Posts Tagged ‘Asheville NC’

Go Old School and Play All Day: Asheville Retrocade

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.

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 and thanks to Google, found this indoor mecca of Pac-Man and race car driving. Now you don’t even need Google to find cool places like this since you have this story!

So at Asheville Retrocade, you pay a flat fee of $10/person (kids under 5 are free) and that gives you access to two floors of pinball, Pac-Man, dance-off games, race car games, air hockey, skeeball, and tons more games. No quarters are needed here.

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 there and ended up spending about two-and-a-half hours at the arcade, which was such a fun way to spend time with my own kids and my friend.

Play All Day with Retro Games

When you get to Asheville Retrocade, you pay $10/person and get a wristband, which 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 and I love them. It was a lot of fun to play those nostalgic games I did as a kid.

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 there were 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.

Food and Drinks at Asheville Retrocade

The arcade has several options for drinks, including local craft beer, wine, and fountain drinks. They have free water available also.

They also have snack food available for purchase.

Things to Know When Visiting Asheville Retrocade

Here are a few tips when you visit:

There is free street parking, which is awesome.
After 9 pm, guests need to be ages 21+
If a game is occupied that you want, just be patient and wait or play something else. It will open up!
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 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.

Asheville Retrocade
800 Haywood Road , West Asheville, NC
828.575.9488
Asheville Retrocade Facebook | Asheville Retrocade Website

National Gingerbread Competition: Make Asheville’s Grove Park Inn A Christmas Tradition For Your Family

Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, the Nationa Gingerbread Competition at the Grove Park Inn has been canceled for 2024.

Have you heard about the National Gingerbread Competition at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC? Hansel and Gretel would not miss this Christmas extravaganza, as it showcases dozens of gingerbread houses and holiday decorations galore! Luckily you don’t have to worry about the waistline, because this is a feast for the eyes, not the stomach.

The charming Grove Park Inn in Asheville is a seasonal delight you won’t want to miss this holiday season, and who knows – once inspired, maybe you’ll find yourself building a gingerbread house with the kiddos.

This article was originally published on Femme au foyer.

Looking for more great holiday fun in Asheville, NC? Don’t miss our Guide to Christmas in Asheville, NC. It is loaded with fun things to do from Asheville’s Christmas lights to free Santa photos!

Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, the Nationa Gingerbread Competition at the Grove Park Inn has been canceled for 2024.

The Annual Gingerbread Competition at Asheville’s Grove Park Inn

The famous gingerbread house competition at the Grove Park Inn is a favorite winter activity for families. Viewing dates are November 27, 2023 through January 2, 2024. If you are not staying at the resort, you are invited to view the displays after 4 pm on Sundays or anytime Monday – Thursday based on parking availability. Excluded dates for guests not staying at the resort are December 23-25, 30-31, and January 1. Only registered resort pets are allowed and no outside pets are permitted.

The gingerbread houses are as diverse as they are amazing; on our last visit, we saw everything from clock towers to sleighs to igloos to skate parks. The entries must be constructed entirely of edible materials with the exception of the base, but the ingenuity in construction is simply remarkable.

There are four entry categories: adult, teen, youth and child, and entries are judged on overall appearance, originality and creativity, difficulty, precision and consistency of theme.

While there is no admission charge to view the display, although there is a $25/car parking fee. Half of this fee goes to local non-profits. For more information on the gingerbread competition visit the website, and make sure to keep a lookout for entries from the Upstate; in previous years an entry from Greer placed second in the teen category, while a Greenville entry in the child category received an honorable mention.

grove-park-inn-gingerbread-competition-1

Holiday Decorations at Omni Grove Park Inn

All decorated areas of the hotel may not be available to those who are not registered guests staying at the hotel.

As you walk through the hotel viewing the gingerbread competition winners you’ll see more than a few Christmas trees decorated in all sorts of motifs. My boys’ favorite part of the visit was discovering the elaborate ornaments on these themed trees, deciding on their favorites, and planning which decorations we should have in our home. The giant Christmas tree in the lobby is a perfect place for that family photo, the entire Great Hall filled with the smell of the giant evergreen.

The enormous fire places in the Great Hall are adorned with wreaths, heat radiating out to warm those seated in the area. One year, there was a gingerbread house in the hall, built by the pastry department. The ingredients included 50 pounds of egg whites, 440 pounds of powdered sugar, 220 pounds of red fondant and 400 pounds of bread flower!

Visitors could purchase hot beverages and gingerbread from the gingerbread house, and then settle into the giant rocking chairs near the fireplace with hot chocolate to enjoy the holiday bustle. Spend a little more time than just a couple of minutes in the rocking chairs – sitting by a roaring fire in a relaxing chair is part of the mystique of the Inn that should not be glossed over.

The Grounds of Grove Park Inn

The original Grove Park Inn was built in 1913 and over the years has grown to encompass a golf course, spa, sports complex, five restaurants, three bars and a café.

To truly appreciate the scenic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains it is worth stepping out onto the veranda, or even descending down into the gardens and spa area. This descent via outdoor stone staircases is also a good use of the kids’ extra energy; ask them to take a photo of the Inn from the lowest level.

The view of the front of the hotel is also quite grand, and after imagining the long-ago sound of horse-drawn carriages rattling across the cobblestones you might want to take a short stroll. From the front of the hotel up to Sunset Mountain is a short hiking trail that is appropriate for all skill levels and ages that will let you work off whatever delectable you may have bought at the Inn, but will also let you appreciate the spectacular natural setting of the Grove Park Inn.

Then, as you set off on the drive home take a minute to determine whether you should enter next year’s Gingerbread Competition – or once more return as a spectator to this wonderful annual event.

Plan a trip of your own

Grove Park Inn
290 Macon Avenue
Asheville, NC 28804
800.438.5800

This Model Train Exhibit at the Biltmore is Mind-Blowing

The Biltmore Estate in nearby Asheville never disappoints. While the enormous home is a big draw, the estate has exhibits, events, and lots of other entertainment for the whole family. One such exhibit is the Biltmore Gardens Railway, a huge model train exhibit that runs at the Biltmore through September 29th. We sent contributor Kristina up to the Biltmore to check it out.

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