The view from the rail · Tips
The view from the rail in Indian Trail: things worth doing differently
None of this is complicated. All of it is the difference between a good hour and a difficult one.
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.
If you are coming from Indian Trail, treat it as a cross-town outing rather than a day trip. Go with a return time in mind and the day stays easy.
Before you leave the house
Everything happens in one room. There is no wandering off to another floor and no moment of not knowing where they are.
Phones come out, and for once the photographs are worth keeping: a full bucket, a spin, a first lap without the wall.
When you arrive
The pace is slow enough to talk over. Parents end up chatting at the rail rather than shouting over a soundtrack.
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.
While you are there
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.
Everything happens in one room. There is no wandering off to another floor and no moment of not knowing where they are.
On the way home
Phones come out, and for once the photographs are worth keeping: a full bucket, a spin, a first lap without the wall.
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.
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.
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.
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 Indian Trail
If Indian Trail 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.
Bring less than you think. Coats and bags are the part of the visit nobody enjoys managing.
Count on the drive home being the conversation. Children tell you what they actually thought about twenty minutes after leaving.
Nothing about the visit assumes you know the area. The centre is inside Concord Mills, which is signposted from everywhere in Concord 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.