The excavator yard · First time
The excavator yard in Nashville: a first visit, step by step
A first visit has a shape to it, and knowing the shape takes most of the guesswork out.
Parents watch from the rail, close enough to talk and far enough not to be operating the machine themselves, which is the point.
Families around Nashville 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.
The first ten minutes
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.
What children do first
The whole XCAV area reads like a small construction yard: four machines around one crate, everything at child height, everything meant to be touched.
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.
What usually goes wrong
Parents watch from the rail, close enough to talk and far enough not to be operating the machine themselves, which is the point.
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.
Making the second visit better
The yard is compact by design. Nobody loses a child in it, and that alone changes how relaxed an hour there feels.
A birthday group runs better with a rough plan of who goes where first, even if you abandon it in the first five minutes.
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.
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.
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 Nashville
If you are coming from Nashville, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
Bring less than you think. Coats and bags are the part of the visit nobody enjoys managing.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
Nothing about the visit assumes you know the area. The centre is inside Opry Mills, which is signposted from everywhere in Nashville and impossible to miss once you are there.
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
The two centres are at 433 Opry Mills Drive in Nashville and 8111 Concord Mills Blvd in Concord, open 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM most days and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.