First visit · Compare
First visit in Hendersonville: where it fits among family activities
There is no shortage of indoor options. The useful question is which one suits your particular child.
Watch what they choose before suggesting anything. Children pick the machine that matches their temperament with no help at all.
The nearest of the two centres to Hendersonville is the one to aim at - Opry Mills in Nashville - and the drive is the ordinary sort rather than an expedition.
What it does differently
Arrive with time in hand. The first ten minutes are always coats, looking around and deciding, and rushing them costs more than they take.
Bring a spare layer even in summer. Malls are air conditioned, rinks are colder than that, and a cold child is a child who wants to go home.
Where other options win
A first visit works best with no schedule attached to it. Come, see what the child gravitates to, and let that decide the hour.
Leave a little early. A visit that ends while it is still fun is the one they ask to repeat.
How to decide
Watch what they choose before suggesting anything. Children pick the machine that matches their temperament with no help at all.
Decide how long you are staying before you walk in. A visit with an end time attached to it finishes on a good note rather than a tired one.
The short version
Arrive with time in hand. The first ten minutes are always coats, looking around and deciding, and rushing them costs more than they take.
A first visit works best with no schedule attached to it. Come, see what the child gravitates to, and let that decide the hour.
Questions parents ask
What should we bring?
Warm layers for the rink, and the usual drink and snack for afterwards.
How long should we allow?
An hour is a comfortable first visit for most families.
What are the opening hours?
10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday, and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
Planning your visit in Hendersonville
The drive back to Hendersonville is where you find out what they actually thought. Children review an outing about twenty minutes after leaving it, never during.
If two children are visiting together, plan for them to split up. Doing different things in the same room is the point of a room with different things in it.
If one child is nervous, let them watch for the first ten minutes without being asked to join in. Almost all of them join in.
If you are coming from Hendersonville, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
The practical details
- XCAV ZONE — 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214: four child-operated machines over a ball pit.
- ICE PARK — 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027: a real rink with bumper cars on the ice.
- Opening hours — 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
- Phone — +1 (424) 387-6232 · +1 (615) 968-4925
- E-mail — info@newlife-entertainment.com
Questions about a specific day, a group or a party are best asked directly - info@newlife-entertainment.com, or either of the numbers on the contacts page.