The excavator yard · Tips
The excavator yard in La Vergne: things worth doing differently
None of this is complicated. All of it is the difference between a good hour and a difficult one.
Parents watch from the rail, close enough to talk and far enough not to be operating the machine themselves, which is the point.
From La Vergne the practical question is timing rather than distance. Arriving in the first hour after opening is worth more than shaving minutes off the drive.
Before you leave the house
There is no queue system built into the layout - the machines stand apart, so a family with two children can usually get them both working at once.
Let the child choose what to do first even when it is the thing you would have chosen last. The order matters less than the choosing.
When you arrive
The yard is compact by design. Nobody loses a child in it, and that alone changes how relaxed an hour there feels.
The whole XCAV area reads like a small construction yard: four machines around one crate, everything at child height, everything meant to be touched.
While you are there
Parents watch from the rail, close enough to talk and far enough not to be operating the machine themselves, which is the point.
The quietest hour of the week is the first one on a weekday morning in term time. The busiest is Saturday around midday.
On the way home
There is no queue system built into the layout - the machines stand apart, so a family with two children can usually get them both working at once.
The yard is compact by design. Nobody loses a child in it, and that alone changes how relaxed an hour there feels.
Questions parents ask
How many machines are there?
Four: a tower crane, a mini excavator, a claw excavator and a grabber crane.
Can parents stay with their child?
The rail runs around the crate, so parents stay within arm reach the whole time.
Where is New Life Entertainment?
Two centres: 433 Opry Mills Drive, Nashville TN 37214, and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd, Concord NC 28027.
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.
Planning your visit in La Vergne
Families around La Vergne who have done it once tend to plan the second visit differently: shorter, earlier in the day, and with the machine the child liked in mind.
Check the day of the week against the closing time before you leave. Sunday finishes earlier than the rest of the week and catches people out.
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.
If you are coming from La Vergne, 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
Anything time critical is worth a phone call first: hours are 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Saturday and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.