It’s that time of year when kids are elated to be done with the school year and parents are scrambling to entertain kids (while, you know, going to work). A.k.a – Summer vacation.
Look no further – between trips to the park, pools, mountain adventures, play centers, day camps + more, we’ve rounded up a list of 20+ things to do with your kiddos to keep them busy + happy this summer.
Kid-friendly fun under $10
☀Splasheville | Pack Square Park | Free | Head over to Pack Square Park and play in this interactive water park featuring 21 jets of water right in downtown.
☀Carrier Park | 220 Amboy Rd. | Free | Visit the playground, walk the trail by the French Broad, bring the dog, go canoeing, lazy float in the river, or plan for a picnic. Bonus: Full list of Asheville parks here.
☀Botanical Gardens at Asheville | 151 WT Weaver Blvd. | Free | Located on the outskirts of UNCA’s campus, bring your children to learn and study Southern Appalachian native plant species. Protip: Check the garden rules before visiting.
☀Well Played Board Game Cafe | 58 Wall St. | Free–$5 | Take your children to play in the largest board game library in North Carolina.
☀Shindig on the Green | Roger McGuire Green in downtown | 7 p.m. | Free | Beginning June 30 take the children to experience Southern Appalachia music + dance traditions. The fun lasts all summer long.
☀Asheville’s Drum Circle | 67 Patton Ave. | Free | Every Friday around 6 p.m. bring the family for to Pritchard Park to experience one of Asheville’s greatest traditions. Bring a drum, hula hoop, a tambourine or your dancing feet and dance to the beat of the drums.
☀Urban Trail Walking Tour | downtown Asheville | Free | Learn about the history, architecture + people of Asheville while walking through these five distinct eras. Each statue or symbol represents a different moment in AVL’s history. Print a map or download the audio tour here.
☀Events at Pack Square Library | 67 Haywood St. | Free | Story time, craft day, Dungeons and Dragons + more. Check out the summer schedule here.
☀Community pools | Prices vary | Take the kids swimming this summer at any local community pool, swimming hole, or lake.
☀WNC Nature Center | 75 Gashes Creek Rd. | $5.95+| Let your kids experience wildlife in this 42 acre zoo exhibit.
☀Chimney Rock State Park | 431 Main St., Chimney Rock | $6+ | Take a trip to Chimney Rock, pack a picnic + enjoy three different hikes and all the views.
☀AMOS | 43 Patton Ave. | $6+ | Let your kid experience games + fun relating to paleontology, planetary exploration, minerals, the Southern Appalachian Forest + more. Bonus: Check out these summer camp options.
Kid-friendly fun under $20
☀NC Arboretum | 20 Frederick Law Olmsted Way | Parking fee of $14 | Kids can pick up a Discovery Backpack, TRACK Trail guide, or a geocaching packet at the Baker Exhibit Center for free and explore the gardens.
☀Kids Yoga at Asheville Community Yoga | $12 | Emma teaches yoga and art to let kids develop a deeper yoga + meditation practice. Register here.
☀ASAP’s Farm Tour | 306 West Haywood St. | June 23-24 | $30 per car | This weekend only let the family experience in person how food is grown and raised here in WNC.
☀Kids Comedy Tour | 76 Biltmore Ave. | $17 | Time for the kiddos to experience LaZoom. This purple bus tour combines the history of Asheville with kid-centric comedy.
☀Asheville Pinball Museum | 1 Battle Square #1B | $12+ | With over 80 pinball and classic video games you can play all day without any tokens or coins.
☀Asheville’s Fun Depot | 7 Roberts Rd. | Pricing begins at $4 | Spend the day riding bumper cars, playing lazer tag, endless arcade games, bowling + more.
☀Mountain Play Lodge | 3389 Sweeten Creek Rd. | $12+ | All-day admission for children 12 and under in this indoor play center. Protip: Socks are required for everyone.
Kid-friendly fun over $20+
☀Zen Tubing | 608 Riverside Dr. | $20+ | Spend most of your day tubbing along the French Broad.
☀Asheville Treetops Adventure Park | 85 Expo Dr. | Open Fri–Sun only | $47 | Visit ATAP to experience 60 unique climbing, flying, jumping, swinging, and rappelling challenges over 30 towering trees.
☀Biltmore | 1 Lodge St. | Children under 16 are free with adult ticket | Take your children to visit America’s largest home. Tour the house, frolic in the garden, check out the Chihuly at Biltmore, take a walk on the trails + more.
☀Asheville YMCA | 30 Woodfin St. | The Y offers plenty of summer day camp options for children 5 through 16. Bonus: You can apply for financial assistance here.
☀Camp Bell | Carolina Day School 1345 Hendersonville Rd. | June 11–August 3 | $215 | This active day camp allows your child to spend a week diving into an activity they enjoy (with so many options). See our full summer camp guide here.
Asheville has tons of summer-fun options for the kids. When I nannied + babysat during the summer last year, I was highly impressed by all the possible activities I could do with the kiddos. My personal fav is visiting the WNC Nature Center. Wolves, bears, and mountain lions, oh my. 🐻
Most of these activities you can send your kids to with a babysitter or older siblings. Or you can hold off and make a weekend of family fun.
Summer is here Asheville!!
Happy Tuesday,
