A staycation at Gaylord Texan Resort might be for you!
Who’s up for a staycation? Find a hotel, resort, cabin, or other accommodation that you love and live near, and check it out. My son and I just returned home from Grapevine, where we had a wonderful staycation at the Gaylord Texan Resort. In a recent hotel review of the Gaylord Texan, I detailed every aspect of the resort and how it continues to cater to families in line with the Marriott mission.
We live less than 30 minutes from the resort. The resort is a short drive from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and sits on the shores of Lake Grapevine. It’s a hop, skip, and jump from the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
I have a thing with Gaylord Texan. They have provided my family with entertainment for over 14+ years during Christmas and Summer events. As a DFW blogger, I have partnered with them for at least 12 years. I even worked there for one year during the Gaylord Texan ICE! event. Nonetheless, I highly respect this company and think it’s a great place to bring the whole family.
Universe of Light at Gaylord Texan Resort
The Gaylord Texas is the only resort showing this lantern show in 2025
Gaylord Texan Resort ICE!
And, with ICE! coming back will be very exciting at the Gaylord Texan this winter!!
Good news! code “TRAVELING” is now active and ready to be used.
Use Traveling for 50% off general admission to ICE!
Offer valid between 11/10-11/23, 11/26-11/30, 12/3-12/7, 12/10-12/14, 12/25-12/31. Offer valid for listed dates only. Not valid with any other discounts or offers. Tickets must be purchased online. Limit of 10 tickets per purchaser. Not retroactive. Other restrictions may apply. Discount based on 50% off GENERAL ADMISSION ticket pricing and valid for all dates mentioned in the promotion. Limited number of tickets available on select dates.
Disclosure: I won this 2-night trip for selling the most tickets (over 500) during the 2021 Gaylord Texan Holiday Influencer Competition for its Lone Star Christmas Event. But still, a staycation at Gaylord Texan Resort is well worth it, and we saw many families partaking in everything the resort offers. I’ll fill you in below.
Gaylord Texan Resort Review
The Gaylord Texan Resort is now part of the Marriott International family. If you are a traveler who only likes to stay at Marriott properties, you’re in luck here. Have a fun staycation, and grab those points too! I love that they are part of the Marriott family. I’ve used Marriott for years for hotel stays and am now a Gold member. There are perks to that!
Don’t forget to check the resort’s events and enjoy its fun seasonal activities. I’ve seen a baby sloth, and it was the cutest thing.
Do you know what else? The Gaylord Texan is a wonderful place to bring your grandkids. Grandparents, listen up: I highly recommend bringing your grandkids here for summer fun. Here are a few recommendations to save money, time, and stress.
12 Tips For A Staycation At Gaylord Texan Resort
- The food they serve will practically feed two.
- Bring snacks with you for the room.
- Even though the kids might think they are too old to order on the kids’ menu, make them. My grandson is 12 years old and can still order from the kids’ menu, and when he doesn’t, he never finishes his meal.
- Bring lots of water. Water is suitable for everyone.
- You don’t need to bring your own towels to the swimming pools or the outdoor waterpark – Paradise Springs Water Park – towels are supplied everywhere.
- Have the kids wear water shoes to Paradise Springs because the cement is really hot. They don’t have to take them off when going down the waterslides. I don’t recommend flip-flops – they could get lost if they fly off your feet.
- Breakfast ends at 11 am.
- If you want to dine at the Old Hickory Steakhouse, it’s casual business attire. They call it “smart business,” but not sure what that means. And it opens at 5 pm for cocktails and 6 pm for dinner. Not exactly a place for small children.
- The Market Place will take your room number as payment.
- Use your elbow or knuckle to push the elevator buttons for sanitary reasons. This is my forever way to ride an elevator from now on. I taught my grandson this too.
- A 2-room Executive Suite with a sofa bed is so worth it. You’ll have your own bedroom room with a king bed and a TV, the kids can sleep on the sofa and watch TV in the suite. Plus, there’s a coffee maker in the room, and you get six wristbands for Paradise Springs.
- You can park at Paradise Springs for free if you reserve a private cabana. But a shuttle takes people there from the hotel every 15 minutes.
Things To Do At Gaylord Texan Resort
The resort amenities are part of a staycation, wouldn’t you agree? The Gaylord Texan has plenty. Here are a few.
- Indoor Pool – for those winter stays
- Outdoor pool with a waterfall and a hot tub
- Paradise Springs Water Park
- Relâche Spa – for those times you want self-care. Whether you opt for a facial or massage, or both, you can also enjoy everything the spa has, like the steam room, the sauna, showers, snacks, etc.
- 24-hour Fitness Center
- When you book an Executive Suite, you receive six wristbands for Paradise Springs.
- See the lights of the atrium by booking an atrium guest room.
Restaurants At Gaylord Texan Resort
From hamburgers to Tex-Mex to upscale dining, you have a wide range of dining options for the whole family.
Texan Station Sports Bar
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The hamburgers are enormous, and the apple pie serves two.
Riverwalk Cantina
Great frozen margaritas and the chips and salsa will fill you up, so be careful!
Zeppole Coastal Italian
Italian food at its best. Make reservations.
Old Hickory Steakhouse
They have an excellent staff here, and the restaurant has undergone recent updates. I love the service I’ve received both times I’ve visited.
Mission Plaza Marketplace
Not a restaurant but a place where you can grab snacks, the best coffee ever, ice cream, drinks, and anything else you probably forgot to bring from home. For a late-night snack, grab a couple of those huge chocolate chip cookies.
If you can get away for a late-night drink, check out Glass Cactus Nightclub, with live music and free parking. It’s located on the premises and within walking distance from the hotel, or you can drive.
24-Hour Room Service
We ordered room service on our last night there, and I now recommend the two chocolate cookies with two chocolate milk. We shared one cookie and took the other home—both are huge!
If a staycation at Gaylord Texan Resort is what you are looking for this summer, check it out at Gaylord Texan Resort.
Gaylord Texan ICE 2025 Coupon
Get ready because ICE! is returning to Gaylord Texan starting in November. Make plans now for the holiday season.
Make plans now for Gaylord ICE 2025 and the Lone Star Christmas show in Grapevine! It’s here! Get your 50% off coupon right here using TRAVELING. Please share!
NOTE: Please ensure you read the valid dates for using this coupon.
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