Grapevine / Lake Grapevine

Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center

★★★★★

The Gaylord Texan is less a hotel than a destination, and in the holiday season it is one of the biggest draws in North Texas. Opened in 2004 on the shore of Lake Grapevine, ten to fifteen minutes from DFW Airport, the resort is built around a vast glass-roofed atrium covering several acres, where indoor gardens, waterways and buildings recreate scenes inspired by the Hill Country, San Antonio's River Walk and other corners of the state, so that guests can stroll, eat and shop in a climate-controlled Texas whatever the weather. Rooms number well over a thousand, many with balconies overlooking the atrium, and the resort has multiple restaurants and bars, a full-service spa, a fitness center, a seasonal resort pool and water play complex, and one of the largest convention centers in the region, which keeps it busy year-round with conferences. The defining event is Lone Star Christmas, now in its 22nd year. For 2026 it runs from November 13 through January 3 and its centerpiece is ice! featuring Harry Potter, a walk-through exhibition of about two million pounds of hand-carved ice, kept at nine degrees Fahrenheit, with scenes such as Hogsmeade Station and the Forbidden Forest sculpted by visiting artisans. The atrium fills with lights, trees and seasonal activities, and many families build their whole Christmas trip around a night here. Downsides: it is expensive, with a daily resort fee and costly parking on top of the room rate; holiday weekends are crowded; and the resort is self-contained, so you will need a car or rideshare to see Dallas or Fort Worth, each about thirty to forty minutes away.

Outside the holiday season, the Gaylord Texan works as a family resort and convention base, and as an easy alternative to an airport hotel for travelers who want something more fun on either end of a trip. Grapevine's Historic Main Street, with its winery tasting rooms and the Vintage Railroad, is a short drive away, as are Grapevine Mills, Meow Wolf, SEA LIFE and LEGOLAND. During the Christmas Capital of Texas season, the Gaylord and Main Street together make Grapevine the most festive corner of the Metroplex.

Room craft: book an atrium-view room with a balcony to wake up looking over the indoor gardens and holiday lights, or a lake-view room for sunsets over Lake Grapevine. For Lone Star Christmas, buy ice! tickets online in advance — packages that combine rooms and tickets were offered from the summer — and choose a weekday visit if you can, as weekends sell out. Dress warmly for ice!, as the exhibition is kept well below freezing and parkas are provided. Budget for the resort fee and parking when comparing prices with other hotels.

Who it suits: families planning a holiday treat, Harry Potter fans, convention attendees, and travelers wanting a resort stay close to DFW Airport. Independent travelers focused on museums, history and nightlife in Dallas or Fort Worth will find better value and location in the cities.