Lowe Mill for afternoon tea and visited the cat place there too.
WORTH IT?
This was a quick one night trip for us. If you’re looking for a neat light show with things for the kids to do, then yes, it’s worth the price of admission. Make an evening out of it and be prepared to spend some money on food and souvenirs. We would have liked to have stayed a little longer, but it was significantly past Amelia’s bedtime so we needed to get back.
WHERE SHOULD WE GO NEXT?
We are always on the lookout for new and neat things to see within a 4 hour drive of Decatur, AL. If you’ve got some good spots to visit over a weekend, let me know!
WHAT’S IN MY BAG
When it comes to travelling there are a few things I bring with me on every trip besides just clothes. You can see my full set up in the list below. I encourage everyone to travel with these items as it can save you a lot of headaches and hassle at times!
LUGGAGE - Travel Pro is my go-to brand. I have multiple Travel Pro bags, but the small ones are most useful for me since we take a lot of trips that are 4 days or less. Once you experience the quality of these bags, you’ll never want anything else.
BACKPACK - LowePro Fastpack 250 - I love this pack because it’s a 50/50 camera and everything else combo. Plus it can hold a laptop or tablet too and it’s all very compact. There’s a newer modified version that looks awesome, is cheaper, and would be better if you don’t travel with telephoto lenses - check it out (Lowepro Truckee BP 250 LX Outdoor Camera Backpack). I may even pick one up for testing!
MULTI TOOL - Leatherman Wave - My multitool goes everywhere because you never know when you’ll need it. And it turns out, a lot!
FIRST AID KIT - Coleman Mini Kit - This is the perfect size for keeping in your bag and car in case of the minor boo boo, which happens a lot with kids. It’s cheap and effective.
CHARGING CABLE - Anker 10’ cable for iphones - I like to have a lot of slack because I never know how far away from the outlet I’ll be. I use to use a 6’ , but found sometimes even that wasn’t long enough. The 10’ doesn’t take up much more space and works great.
CHARGING BRICK - Anker Dual Port Charger - This is my go-to travel charger. It’s awesome because you can tie in someone else if needed as well. It’s small and compact.
EARBUDS - Apple Airpods Gen 2 - I still prefer these and love them for listening to podcasts and Youtube on my morning walks/exercise stuff.
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Kyle Root is a published and award winning photographer based out of Decatur Alabama. Working in the area since 1999 has helped him become one of the most recognized photographers and videographers in North Alabama. His work has been featured both locally and on the national stage. Honesty, Integrity, Quality Products, Amazing Customer Service, and just being a nice guy have helped propel him to the spotlight in the North Alabama area as a photographer. If you're looking for professional photography, you're in the right spot.
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