Theme & Amusement Parks in Archdale

Fun Fun Fun's mini metropolis of arcade games and family-friendly activities engages guests across its 12,000-square-foot grounds. Whirring lights and buzzing sounds emanate from 100 games at the arcade, where players can slap and tilt their way through a classic game of pinball or try their hand at more modern alternatives, such as Guitar Hero or Deal or No Deal. Success at the arcade reaps material returns in the form of the center's various prizes, and Fun Fun Fun's indoor laser-tag arena rewards winners with the competitive pleasure of besting frenemies in futuristic combat. Outdoor revelry awaits at two 18-hole miniature golf courses, which meander around rocky outcroppings and a central pond, as well as at the batting cages, where a system of nets keeps sharply struck balls from sneaking away for a slice of pizza or a snow cone at the snack bar.

Scampering through Lazer FX–Lazer Tag's 7,500-square-foot labyrinth, combatants volley photons in exhilarating 20-minute skirmishes. Laser soldiers don luminescent vests and DayGlo bowties before entering the arena, where a mix of 30-odd friends and foes dodge blasts while darting from refuge to refuge. For groups of four, the battle extends out of the arena and onto the 8,000-square-foot arcade floor. Here, more than 120 games—including pool tables, skee-ball lanes, driving simulators, and air hockey—promote hand-eye coordination more effectively than soccer.

Seasoned tour guides at the nonprofit Conservators' Center acquaint guests with 19 species of rare, rescued, and endangered animals during tours, educational programs, and special events. The conservatory's mammals reside in enclosures, allowing observers to safely watch their behavior and critique their sense of interior decoration. During tours, a 3/4-mile walk down outdoor paths and roads acquaints visitors with lions, tigers, wolves, and lemurs as guides list each animal's backstory and role in the ecosystem. On treat-feeding and enrichment tours, guides carry scents, snacks, and toys to coax out timorous creatures and foster close-up views of the animals eating, playing, or arguing the merits of Austrian economics. Photography tours grant shutterbugs backstage access as they enter areas off the regular path, and twilight tours afford views of normally inconspicuous nocturnal species, such as the genets and kinkajous.

In addition to interactive tours, three membership levels net supporters discounts on special events, a photograph of one of the resident lions, and Member of the Pride gear. Membership also supports the center's commitment to rescuing animals in need, breeding animals responsibly, and stressing the importance of conservation through community education and demonstrations of animals turning off faucets while brushing their teeth.

Since opening its doors in 2009, Elite Zone has entertained adult gamers with computer- and console-based amusements. Equipped with Turtle Beach headsets, gamers play the latest Xbox releases on LCD televisions while chatting wirelessly with Xbox Live account holders and truck drivers on the wrong CB channel. A high-speed Internet connection facilitates glitch-free gaming for PC users and ensures quick page loads for web surfing. Elite Zone also carries a bevy of caffeinated beverages to fuel round-the-clock gaming and enliven sleep-deprived avatars.

Part of the North Carolina Railway Museum, the New Hope Valley Railway shepherds passengers through pine forest aboard vintage diesel and steam-engine trains. Covered cars protect riders from the elements, while a historic open-air caboose allows them to recline in locomotive fashion as they enjoy the shade of the woods, the breeze of the wind, and the harmonious serenade of local wildlife choirs. Trains depart from and return to Bonsal Depot, where a gift shop awaits filled with keepsake merchandise and a display track showcases vintage railroad equipment.

Free to the public, the North Carolina Railway Museum houses historic railway artifacts including vintage trains from builders such as Vulcan Iron Works and General Electric. On select Saturdays and Sundays, the Railway lets passengers take control of diesel-electric or steam-engine trains to experience firsthand life as a conductor.

An abundant number of recreational activities fill the space at Purple Planet 3-D Mini Golf. With black lights illuminating patches of neon paints, the indoor and always air-conditioned cooled mini-golf course bends the mind with challenging greens and mind-bending visuals such as aliens and floating satellites. As they navigate the course’s vortex tunnel and fog-filled corridors, golfers wear 3-D glasses, making obstacles appear to pop out and transforming every hole into an even deeper hole. Purple Planet visitors can also hone their billiards skills with games of pool or try their hand at the games at an on-site arcade.