The view from the rail · Story
The view from the rail in Davidson: an hour, start to finish
The ordinary version of a visit, without the marketing gloss.
Everything happens in one room. There is no wandering off to another floor and no moment of not knowing where they are.
If Davidson 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.
Walking in
The measure of a family attraction is not what the children do, it is what the adults do while they do it. Standing where you can see and hear them counts for a lot.
Let the child lead the order of things. Adults optimise; children choose the thing that looks best, and they are right more often than they are wrong.
The middle of the visit
The pace is slow enough to talk over. Parents end up chatting at the rail rather than shouting over a soundtrack.
Phones come out, and for once the photographs are worth keeping: a full bucket, a spin, a first lap without the wall.
The last ten minutes
Everything happens in one room. There is no wandering off to another floor and no moment of not knowing where they are.
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.
What sticks
The measure of a family attraction is not what the children do, it is what the adults do while they do it. Standing where you can see and hear them counts for a lot.
The pace is slow enough to talk over. Parents end up chatting at the rail rather than shouting over a soundtrack.
Questions parents ask
Can I watch the whole time?
The activity is in one room and the viewing is from the rail or the boards.
Is it loud?
It is a children attraction rather than an arcade. The machines are slow and the noise is mostly the children.
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 Davidson
The nearest of the two centres to Davidson is the one to aim at - Concord Mills in Concord - and the drive is the ordinary sort rather than an expedition.
Bring a snack for afterwards rather than during. Hungry children leave early and full children want to stay.
Take the phone out of your pocket before they start rather than after. The moment worth filming is usually the first one.
If you are coming from Davidson, 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
If a visit needs planning around a date, a group or a long drive, the centre is easiest to reach by phone: +1 (424) 387-6232 or +1 (615) 968-4925.