Madison County is chock full of fun things to do! You can always find activities nearby that are fun and safe to engage all your senses. The county is a mere 20-minute drive from Asheville in North Carolina and has some of the most natural beauties in all of the state.
Madison County is home to the Appalachian Trail, the Pisgah National Forest, the French Broad River, and four lakes. It is also rich in culture, as evidenced by its many museums and historical sites. If you shop for leisure, then you’re in luck because Madison has a variety of stores for your indulgence! Madison County has activities for everyone. Here’s a guide to some of the ones you might want to try with your kids.
1. Get Haircuts
Getting a haircut can be a surprisingly easy way to weave some fun into your day in Madison County. You can visit any beauty salon in the city on your way to do other activities nearby with your kids! Hair salons in Madison County and nearby have so much more to offer than a simple haircut.
There are treats for kids, TV, and kids’ play areas that your kids can enjoy as you enjoy getting your own haircut, a massage, or a quick mani-pedi! Beauty salons also offer refreshments like juice, coffee, and little bites such as cookies and crackers.
2. Go Shopping for New Furniture
Going shopping is an age-old therapeutic and relaxing activity. Shopping makes everyone feel better! Whether it is online or in-person, shopping gives people a sense of power as they make decisions on what to buy, and this can be very relieving. It is also fun to shop.
There’s so much to see and buy in Madison County and the cities nearby. You can explore souvenir shops for little home decor trinkets, malls for home furnishings, and more tasteful items in the rustic furniture store nearby. Make sure to check the kid’s section in each store you visit.
Whatever furniture you choose to go for, you can be sure that there’s so much variety to choose from, and it will be a great and fun experience for both kids and adults. Plus, with shopping, the fun doesn’t end there. Once you get home, all the unpacking, unwrapping, and assembling makes for such fun activities too!
3. Find Time to Visit the Parks and Zoos
There are so many zoos and play parks in Madison county! If you love adventure, consider the many parks and zoos nearby just waiting for your visit! In the parks, you and the kids will meet other families, and the saying still runs true; the more, the merrier; especially for the kids.
The zoo tour guides are fun and creative in their approach. The kids will enjoy their zoo adventure as they learn about and interact with different species of zoo animals. There is also so much to buy in the zoo souvenir shops for memory’s sake.
The parks are filled with fun activities to fully engage you and the kids, ensuring you all have a jolly good time!
4. Teach Your Kids to Do laundry
Bubbles and giggles everywhere? Which kid wouldn’t sign up for that!? Teaching your kids how to do laundry may be a fun thing to try. Granted, there are laundromats nearby and you won’t struggle with laundry when you need some convenient help.
Until you actually need one, feel free to teach your kids how to do laundry at home. Simple lessons go a long way; such as how to measure soaps and sort colors, as well as what buttons to press for a quick wash.
You can also make your visit to the laundromats nearby fun by preparing some questions for the kids to ask any attendants present. Make it a field trip of sorts! Fun is all about customizing experiences to get the best out of them.
5. Visit a Recycling Center to Learn About Recycling
We are in the age of climate change and climate action. It is critical that we involve children in the relevant climate resilience plans that are being put in place. Obviously, they will be on the planet longer than the current adults, so they need to learn how to treat them well for posterity purposes.
In the same breath, suggesting that visiting a recycling center to learn about recycling is a good idea. Enjoy an informative and insightful tour in the center as you and the kids learn how IT equipment recyclers turn seemingly useless items into reusable new items.
The kids will have a fun time asking questions and engaging in some of the easy recycling prep activities nearby, such as sorting in the parking lot and ushering in the trucks.
6. Learn How to Train Your Family Dog Together
Many families in Madison County own pets such as dogs. There are many pet stores, local dog trainers, vets, and pet sitters available to serve the pet needs of families with pets. Owning a dog in itself is a fun thing that comes with responsibilities like feeding, caregiving, and training.
You can make the training fun by having the kids participate and practice the new skills once the trainer has left. The dog, too, is sure to have lots of fun in the interaction. Later, you can take your dog and the kids to the park or pet events to show off their new skills and participate in pet activities nearby.
7. Learn a New Skill
With so many activities nearby, finding a new skill to learn has to be on the list. You guessed it! Instruments; offer new skills and fun at the same time. Do you want to know what else is absolutely great about learning to play an instrument? Like a piano? Well, there is no set age limit. Anyone can pick up a guitar and strum away. Anyone can sit in front of a piano and imagine they are Beethoven! Think of all the types of instruments out there!
Busy parents can drop their kids off for training while they go on to do other activities nearby. The possibilities are limitless with this one!
8. Garden Together
If you are looking for a fun, planet-friendly, educational, and versatile activity, you might as well consider doing some gardening. Family homes have enough yard space to create a little haven for this activity. Don’t worry about the tools or seeds, or the weeds; there are plenty of gardening stores where you can buy the supplies. And the prices are pretty reasonable, too. You can also invest in weed control services.
The kids can also observe and ask you questions as they do their own activities nearby, such as bike riding, playing in the treehouse, or enjoying some sunshine in the baby pool.
9. Spend Time Outside As a Family
The outdoors are always fun for families in most seasons. If there are no fun activities nearby to drive to, simply get the trampoline out and have the best belly laughs as you jump about clumsily! Make snow angels and play with snowballs in the winter. Ride bikes and scooters. Just go outside!
For families with older children who appreciate conversation and a slow chill day with the folk, think quiet family barbecues with the whole family enjoying time together on the deck. This kind of slow, relaxed atmosphere is attractive even for families without children, and there has been a rise in people contracting a wood deck builder to install one for this purpose. It’s a gift that never stops giving.
Hot tub stores are a favorite shopping stop for childless families who want to enjoy an unconventional time outside. Installations of outdoor hot tubs are becoming popular by the day and are no longer an exclusive celebrity home specialty.
11. Go to the Museum
Are you the type of family that enjoys culture, history, and art? You will find the Wildernest Exhibit quite interesting. It is an indoor play area for ages five and under and is laced with artistic and historical features. The Norwegian Heritage Center is another Madison gem you can visit for some adventure across the Atlantic to America, all the way from Norway. Museums are both educational and fun.
If you frequently get bitten by the history bug, consider visiting the Historical Society. It has four floors and a unique section of the state’s history. For other nearby activities related to history and culture, pick the kids and drive to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and then on to the Mid-Continent Railway Museum to further engage their little curious minds.
12. Go For a Nature Walk
Delve into some health-conscious fun activities nearby by driving to the famous Appalachian Trail for a walk, or to the massive adventure-filled Madison Arboretum. It contains a little more than 20 miles of walking trails and is absolutely perfect for biking, hiking, dog walks, or snowshoeing.
The kids can have a fun-filled time running around and discovering all the different kinds of flowers, trees, and little creatures that live in the Arboretum ecosystem. Being an all-season park, there is always something to see; from the prairies to the woodlands, to the gardens, and even the wetlands.
It is a great opportunity to take in some amazing fresh air as you learn about the world of nature and how you can participate in caring for it. One more incentive for you; entry and the tour participation are free!
13. How About Some Minigolf?
Other activities nearby that you might be excited about trying out include Madison County’s three miniature golf courses; two are outdoors and one is indoors. Miniature golf has just the right combination of fun and competitive excitement, a good way to wind down and let off steam for both kids and adults.
The golf courses are well-lit for evening play, and there’s an eatery on the premises if you want to eat on the go. Be sure to enjoy everything the amenities have to offer.
14. Beachfront Fun Anyone?
Madison County is one of the places in the US with welcoming waters all over the place. If you are a beachfront fun type, consider visiting Madison’s 12 beaches that are open throughout the summer months.
You will also love the majestic lakes in Madison. They offer scenic views and fun activities for everyone to enjoy; swimming, fishing, boat riding, and sun-basking, among others. In addition to the 12 beaches and the 4 lakes, Madison is also home to Goodman Pool, which is large and complete with water slides on both ends.
More water activities include Noah’s ArK Waterpark. It is the largest waterpark in the world! It also has various kids’ play areas for more fun activities nearby. Now, go and enjoy your day in the Madison sun!
15. Eating Out is Always Fun
Being a destination county that attracts thousands of visitors every year, Madison County has invested in an assortment of eat-out spots that you will love exploring. So, fun activities nearby can always include trying out cuisines at the different restaurants. Indulge your palate in some fresh seafood at the waterfront restaurants or go for the easier and cost-effective joints around the city for a pizza and burger.
Other fun activities nearby include enrolling your kids in the overture center for the arts. The kids will love Kids in the Rotunda. It is a costless theater program hosted on the weekends. You might also want to explore Madison County’s outskirts by going on a road trip.
Just an hour’s drive outside Madison is a number of attractions that will make your drive memorable. You will be spoiled for choice in the number of activities you can engage in near by Madison County. From the cave of the mounds, the enchanted valley acres, the devil’s head resort, and the house on the rock, you and the kids are in for a real treat. Besides, the bonding opportunity such activities portend is unforgettable.