It’s that time of year again. School is coming to an end, and the free time
of summer is calling! This post includes
free or cheap things to do in the Asheville area with your kiddos. So, get out your calendar and make some
memories over the next few months!
Movies
The Summer Movie Clubhouse shows films every Wednesday and
Thursday at 10am beginning in June. At
Cinemark, you can choose to pay $1 per ticket OR purchase a punch card for $5
punch card for admission to 10 movies!
What a deal. The projected films
and dates are:
6/19 & 6/20—The Grinch
6/26 & 6/27—How to Train Your Dragon
7/3 & 7/4—Smallfoot
7/10 & 7/11—Kung Fu Panda
7/17 & 7/18—The LEGO Movie
7/24 & 7/25—The SpongeBob Movie
7/31 & 8/1—Sherlock Gnomes
8/7 & 8/8—Hotel Transylvania 3
8/14 & 8/15—Despicable Me 3
AMC Theaters host a Summer Movie Camp. For $4, you get a ticket to a kid-friendly
film and a KidsPack on Wednesdays. The
site doesn’t have a lot of information at the present, but they do have a list
of projected titles:
Trolls
The LEGO Movie 2
Hotel Transylvania 3
Peter Rabbit
Wonder Park
Teen Titans Go
Smallfoot
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
The House with Clocks in the Walls
Biltmore Grande Regal—http://www.biltmorepark.com/events/regal-biltmore-grande-15-summer-movie-express-0
I was unable to find the link to Regal’s Summer Movie
Express, but Biltmore Park had information on their events page. I would check with the theater before
going! According to the page, $1 movies
will be shown on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10:00am for nine weeks beginning
in July. I will update the films to be
shows as soon as I find them.
Movie Reviews: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
Books
The Buncombe County Library system will be focusing on space
this summer with “A Universe of Stories.
Check the website for the branch closest to you! Activities include everything from story time
to free movies to music to crafts. This
is definitely a wonderful opportunity to make some educational strides over the
summer while having fun!
Barnes & Noble--https://www.barnesandnoble.com/h/summer-reading
The summer reading program at Barnes & Noble includes a
reading journal and checklist for your child.
At the end of the summer, they can earn a free book! Also, Barnes & Noble hosts several events
and story times!
Out and About
ZOOM Pass
If you have a Buncombe County Library Card, I highly
recommend using the Zoom Pass! If you
don’t have a library card, get one for FREE!
https://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/Library/services/zoom-local-attraction-pass.aspx
With this pass, you can reserve FREE tickets to:
Greenville Zoo: https://www.greenvillezoo.com/
Hands On! Children’s Museum: http://handsonwnc.org/
NC Arboretum: https://www.ncarboretum.org/
Smith-McDowell House Museum: https://www.wnchistory.org/smith-mcdowell-house/
WNC Nature Center: https://wildwnc.org/
In Town
Urban Trail https://www.exploreasheville.com/urban-trail/
Thomas Wolfe Home https://wolfememorial.com/
WNC Nature Center-Free with ZOOM Pass https://wildwnc.org/plan-your-visit
Parkway Places-- https://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm
The Blue Ridge Parkway is an excellent source of adventure
over the summer. If you need to beat the
heat and enjoy some cooled air, check out:
The Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor’s Center-free
The Folk Art Center-free
Museum of NC Minerals-free
Moses Cone Memorial Park
Pacing through Plants
NC Arboretum—Free with ZOOM Pass or $14/vehicle https://www.ncarboretum.org/plan-a-visit/hours-directions-prices/
Playgrounds
Lake Julian (406 Overlook Rd. Ext)
Fletcher Park (85 Howard Gap Rd.)
Carrier Park (220 Amboy Rd.)
Azalea Park (498 Azalea Rd. E)
Lake Louise Park (Lake Louise Dr., Weaverville)
Ray Pope Memorial Park (45 Jonestown Rd., Woodfin)
Jake Rusher Park (132 Peachtree St., Arden)
Leicester Community Center (2979 New Leicester Hwy.,
Leicester)
Pools
Recreation Park Pool (65 Gashes Creek Rd., Asheville)
Cane Creek Pool (590 Lower Brush Creek Rd., Fairview)
Malvern Hills Pool (Asheville)
Erwin Pool (58 Lees Creek Rd., Asheville)
Hominy Valley Pool (25 Twin Lakes Dr., Candler)
East Asheville Rec. Club Pool (40 Bell Rd., Asheville)
Owen Pool (117 Stone Dr., Swannanoa)
Lake Tomahawk Pool (401 Laurel Circle Dr., Black Mt.)
Day Trips
If you feel like taking a mini-vacation, we are blessed to
live close to so many beautiful places and interesting people! Consider packing a lunch and hitting the road
for the day.
West
Wheels Through Time Museum (Maggie
Valley)-Th-M, 9-5; $12/adult, $6/children https://wheelsthroughtime.com/
Scottish Tartan Museum (Franklin)-
M-Sa, 10-5; $2/ticket http://scottishtartans.org/museum/aboutus.php
Mountain Heritage Center
(Cullowhee) https://www.wcu.edu/engage/mountain-heritage-center/about-us/contact-the-mountain-heritage-center.aspx
Oconaluftee
Indian Village-T-Sa, 10-3; $20/adult, $12/student
Museum
of the Cherokee- Su-M, 9-5; $12/adult
Unto
These Hills-June-Aug., Nightly, 8pm; $28/ticket
Mingo
Falls/Socco Falls
East
Swannanoa Valley Museum-T-Sa,
10-5; $5/adult, free/18 and under https://www.history.swannanoavalleymuseum.org/
Valdese—Waldensian Trail of Faith
(M-F, 9-5; $10/adult, $6/student), Museum (T-F, 11-2)
South
WNC Military Museum
(Brevard)-W-Sa, 10-4; Free https://www.visitnc.com/listing/SZmY/wnc-military-history-museum
Pisgah National Forest https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recarea/?recid=48114
Carl Sandburg Historic Site (Flat Rock)-grounds are free, $5
house tour tickets for adults and free for children 16 and under. There are picnic tables and shaded trails to
hike as well as goats to visit!
Historic Johnson Farm (Hendersonville)- https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/destinations/historic-johnson-farm/
Hands On! Children’s Museum (Hendersonville)—Free with ZOOM
Pass or $5/person http://handsonwnc.org/
North
Vance Birthplace (Weaverville) https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/destinations/vance-birthplace/
Rural Heritage Museum (Mars Hill) https://www.mhu.edu/about/what-to-do-and-see/museum/
Farmony Edventure (Marshall) https://www.facebook.com/SafariEdventureNC/
