Rainy afternoons · First time
Rainy afternoons for the first time in Hermitage
A first visit has a shape to it, and knowing the shape takes most of the guesswork out.
On a wet Saturday, going early beats going late. The same hour feels completely different before and after the rest of the city has the same idea.
If Hermitage is home, this is the sort of place you end up returning to rather than ticking off. That changes what a first visit is worth planning around.
The first ten minutes
Rain turns a normal afternoon into a problem to solve. An indoor attraction inside a mall solves it without anybody getting wet between the car and the door.
Both venues sit inside shopping centres, so the walk from the parking to the attraction is under cover.
What children do first
The trick with a rainy day is picking something that burns energy rather than something that keeps children still. Sitting through a film leaves the energy in the tank.
Do not schedule anything immediately afterwards. An hour of concentrated play is tiring in a way that shows up in the car park, not in the room.
What usually goes wrong
On a wet Saturday, going early beats going late. The same hour feels completely different before and after the rest of the city has the same idea.
Rain turns a normal afternoon into a problem to solve. An indoor attraction inside a mall solves it without anybody getting wet between the car and the door.
Making the second visit better
Both venues sit inside shopping centres, so the walk from the parking to the attraction is under cover.
Go early if the choice is available. The first hour after opening is quieter than any hour that follows it, and quieter is easier for everybody.
Questions parents ask
Is it fully indoors?
Both venues are inside malls - Opry Mills in Nashville and Concord Mills in Concord.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Saturday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Sunday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
How do I get in touch?
By phone on +1 (424) 387-6232 or +1 (615) 968-4925, or by e-mail at info@newlife-entertainment.com.
Planning your visit in Hermitage
The drive back to Hermitage is where you find out what they actually thought. Children review an outing about twenty minutes after leaving it, never during.
If two adults are coming, split up rather than shadowing the same child. One at the rail, one free, and everybody has a better hour.
Feed them first. Every attraction in the world is improved by not being hungry in it.
The nearest of the two centres to Hermitage is the one to aim at - Opry Mills in Nashville - and the drive is the ordinary sort rather than an expedition.
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.