Enjoy Family Fun Activities in Asheville, NC

Asheville Retrocade, located at 800 Haywood Road in West Asheville, is a nostalgia-packed arcade featuring more than 5,000 classic video games, pinball machines, skee-ball, foosball, air hockey, and racing games spread over two floors. For a flat fee of $10, visitors enjoy unlimited play from noon until 2 AM, with free admission for children under 5. The arcade offers a vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere until 9 PM, after which it transitions to a 21+ venue with a full bar serving local craft beers, wine, and soft drinks. Along with arcade favorites like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, Retrocade also features nostalgic memorabilia and a cozy patio area, making it an ideal spot for gamers and nostalgia enthusiasts alike.

If you’re ever looking to get your hands a little messy and make something really cool, Claying Around is the spot here in Asheville. It’s not just your usual paint-your-own pottery place — they’ve got wheel throwing, mosaics, glass fusing, and even silver clay. Whether you’re a total newbie or someone who’s dabbled before, the vibe is super welcoming and chill.

Located just outside of Downtown Asheville, Sweeten Creek Brewing is dedicated to delivering crisp, clean, true-to-style craft beer and has Bears Smokehouse BBQ on site! Dog and family friendly! 800 sgft fenced in dog park and a Large creekside lawn

Urban Escape Vehicles offers campervan and Class B RV rentals that serve as the perfect basecamp for exploring Asheville and the wider Western North Carolina outdoors. Their vans come fully stocked with linens, towels, kitchen and camping gear, and have plenty of room for all your adventure equipment. Whether you're camping in the mountains, exploring local trails, or road tripping across the US, their campervans provide comfort, freedom, and style.

The WNC Nature Center is Asheville’s premier wildlife park—set on 42 wooded acres just east of downtown and home to 60+ species native to the Southern Appalachians. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the center offers up-close animal exhibits (red pandas, river otters, black bears, red wolves, cougars), interactive nature play areas, shaded trails, and educational programs for all ages. It’s stroller- and wheelchair-friendly, well maintained, and features a gift shop, picnic areas, and plenty of quiet spots to relax or play.

Sky Lanes Bar, Grill & Bowling is where Asheville locals come to kick back and roll a few strikes in a laid-back, retro setting. Open since 1963, this spot keeps the vibes fun and friendly with daily open lanes for all ages, cosmic bowling nights, and an arcade for extra action. If you get hungry, the full bar and grill cranks out wings, pizza, burgers, nachos, and all the classic bowling alley munchies—cold drafts and league specials included. Families dig the bumpers and lighter balls for kids, while grown-ups appreciate the great beer lineup and relaxed, neighborhood feel.

Signs for Hope strives to infuse the lives of all Deaf children with hope through providing basic needs, learning sign language for the family, trauma informed training, family preservation, adoption, monthly sponsorship (a.k.a heart adoption) and His adoption. Items in the store are gifts from 50+ local vendors and gifts from Fair Trade Federation artisans from around the globe. Proceeds go back to the Deaf children and their families & caregivers we serve and to creating resources for them.

More than 50 parks offering golf, swimming, tennis, skateboarding, roller hockey, climbing wall, nature center, playgrounds, basketball, community centers, ballfields, picnic shelters, trails and much more.

the Asheville Museum of Science (AMOS) offers an engaging and hands-on science experience for visitors of all ages. AMOS features interactive exhibits spanning geology, biology, paleontology, physics, and environmental science, including the notable Teratophoneus dinosaur skeleton and the Colburn Hall of Minerals. The museum's highlights include a STEM lab, tree climb, terrabox topography simulator, fossil dig, toddler nest, and rotating special exhibits focused on current science topics.

French Broad Chocolate Lounge is downtown Asheville’s premier dessert destination, famous for artisan chocolates, decadent cakes, rich brownies, cookies, housemade ice cream, and signature drinking chocolates. Set in the heart of Pack Square, this locally-owned, bean-to-bar shop creates every chocolate treat from scratch using ethically sourced cacao in their own Asheville factory. The Lounge’s cozy, elegant space offers plenty of vegan and gluten-free options, specialty espresso drinks, and wine pairings—all served with a sweet Asheville vibe.

Step back in time and level up your night at Level 256, a classic arcade bar right in Asheville’s buzzing South Slope. This spot packs over 30 meticulously maintained arcade cabinets, pinball machines, and more than 300 authentic console games across all generations—from Atari to the latest PS5 and Nintendo Switch. Entry gets you unlimited play, so whether you’re chasing high scores or battling friends, every round is pure nostalgia and fun. The bar boasts a rotating selection of 16 craft beers on tap alongside curated cocktails, making it the perfect place to mix drinks with game wins.

Dragon Phoenix is Asheville’s go-to center for Tai Chi, Kung Fu, Qigong, and other internal martial arts. Founded by Sifu Aaron Dison, this welcoming school offers classes for all ages and skill levels, focusing on balance, flexibility, mental clarity, and overall well-being. Beyond martial arts, Dragon Phoenix also offers dance and fitness classes and is known for its supportive community vibe.

WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher, NC, is a premier multi-purpose event facility hosting the North Carolina Mountain State Fair, horse shows, livestock exhibitions, trade shows, festivals, rodeos, car shows, dog shows, auctions, and more. The center includes the Morris L. “Mac” McGough Arena, seating 3,000, and the LEED-certified Davis Event Center with 27,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space. The huge 87-acre campus provides ample parking and a venue for a diverse array of community, regional, and national events year-round.

Pop’s vision is to provide authentic, playful, high-quality bubble tea while supporting the Asheville community and uplifting Asian culture. Its multi-cultural team of Eva Peterson and Ashley Garrion is a wonderful example of the collaboration between Eastern and Western experience and knowledge. In keeping with that, Pop’s menu contains loose tea leaf and many toppings sourced directly from Taiwan as well as many sourced locally or made in house. Milk teas, Pop’s most popular menu item, are made with whole or oat milk, and tapioca is cooked daily for the ideal QQ texture. Lots of vegan options too! Free WiFi.

The Hop Ice Cream has been an Asheville institution since 1978, with imaginative and locally-influenced flavors. Owners Ashley and Greg Garrison opened their first downtown location at S&W Market. The menu features homemade dairy and vegan ice creams, classic milkshakes, sundaes, desserts, and made-from-scratch waffle cones. The Hop’s flagship flavors (Salted Caramel, Vanilla Bean, and Chocolate) will be offered alongside a variety of staples and rotates flavors — often featuring local ingredients and collaborations with Asheville businesses.

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Fairy Hair Magic is the only storefront in the greater Asheville area specializing in expert fairy hair (sparkly hair silk/hair tinsel) and feather hair extension applications. Fairy hair is great for everyone - kids to adults of all ages - to add some sparkle to your everyday look or for a special occasion!

A non-profit agency in Asheville that provides a cradle to career continuum of services for over 400 children and youth annually. This includes our 5-Star Child Development Center (child care, pre-k, afterschool, and summer camp), Residential mental health programs, Foster Care services, Respite Services and Workforce-Ready housing assistance. Established in 1903, they have been helping children succeed for 120 years.

Flour, open daily at 7 AM, offers made-from-scratch breakfast biscuits, homemade focaccia sandwiches, fresh daily pastries, and a full coffee program! Check them out on Instagram for up to date specials, events, and more.

Montford Deli is a Small Batch, Family Run kitchen - bringing you Comfort Food Done Right. Come on in an grab a seat!!

Asheville Plays! develops interactive experiences for all ages. We create positive experiences and lasting memories through the magic of play.

Family-owned toy store.

Located in West Asheville, Sparky's Toys & Gifts is a family-owned small business with a variety of children's toys.