In Asheville, NC you’ll find the Asheville Retrocade, a fantastic place to spend a few hours during rainy, cold, or hot weather. You can play all day for one price, and it’s great for the whole family.
Need someplace in Asheville, NC to spend a few hours indoors during a rainy, cold, or hot day? We’ve got just the place: Asheville Retrocade, an old-school arcade that features two floors of games and is family-friendly.
Asheville Retrocade
Playing at Asheville Retrocade
I am always looking for fun, indoor things to do when the weather isn’t cooperating and found just the spot at Asheville Retrocade. For this trip, I was visiting with a friend and her young daughter staying in the area. Thanks to Google, we found this indoor mecca of Pac-Man and race car driving.
At Asheville Retrocade, you pay a flat fee of $10/person (kids under 5 are free). That gives you access to two floors of pinball, Pac-Man, dance-off games, race car games, air hockey, Skee-Ball, and tons more games. You don’t need any quarters here.
Pinball at Asheville Retrocade
They claim to have more than 5,000 games at the arcade. They do have a lot, but I’m not sure it equals 5,000. That said, I totally lost track of time and spent about two-and-a-half hours at the arcade. It was such a fun way to spend time with my kids and my friend.
Play All Day with Retro Games
When you get to Asheville Retrocade, you pay $10/person and get a wristband that allows you to come and go all day. The arcade is truly like taking a step back in time. I didn’t play a lot of video games as a kid, but the ones I did play, like Pac-Man, are ingrained in my childhood. I love them. It was a lot of fun to play those nostalgic games.
We went during Christmas Break, and there was actually a line to get in. I was nervous that we wouldn’t be able to play many games because of too many people. But I shouldn’t have been worried. We only ever had to wait maybe five minutes for a game and there were always spots open at other games that we could play.
The kids we had with us were ages 3, 9, and 12, and all of us had a blast. The place is truly family-friendly and welcoming. There were a lot of families when we went, and it was so much fun to enjoy that time together and see other families doing the same.
Asheville Retrocade
Food and Drinks at Asheville Retrocade
The arcade has several options for drinks, including local craft beer, wine, and fountain drinks. They also have free water available.
There is snack food available for purchase.
Things to Know When Visiting Asheville Retrocade
Here are a few tips for when you visit:
There is free street parking, which is awesome.
After 9 PM, guests need to be ages 21+
If a game you want to play is occupied, just be patient and wait or play something else. It will open up soon!
There are bathrooms and hand sanitizer available, but still wash your hands during and after your visit.
Expect heavier crowds during school breaks, holidays, and rainy days.
You can book a private party at the arcade.
Heading to the Asheville Retrocade
The arcade is open daily from noon-2 AM. After 9 PM, patrons need to be 21+. You can purchase your wristband when you get there.
Need more ideas for Asheville fun? Visit our Asheville Guide for ideas on how to enjoy the city with your family.
Are you looking for a fun activity for the whole family in or near Greenville? Check out one of these trampoline parks in Greenville, SC! Below, you will learn all about the various trampoline parks in Greenville with prices and other information parents need to know.
Looking for an amazing mug full of hot chocolate in Greenville, SC? Hot chocolate can be incredible – warm, chocolatey goodness and if you’re lucky, with a hefty helping of tiny marshmallows. Our Kidding Around Greenville readers recently revealed where their favorite places to find hot chocolate in Greenville.
220 North Main St, Greenville This cozy place is right next to the Hyatt on Main Street. They serve really good ice cream and make their own waffle cones. You should really treat yourself to some fresh chocolate fudge to go with that hot cocoa! You have our permission.
Kilwins Greenville has THE best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. The seaside caramel hot chocolate is my go to
113 A South Main Street, Fountain Inn Readers are recommending Steam Coffee and Cream in Fountain Inn for hot chocolate. They also offer a variety of kids arts and crafts events and games, so you really can’t go wrong.
1939 Woodruff Rd, Greenville | 31 August St, Greenville You can’t really go wrong at a place where breakfast is served all day. For some extra pep in your step, try the mocha hot chocolate!
205 Cedar Lane, Greenville Everything that Swamp Rabbit Café bakes and brews and sells is amazing. No surprise their hot chocolate is any different. Go get some.
1 East Coffee St, Greenville Located at the corner of Coffee and Main, this chill place is literally underground and serves up great coffee, hot chocolate, and sweet treats.
2702 E North Street, Greenville 14 Halton Road, Greenville This is our team member Erin’s favorite place to grab a hot chocolate on the go for her kids, with whipped cream and at kid temp, while she grabs herself some coffee.
👀What’s Inside: Everything you need to know before visiting the Lost Sea Adventure, from what the tour is really like to the can’t-miss underground lake experience in Tennessee.
The Lost Sea Adventure in Sweetwater, TN is one experience you really won’t want to miss. This one is unforgettable. If a crystal clear lake, a glass bottom boat, cave flowers, and a guided tour through amazing geologic features sounds like your kind of adventure, then put America’s largest underground lake on your bucket list.
We visited the underground lake and caverns in Tennessee, and it did not disappoint. So, get planning! Here’s everything you need to know about the Lost Sea Adventure!
Always looking for my next adventure, when I heard of the Lost Sea just outside Knoxville, Tennessee, I knew I had to go. I actually keep a running list of all the cool things I want to do and places to go, and this one had been on my list for the past couple of years because it is legitimately a crystal clear, cold lake 150 feet underground amongst creepy and cool caverns. An underground lake.
Did it live up to my expectations? Oh yeah, it did.
The Lost Sea is the country’s largest underground lake, which you get to see when you tour the extensive caverns in Sweetwater, TN. And take a boat ride on!
The caverns are huge and have been in use since the days of the Cherokee tribe, who often used the caves to hold councils. Many Cherokee artifacts have been found that point to this history.
During the Civil War, Confederate soldiers mined the caverns for saltpeter, which was used to make gunpowder. Before that, settlers made use of the constant 58-degree temperature in the caves to store their produce.
It wasn’t until 1905 when a 13-year-old boy, Ben Sands, set out to find the rumored lake at the bottom of the caverns. He did end up finding it but no one believed him until decades later when explorers found the same lake. To this day, no one knows how big the lake is. The visible part you see on the tour is 800 feet long by about 200 feet wide and around 75 feet deep. Divers have attempted to explore underground tunnels that protrude from the lake but have not been successful in mapping out how big the lake is.
The Caverns
The majority of the tour is on solid ground amongst the vast cave system that is part of Craighead Caverns. There are all kinds of rare formations throughout the caves that your guide will show you and point out. Many of these formations have taken thousands of years to grow to their current size.
Parts of the caverns have massive rooms and ceilings. If you love geology, you’ll certainly enjoy the tour. The prevalence of the rare “anthodites”, which we learned are called more commonly, “cave flowers” are abundant in these caves. Most caves do not have these anthodites and because of this, these caverns have been designated a Registered National Landmark by the US Department of the Interior.
One particular story that I thought was quite funny was about how one giant room of the cave was a bar and dance hall in 1947. Guests were served moonshine and because of the depth of the caves (or something like that), the effects of the moonshine weren’t felt on the people drinking, which led them to believe they were getting watered-down drinks and drinking all the more moonshine. They would feel the effects of the alcohol once they exited the cave and started up the tunnel to leave. Then it was mayhem. The bar only lasted for all of two months.
Underground Waterfall
I had seen photos of waterfalls in caves before but had never seen one in person till this tour.
Crystal Falls is the name of the small underground waterfall in these caverns that spills from somewhere in the ceiling of the cave onto the formations below. Our guide said it’s the only known source of water coming into the caves. It was super cool and flowed into a small stream next to the lake.
The Boat Tour: A Glass Bottom Boat
So getting to the lake was just as exciting as I pictured. The caves open up into this huge room that is dark except for the lights shining underwater, illuminating the perfectly clear water. I really wanted to grab my kayak or paddleboard and take a ride. They don’t allow that, in case you’re wondering.
The fish all start swimming up to the dock once you reach that area. Now, these are no ordinary fish. These are all Rainbow Trout (no, you cannot go fishing here) that are stocked here every couple of years and are enormous. They are some of the biggest trout you’ll see anywhere. Why? Because they are fed on every single tour that comes into the caverns.
The lake is so clear and untouched that no microbes or algae grow that fish can feast upon. They can’t even breed here. Therefore, they get to live pretty sweet lives being coddled and fed several times a day. Leaning over the boat to get a good look at them was really cool. Part of the boat has a glass bottom so you can view them that way as well.
This was our favorite part of the tour just because it was so unique. Our group was pretty small also and not very talkative so the boat tour was very quiet. In fact, the entire time we were in the caves, it was very silent whenever our guide wasn’t talking. In a world full of constant noise, it was just a different feeling and noticeable.
Wild Cave Tour
If you are up for even more of an adventure, the Lost Sea offers the Wild Cave Tour that includes all of the cool stuff of the normal tour and boat ride plus climbing into undeveloped rooms and seeing all the neat things you don’t get to see on the regular tour.
These tours are for groups like Scouts, camps, churches, or people who just want to explore more. A minimum of 12 spots must be reserved for this tour and bookings must happen at least two weeks in advance.
Eating Nearby at Sweetwater Valley Farm
The restaurant and General Store at The Lost Sea wasn’t open when we went so I had to figure out something else for lunch. And that we did.
We went 20 minutes away to Sweetwater Valley Farm, a dairy farm set on rolling green hills, for their grilled cheese sandwiches, milkshakes, and cheese samples. This was one of the best-grilled cheeses and milkshakes I had ever had.
The farm also does tours of their dairy and cheese operations if you wanted to make it a longer day trip to the area. I’m already dreaming of when to go back and get a milkshake.
Things to know about the Lost Sea + tickets
The tour is a walking tour and you’ll walk about three-quarters of a mile in total with the last quarter mile being all uphill.
The boat tour is around 15-20 minutes and the total tour time is an hour.
Some parts of the trail in the cave are slippery so wear proper shoes.
Kids have to be watched at all times.
Tickets are $28.95/adult, $16.95/ages 4-12, and kids 3 and under are free.
The Lost Sea is open all year round except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
No pets are allowed in the caves and on the tour.
There is a glass blower, trail, picnic tables, and ice cream shop on the property as well if you want to explore while there.
Homeschool Days at The Lost Sea
Homeschool days are offered every Monday (except holidays), August through May, and tickets are at the educational rate of $14/student and $23.95/adult.
The Lost Sea 140 Lost Sea Road, Sweetwater, TN 423.333.2289
As if seeing holiday lights and the beauty of downtown Greenville could be any better – it just did. Introducing the Kidding Around Holiday Greenville Bike Taxi Tour. We did it and have all the info on this new, must-do holiday item for your family.
When Greenville Bike Taxi opened in Greenville, SC as the only pedicab biking down Main Street, owner Phil thought it’d be a great fit. Bikes use no gas. They are eco-friendly. They allow guests to really take in the sights and sounds of our beautiful downtown. And really, they are just plain fun.
And fun is exactly what we had with Phil when he took us on the new Kidding Around Holiday Tour designed specifically to enjoy the beautiful Christmas season and see lots of fantastic Christmas lights.
About Greenville Bike Taxi
Phil grew up in Greenville and moved to the coast to go to school. In Charleston, he ended up working for a bike taxi company and loved it. He peddled all over King Street and through the historic district, taking people to restaurants, markets, bars, and on shopping trips. Literally, anywhere they wanted to go.
When he decided to move back home to the Upstate, he wanted to bring that same experience to Greenville. So he did. After obtaining the necessary permits and navigating all the business paperwork, Phil opened up Greenville Bike Taxi in the spring and people have loved it.
It’s easy to see why. It’s such a unique way to get around town and since Greenville is so beautiful and since there is lots to see, it’s far from a boring way to be stuck in traffic on Main Street.
If you’re in town and want a bike taxi, just call the bike line, 864.293.3065, and they’ll come get you! A standard ride is $8/person for 10 minutes. We’ll give you pricing info on our holiday tour below.
Greenville Bike Taxi Downtown
The Kidding Around Holiday Bike Tour
You all know how much we love tours, right? But they are all driving tours. Now we’ve partnered with Greenville Bike Taxi to offer a Kidding Around Holiday Tour!
Here’s where you will go:
The Gingerbread Competition at the SpringHill Suites
The Hyatt Regency to see the Festival of Trees
Earle Street to see the Santas – like literally dozens of them – that line the street
The entire tour is an hour long and it’s one of the best tours we’ve done downtown. Phil cranks up the Christmas tunes and you’ll get people waving at you the whole time you’re in the pedicab. Honestly, my daughters and I felt like celebrities. It was our 15 minutes (well, an hour) of fame.
Greenville Bike Taxi in front of the Hyatt
My daughters (ages 12 and 9) were just elated the entire time. They loved watching Main Street fly by and enjoyed all the stops, especially the ride down Earle Street. The novelty of being in a pedicab was a joy.
But as an adult, I absolutely loved it also. It’s just a view you don’t usually get and Phil was a great bike rider (even though he didn’t let me try to ride the bike, ya know, insurance and all that!).
I also loved it because it’s literally your own private tour. You aren’t squished in anywhere with strangers. You’re squished in with your loved ones and nice and snuggly while stopping to see all the cool stuff around town during the holidays.
Tips on Enjoying the Kidding Around Holiday Bike Tour
You’ll want to read through these tips so you can enjoy your holiday bike tour with Greenville Bike Taxi.
Dress warmly. It’s chilly so bring hats and gloves and wear a warm jacket. Phil has blankets, which are nice and warm.
Charge your phone for photos. I find that my phone batteries die faster in colder weather so bring your phone charged to document your fun night.
Rides are an hour long. The tour is an hour long but you’ll stop at the two hotels and can use the restrooms if needed.
Each bike can fit a bunch of people. You’ll be able to squeeze in up to three adults and two small children, or two adults and up to four small children.
Holiday bike tours will go to around Christmas. You’ll be able to book your tours daily from November 28th – December 25th.
Greenville Bike Taxi in downtown Greenville
Booking Your Kidding Around Holiday Bike Tour
Tickets for the Kidding Around Holiday Bike Tour are $50/adults, $30/child (2-12), no charge for infants (under 2). Standard ride rates are $8/passenger for 10 minutes. Extended city cruises are 80¢/minute per passenger. If you’d like to change it up or go to a special place, just ask Phil. He’s pretty awesome.
Volunteering as a Food Rescuer at Loaves & Fishes in Greenville, SC is the perfect way for the whole family to give their time to help those with food insecurity in our community.
One of the most oft-repeated questions we get here at Kidding Around is “Where can I volunteer with kids?”. Many places need kids to be around middle-school age to volunteer, but there are several opportunities to help others with younger kids in tow. One of those ways is to volunteer with Loaves & Fishes. We did it and will tell you all about how to get involved with this organization.
About Loaves & Fishes
The mission of Loaves & Fishes is “to eliminate food insecurity in Greenville County by ensuring no good food goes to waste.” This is done by partnering with grocery stores and restaurants to rescue their leftover food and deliver it to community centers, schools, shelters, low-income housing, food pantries, and other people who need it in our community.
Food insecurity in the Upstate is very real. More than 45,000 residents in Greenville don’t know where their next meal is coming from, and 76% percent of households who receive food assistance have kids under the age of 18 living at home. And more than half of kids who attend Greenville County Schools are eligible for free or reduced meals.
Here’s the kicker though: globally, more than 1.3 billion tons of food goes to waste every year. Why can’t that food go to the people who need it? That’s the question that eventually led to the founding of Loaves & Fishes.
Loaves & Fishes was founded in 1991 and has been acting as a bridge between those places with surplus food and those places that need food. They have four refrigerated trucks, work with 110 partner agencies, and have an army of 300+ volunteers to ensure no good food goes to waste.
Loaves & Fishes is not a food bank (here’s a list of food resources in our area). They don’t store any food in their small office but can take food donations which will go to those in need. They make a huge difference in the community struggling with food insecurity. Last year, they rescued more than 2.7 million pounds of food.
Becoming a Food Rescuer with Loaves & Fishes
It’s an easy job and anyone with a car can do it! You will choose a route from a weekly email from Loaves & Fishes, which will tell you where to pick up food and where to drop it off.
Most of the places you’ll be picking up from are grocery stores like Publix, Lowes, and Food Lion. When we did our first route, we picked up from Publix. It was super easy. We just headed to the back of the store and told them we were from Loaves & Fishes.
Publix has a log that you sign when you pick up the food so we signed that and they had our boxes ready to go. We packed them in the car and headed off to drop them off.
Our destination was the Greer Community Ministries. The ladies were so kind there and had carts ready to help us unload all the goodies. It took only a few minutes to unload. Super easy. My kids helped with both loading and unloading so it didn’t take long.
Keep track of what you pick up since you’ll need to enter it into a database that Loaves & Fishes uses to keep track of how many pounds of food they rescue and deliver each year.
Our route took about an hour total starting from our house to Publix to Greer Community Ministries and back. Loaves & Fishes tries to match the places donating to drop-off locations nearby if they can.
How to Become a Volunteer with Loaves & Fishes
If you want to volunteer with Loaves & Fishes, fill out the volunteer form on their website. After that, you’ll be given dates to choose from to attend the 45-minute long Volunteer Orientation. This is super important as you’ll get all the helpful information you need to be a successful Food Rescuer.
You can sign up for a route to do every week or just do them as you are able.
Families are welcome to volunteer together. There is no age limit
If you want to become a partner agency with Loaves & Fishes or run a non-profit and want to learn more about working with them, view the FAQ page on the website.
Loaves & Fishes 25 Woods Lake Road, Suite 810 Greenville 864-232-3595
Looking for more ways to volunteer? We have a guide for that.
Looking for a family-friendly winter activity? Check out Moonshine Mountain snow tubing park in Hendersonville, NC. KAG Contributor Kristina Hernandez brought her children for a day of tubing down the mountain. Check out her review so you’ll know what to expect and plan your visit to Moonshine Mountain.
The park is projected to open on December 19th for the 2025-2026 season.
If you see the giant pink elephant, you know you’ve made it to Moonshine Mountain in Hendersonville, NC. Get used to the feeling of being watched by all kinds of mismatched statues of dinosaurs, bears, and the Blues Brothers. It’s all part of the thrilling fun of this snow tube mecca in Western North Carolina.
Only an hour from Greenville, Moonshine Mountain offers super fast snow tubing for any age. They have a cozy lodge with games, hot chocolate, snacks, and coffee. If you’d rather skip the tubing part or are done with your time, you can watch all the action from the deck at the lodge or head to the bridge over the tubing area to take photos of your family speeding down the lanes.
Moonshine Mountain is set to open on December 19th for the 2025-2026 season, which extends through February depending on the weather. Before you go, definitely head to their Facebook page for the latest updates on weather, snow report, and wait times. They have the capability to create their own snow so you’ll be fine even if Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate with the fluffy white stuff.
There are bathrooms onsite, but they are port-a-potties so don’t go there expecting the Ritz of bathrooms. The place is rustic and eclectic, not a fancy ski lodge.
Tickets, Tube, and Lift
Tickets are $40 for each tuber no matter the age and you have to sign a waiver upon arrival. Head right to the “Form Shed,” and then take your waiver to the lodge for payment and your sticker. You’ll get two hours of tube time.
Reservations are now required, but you still need to pay in cash when you get there. There is an ATM onsite if needed.
After leaving the lodge, go to the building with the airplane on top to pick up your giant tube. I don’t know how much they weigh, but they aren’t light (I definitely tripped over them a couple of times!). Then head to the mountain after the lodge. There is a pulley system that acts as a lift to get you up. It’s easy and fast.
Your other option, if the line is long, is to take your tube and walk up the mountain. I don’t recommend this if the conditions are icy like they were when we went. I got about 80 percent up and got stuck because I couldn’t get a good grip on the ice. It all worked out, but the lift is easy and you don’t get stuck!
Going Down the Mountain
Once you’ve reached the top, you get to choose one of the three lanes. Having never snow tubed before, my two little kids (ages 7 and 4) and I just chose the first lane, which was a good choice since it seemed like the other two were even faster. Moonshine Mountain claims one of the steepest slopes in Western North Carolina. I’m not disputing that after day of snow tubing here.
My kids are small enough for me to hold onto both of their tubes and go down together, which made me feel a bit safer. Every tuber, no matter their age, gets their own tube. The employees are all great and very friendly. They get you up the mountain and down it safely while having a lot of fun.
I saw a lot of other groups go down in “trains”, where you hook your feet under the arms of the person in the tube in front of you and then slide down together. It looked awesome.
Mom Review of the fun at Moonshine Mountain
We got there before Moonshine Mountain opened, so we had plenty of time to get in several runs until a bigger crowd showed up. The most we waited to get to the lift after sliding down was 15 minutes and that was at the most crowded part of the day. It was run efficiently, they play music, have a bonfire near the mountain so you can warm up, and have an onsite photographer to grab your best photo (which we absolutely bought).
The place is very family-friendly and caters to all ages. We saw people on dates, families, big groups, and friends just having fun together. There are also plenty of things for the kids to play with, or on. There is a little igloo they can explore or climb on the backs of dinosaurs or sit by the fire and enjoy hot chocolate.
Moonshine Mountain runs things in a way that keeps people moving and gives everyone plenty of chances to ride while still keeping safety front and center. It’s a fun pick for families this winter. It also works well when you want to show out-of-towners something a little different.
Check hours on website as they are mostly open on weekends and school breaks. They do not offer group rates.
Tips for Moonshine Mountain in North Carolina
Bring cash. Moonshine Mountain doesn’t accept credit cards, so you need enough money for the tickets, plus whatever snacks or hot chocolate you want. Tickets are $40 per person. If you purchase photos, bring an extra $30-$40. I loved the photos since I couldn’t go down the mountain and take snapshots at the same time.
While there isn’t an age requirement, there is a minimum height requirement of 36” to tube and a 250-pound limit on the lift. Tubes can hold up to 300 pounds, but you’ll need to walk up the mountain. Ages eight and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Check the weather and snow report before you go on their website and/or Facebook page. Rain will usually necessitate closing. You don’t want to drive all the way up there and not be able to go tubing.
Make a reservation. Reservations are required, which you need to make online.
Bring a change of clothes. There are changing rooms onsite, and you may get wet or muddy. It’s just more comfortable to change before you head home. You don’t need snow bibs or pants. Just dress warm.
Don’t forget winter hats and gloves, and layers are your friends. It can get chilly sobe prepared. You can always ditch layers in the car if you warm up. We don’t have snow gear, so we layered leggings under pants and jeans and did the same with shirts. It worked out well.
If you have experienced a Greenville, SC winter, free things to do are everywhere! We’ve gathered up our favorite free winter activities near Greenville, SC. And others listed are inexpensive… which in this case means the total cost of the activity is less than $20 for a family of four to do.
Winter can put a damper on outdoor activities because of the cold but do not fear, here’s a list of free and inexpensive things to do in the Upstate, South Carolina that will keep you and your kids from crying boredom and will help relieve that cabin fever.
Typically staying in your neighborhood is a good idea, especially if the roads are bad (and it’s free). Ideas for improvised sleds: tape up the seams of larger cardboard boxes with duct tape, use pool toys, a large cookie sheet, lunch tray, tops of garbage cans, an old car hood, laundry basket, or plastic kiddie pool. [disclaimer: don’t blame us if these ideas don’t work] But if you’re looking for something more (that does cost money) KAG readers recommend Maggie Valley, Moonshine Mountain, and Jonas Ridge, which are all in North Carolina.
Winter Hikes are free (depending on your hiking location) and offer lots of fun. Enjoy the crisp, fresh air and a hike without the sweltering summer heat! Caesars Head State Park has particularly stunning views year-round. We have 7 Upstate Winter Hike locations for you to try.
Explore Falls Park on the Reedy in Downtown Greenville to watch the ducks and geese swim around, they are usually there all year. Then you can stroll the streets of Downtown Greenville and window shop. Camperdown Plaza is also pretty fun to walk about, with art in every corner.
Library: Both the Spartanburg and Greenville County library systems are enormous and they have a ton of free stuff to do – virtual storytimes, craft kits, and special online events. Most branches have free parking but the ones downtown do charge anywhere from $1-$2 per hour.
Enjoy the fish at the small aquarium at Bass Pro Shops on Woodruff Road and have your kids pick out their favorite wild animal on display all around the massive store.
Continue kindness! Just because the holiday season is coming to a close, shouldn’t mean the end of being kind and thoughtful. Write a nice note for a service member and send it with a care package, bake cookies for your local firefighters, volunteer for Meals on Wheels, and catch up on thank you notes for all those Christmas gifts.
Inexpensive Things to Do During the Winter in Greenville
On sunny days, take your young kids to play in the enclosed outdoor playspace at Swamp Rabbit Cafe after a bike ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. You can grab a hot chocolate or snack from the market to enjoy.
Family Fun Gym at Acrosmith Gymnastics is offered several times throughout the week.
It is an open gym with parent participation so you can remain within the arm’s reach of your child. Kids get to bounce around on trampolines, try the balance beams, and test their ninja skills on the obstacle course. You must pre-register. Registration closes at the start of Tot Time. The cost is $8 per session, and sessions are limited to 50 children – winter schedule is available online.
Spend time at the TRee House Cafe & Art Studio in Travelers Rest where your kids can make art right at the table while you enjoy a warm cup of coffee.
Visit a Trampoline Park: Take children ages 6 and under to SkyZone, for Little Leapers hour every Saturday from 9 – 11 am. It’s $15.99/child and parents/caregivers jump for free.
If you buy a membership pass to BigAir, it works out to be inexpensive fun. They offer open jump as well as Toddler Time, Homeschool Jump, and Cosmic Nights! That coupon book we mentioned earlier can really save you a good bit at Big Air too.
Head to Kids Play & Cafe, where your kids can play dress up and make-believe, climb the indoor play structure, slide, and run around all within the safety of the indoor play place. Younger children and babies may enjoy Village Play in Fountain Inn.
If you live near Greenville, SC, what winter free things to do are you most excited about?
Imagine a space where working parents can have a quiet area to work and check off that long to-do list while their kids play and get out energy – all in the same building. That’s exactly what is offered in Mauldin at the After School Plus facility. We checked it out and have all the details.
With remote work the standard for many jobs and the high cost of childcare, many parents are trying to figure out ways to keep their kids home while also trying to meet deadlines. Add in the explosion of homeschooling and a co-working space for parents is truly needed.
So that’s exactly what the massive space at After School Plus in Mauldin, called The Rhythm, is now set up for on Fridays. Parents can come and work in a quiet spot while their kids are in the same building under adult supervision.
Gym area
The Co-Working Space & Play Space
Carrie Turner runs Acton Academy, a type of homeschool co-op, in the space on the other days of the week. She wanted to offer something on Fridays that she has been asked for over and over again: a co-working spot where parents could work while their kids would be entertained for a few hours. She answered the call and created The Rhythm.
The spot where this co-working space is located is right off 385 and just an ideal area for bringing kids to get out their energy. Greenville Gymnastics is right next door and there’s an enormous gym with plenty of space for games, crafts, or just hanging out on super comfy chairs.
The space also has a big cafeteria where kids can eat lunch, either with their new friends or with their parents, who are right upstairs.
Cafeteria
There is no outdoor area for play yet, but it is in the works and plans are being discussed.
The rooms for co-working are honestly adorable. Comfortable chairs and couches line the walls. There are tables and desks if parents need them plus a separate private room for conference calls and Zoom meetings.
And what would a co-working spot be without a coffee machine? There’s a coffee maker, plus water and a fridge if you want to bring your lunch or other snacks.
Who knows, you could meet your next BFF here who is also just trying to manage working and raising her kids.
Mom Review
If there’s anything that parents ask for in the local mom groups over and over again, it’s a co-working space for parents. Carrie delivered it, and if parents really want this, they should show up and use it. The co-working spot is still in its infancy, but the hours could expand and more attractive options could be offered if the demand is there.
Cozy spot for parents to work
The space is huge for kids who want to either run around and play more active games or just hang out and play games or chat with friends. The space is beautiful for parents to work with comfortable chairs, coffee, and tables. I love the option of a private room for calls.
Hours & Cost
Currently, the hours of The Rhythm in Mauldin are Fridays (except for the week of Christmas and New Years) from 10 am – 2 pm. The cost is $30/four hours or $20/two hours per kid. An hour is $15/kid and $10/per sibling. Parents are welcome to bring their children ages 4-14, and since it is a co-working spot, they are asked to stay on the premises, as there is not a drop-off childcare option. You can sign up at the website.
Coffee, wifi, and printing is all included. There are light snacks and drinks available for purchase.
255 Service Bay Road, Mauldin SC Website | Email: carrie@actongreenville.com
Are you thinking about snow tubing at Black Bear Snow Tubing in Hendersonville, NC? Western North Carolina has great snow tubing and Black Bear Snow Tubing is a stellar option for families! They have a huge mountain to get your winter in high gear with a fun snow tubing trip for the whole family!
We took a trip up to try out that snow-tubing mountain and it was so much fun! Now we have all the details to share so you can plan your trip!
Media tickets were provided for this review, and the opinions are solely those of the author.
While there aren’t any places to snow tube in the Upstate, SC, there are definitely options nearby and one of them is Black Bear Snow Tubing in nearby Hendersonville, NC, just over an hour from Greenville, SC. The snow tubing family-owned operation has been in business for over eight years and they really have a good thing going there, which I’m going to tell you all about in this story.
Black Bear Snow Tubing opens on December 20, 2025 for their 2025-26 season. This is a great way to support local Western NC businesses still struggling after Hurricane Helene.
Scenes From the Slope
Take a sneak peek at this video at Black Bear Snow Tubing.
Snow Tubing at Black Bear
The slope at Black Bear Snow Tubing is 600 feet long with an 80-foot drop and it’s pretty fast. They make their own snow (unless they get a big snowstorm, which doesn’t happen too often) and the hill is well-maintained by their attentive staff.
How it works is that when you get to Black Bear, you go to a little shed to watch a short safety video, where you learn how to get out of your tube on the run and not to start snowball fights, sign a waiver, and head inside the cozy lodge to pay. Then you get your tubes and head to the hill.
They have a pulley system to get you to the top of the hill, which works by slipping the handle of your tube on a cable that takes you, while sitting inside your tube, right up the hill to the top. Once at the top, you’ll wait for a few minutes before being situated into your group by the staff and then sliding down the hill.
Black Bear Snow Tubing Pulley System
Why Black Bear is Different
I’ve snow tubed at many places in our area and I think Black Bear Snow Tubing is pretty fantastic. Here’s why:
You can (and should) make a reservation ahead of time, which is crucial for us in Greenville who need to travel out of state to go snow tubing. It’s quite a bummer to get to our snow tubing place and either find out that they are sold out or having to wait hours for an open slot.
The staff is attentive and efficient. They were always around watching the hill to make sure things were running smoothly and safely. When there was a slight backup at the top of the hill, they figured out how to manage to get us all down the hill and back up to keep snow tubing without interruption.
The lodge is super cozy and warm and has reasonable concessions. I got a $2 hot chocolate and it was amazing. Plus, they have food, including apple cider donuts, that is affordable and you can get warm by the wood-burning stove inside or watch on the deck if you don’t want to go tubing.
The setup takes into account smaller kids. There is playground next to the place where you wait in line to go up the hill so smaller kids can get out their energy and there is a big fire pit also near the waiting area where you can warm up.
If you forgot a hat or gloves, they have them for sale inside the lodge. I feel like us parents can relate when our kid gets out of the car to go snow tubing and forgot his or her winter hat.
The check-in is fast. This is important because you want to get on the hill and start having fun as soon as possible!
Black Bear has excellent communication. They post daily on their Facebook page about current snow conditions, which is super helpful when you’re unsure about the weather.
The snow is real. They don’t have any synthetic chemicals in the snow – it’s the real deal.
My kids, ages 11 and 8, and I had such a blast snow tubing at Black Bear Snow Tubing. We went down the hill about 10 times (maybe more, I lost count honestly) and had so much fun together. I really love places where adults can carelessly be kids again. My kids are already asking to go back. The hill was super fast and seeing my kids faces light up with joy was special. I love those moments.
Tips on How to Enjoy Snow Tubing at Black Bear
Winter being winter, it’s usually cold when you go snow tubing. I’ve found that bringing hand and foot warmers is a really good trick to keeping everyone warm and comfortable. You can get them at Wal-Mart, Amazon, or most drug stores and they stay warm for hours.
It’s also really important to make a reservation when you know you want to go snow tubing. This is especially true during school breaks and holidays. Snow tubing is an awesome family activity on a day off but a lot of people also have the same thought. Don’t forget to make a reservation.
You don’t need to wear snow bibs or snow pants. I had on fleece leggings, hiking boots, and a couple layers of tops with a heavy coat (it was really cold when we went!) and I was fine. I saw people wearing all kinds of clothes that worked for them like pants, leggings, jeans, and sweatpants. The snow wasn’t wet at all when we went but if you go on a warmer day, you may want to bring a change of pants in case they get wet.
There are port-a-potties outside the lodge to use, and no bathrooms indoors.
Double-check Black Bear’s Facebook page before heading out. Snow tubing is very dependent on weather, which changes often in the mountains. They will post current conditions and if they are open or closed most days.
Ticket Prices and Policies at Black Bear Snow Tubing
Tickets are $30/hour or $40/two hours for snow tubing. Kids must be 4 years old in order to go snow tubing. You can either sign a waiver when you get to Black Bear Snow Tubing or print one out online ahead of time. Either is fine.
While Black Bear Snow Tubing does take walk-ups, it is much better to make a reservation ahead of time instead of getting there and finding out they are full. Online reservations are fantastic for this very reason so definitely make use of them.
And be sure to check Black Bear Snow Tubing’s Facebook page before heading out to double check they are open and running. Winter tubing runs mid-December through February usually depending on the weather, of course.
And if you want to tube during other times of the year, you totally can! They have warm-weather tubing in the fall.
