As a metropolitan hub of arts, culture, and development, Atlanta is now the largest city in the Southeast outside of the Miami area. The city offers family adventures that range from cultural experiences to visits to cascading waterfalls and journeys deep into historic gold mines. If you’re looking for a fun, learning destination for your family, a visit to the center of the Peach State may be for you!
As you create your family’s adventure, keep these fun and educational activities at the top of your list!
1. The Atlanta History Center –
Looking for fascinating gardens, interactive activities, and beautiful historic homes? The Atlanta History Center is the place for your family. The 33-acre location in the center of the thriving Buckhead area is a place where everyone in the family can find something to enjoy.
Fun Kid Tip: The Atlanta History Center has at least two historic playhouses on the property!
Basics –
Address: 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, GA 30305
Tickets: Prices Vary, All inclusive ticket prices –
Adult: $16.50
Senior: $13.00
Student (13+): $13.00
Youth (4-12): $11.00
Under 4: free
2. The Georgia Aquarium –
As the largest aquarium in the western hemisphere, a trip to the Georgia Aquarium is a “must do” for any family visiting the Atlanta area. The aquarium boasts touch tanks, dolphins, Beluga Whales, Piranhas, sea stars, eels, and four amazing whale sharks!
Family Visit Tip: The whole aquarium can be seen in just a few hours. Most mornings and early afternoons are fairly busy, but the crowd thins out around 3-4 pm, and you can enjoy a much calmer viewing experience until closing.
Basics –
Address: 225 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313
Tickets: Walk up admission prices –
Adult: $39.95 + tax
Child: $33.95 + tax
Senior: $36.95 + tax
(These are the basic in-person prices. You can easily find lower prices online through special offers on their website, or through your local AAA office.)
Parking: GA Aquarium deck is $10 per day, payable by card or cash.
3. The College Football Hall of Fame –
In the heart of Atlanta’s sports and tourism district, the College Football Hall of Fame celebrates the best of college football. The new(opened in 2014) state-of-the-art tribute offers homage to 977 players, 211 coaches, and the millions of fans who love this All-American game. Your family will find three floors full of themed galleries, interactive exhibits, and an impressive wall of over 750 football helmets. If your family loves football, this is the place to visit.
Fun Tip: Follow the Hall of Fame’s Facebook page for special events and trivia.
Basics –
Address: 250 Marietta Street NW Atlanta, GA 30313
Tickets:
Adults: $21.99
Kids 3 – 12: $17.99
Seniors 65+ and Students with ID: $18.99
Military: Free
(Always check the website for extra discounts and specials. Some tickets can only be purchased online.)
Parking: Corner of Baker St. and Marietta St. Rates – $10 up to 3 hours, $1 each additional hour thereafter
4. World of Coca-Cola –
Located just north of Centennial Olympic Park, the World of Coca-Cola is a fixture for visitors to Atlanta. You can get a behind the scenes look at the beverage bottling process, see over a thousand memorabilia items, and try over a hundred different flavors of Coke from around the world. You can also see the vault where they store the top-secret Coke recipe. At the World of Coca-Cola, you can experience the history of one of America’s favorite drinks.
Educational Tip: Visit this link for more information about the Teacher’s Toolkit and the many different educational aspects of visiting the World of Coca-Cola.
Basics –
Address: 121 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313
Tickets:
Adults: $17
Kids 3 – 12: $13
Seniors 65+: $15
(Check site for special offers and group visits.)
Parking: Deck is off of Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd, and costs $10/day.
5. Centennial Olympic Park –
Created as a gathering location for the 1996 Olympic Games, Centennial Olympic Park stands today as the center of the visitor’s section of downtown Atlanta. The identifying feature of the park is Fountain of Rings. located in the southern section of the park. The fountain is formed in the shape of the Olympic Rings and is a welcome place to play and cool off on a hot summer day. The fountain is surrounded by flags representing the host countries of each Summer Olympics in the one hundred years before the Atlanta games. Through the park, you will find sculptures and monuments to the extraordinary humans through history who worked for the right to be called an Olympian. If your family is studying social studies, geography, physical education, or even economics, Centennial Olympic Park is a great place to visit.
Fun Tip: The northeast corner of the park (directly across from the World of Coca-Cola) has two great playgrounds for the kiddos to run around and play. The one closest to the corner has a very unique design and plenty of shade on a hot southern day.
Basics –
Address: 265 Park Ave W NW, Atlanta, GA 30313
Tickets:
No tickets needed, park is free for all to visit. Check the website for event schedule, as sometimes the park is closed for concerts or other events.
Parking: There are several surface lots near the park for $5 – $15/day, you can also park in the Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola decks and walk across Pemberton Place to the park for $10/day.
6. Dunwoody Nature Center –
A living lab located and operating out of a municipal park, the Dunwoody Nature Center is a wonderful place to experience the north Georgia environment. The nature center offers a beautiful indoor space, a Native American home, several lovely outdoor spaces, and a fantastic playground in the woods.
Travel Tip: Check the calendar on the website before you plan your visit. The Center regularly hosts nature events for all ages.
Basics –
Address: 5343 Roberts Drive Dunwoody GA 30338
Tickets:
None needed, the Nature Center is free. Some classes may have a small fee.
Parking: Free on site, or if lot is full you may park at the Dunwoody Park.
7. Stone Mountain Park –
Where else can you find history, geology, and family fun in one place? Meet Stone Mountain, GA – a large quartz monzonite dome monadnock rising over eight hundred feet over the surrounding city. You can hike to the top of the mountain, visit the on-site museum, play at the theme park at the base of the mountain, ride the tram up or down from the summit, or stay late and enjoy a laser show projected on the giant confederate carving in the side of the mountain. Stone Mountain also has an on-site campground and many other attractions.
Fun Fact: The Stone Mountain Park Campground is one of the few in the state of Georgia to have Yurts available for rental!
Basics –
Address: 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd Stone Mountain, GA 30083
Tickets:
Prices range from $15 for historic attractions to more than $30 for an adventure pass. Many attractions are free after paying to park, so plan your visit before you enter the park.
Parking: $15/day. Yearly passes are available for $40.
8. Mayfield Dairy –
Want to learn about what happens to a cow’s milk once it leaves the dairy? Visit Mayfield Dairy Farms in Braselton, GA, just 35 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta off of Interstate 85 for a tour of a diary bottling plant. Learn how strawberry milk is made, watch as the factory creates their signature yellow jugs, see inside the testing lab, and watch the milk trucks line up to fill the holding tanks, all while wearing a super stylish hair net!
Lunch Tip: The plant has created an inviting entrance with a rocking chair front porch, picnic tables, and a café that serves ice cream. Bring your lunch to enjoy after the tour, then let the kids run off their ice cream in the picnic area before driving back towards the rest of your Atlanta visit.
Basics –
Address: 1160 Broadway Ave, Braselton, GA30517
Tickets:
Tour prices range and are around $6 per person. Check the site for tour hours before you visit.
Parking: Free on-site.
9. Amicalola Falls –
Less than an hour and a half from the center of Atlanta, you’ll find a perfect location for a family nature study or an afternoon hike. Cascading 729 feet down the side of the mountain, Amicalola falls is the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast. Once inside the park, you can visit the lodge at the top of the mountain for a spectacular view over northern Georgia. You can then work your way down the mountain by car, stopping at the several falls overlooks, or, if your family is really brave, you can hike the 400+ stairs to the creek at the bottom of the falls. With wooded hiking trails, overlooks, picnic areas, camping locations, and the occasional wildlife, Amicalola Falls is a wonderful “Must See” in north Georgia.
Educational Tip: The lodge at the top of the mountain hosts a birds of prey demonstration every Saturday. Call the lodge for times.
Basics –
Address: 280 Amicalola Falls State Park Road Dawsonville, GA 30534
Tickets:
Free
Parking: $5 per vehicle
10. The High Museum of Art –
As the leading art museum in the Southeast, the High Museum of Art has more than fifteen thousand works of art in its permanent collection. The High has collections to stir the viewer from a wide range of sources. You can view works by Southern artists, photography, folk art, African art, European paintings, and much more on a visit to the museum.
Fun Tip: The High Museum is a part of the greater Woodruff Arts Center. The Center is home to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Alliance Theatre along with The High. Check the Woodruff Arts Center website for show times and create a day of the arts for your family.
Basics –
Address: 1280 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30309
Tickets:
Ages 6 and above – $14.50
Parking:
There is a garage on-site, and one directly across 15th Street if the Woodruff parking is full. Prices are hourly up to $15/day.
11. The Center for Civil and Human Rights –
Bring the reality of the fight for American Civil Rights and the Global Civil Rights Movement to life for your family at the Center for Civil and Human Rights. Located in Pemberton Place with the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola, the Center for Civil and Human Rights is one of the few places in the world to educate visitors on the relationship between our domestic civil rights movement and the greater human rights struggle around the world. In the Center, you will come face to face with the human story of our country’s past, while discovering the current roles individuals are playing around the world to give a voice to those who can’t speak for themselves.
Learning Tip: The center has age-appropriate field trip and teacher guides available at this link.
Basics –
Address: 100 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd Atlanta, GA 30313
Tickets:
Adults: $18.25
Kids 4 – 12: $14.25
Seniors 65+ and Students with ID: $16.25
Military: $16.25
Parking:
Use the World of Coca-Cola or Georgia Aquarium decks for $10/day.
12. Children’s Museum of Atlanta –
Looking for a fun filled learning experience for your younger children? The Children’s Museum of Atlanta is designed to give young children from 0-9 a bright, hands-on experience in problem solving, creative thinking, and artistic expression. In the Museum, you’ll find everything from a fishing pond to a treehouse, along with interactive language exhibits, sand tables, and much more.
Mom Tip: Bring extra clothes, as the kiddos will have the chance to get very (very!) messy and drenched at some of the play areas!
Basics –
Address: 275 Centennial Olympic Park Dr NW, Atlanta, GA 30313
Tickets:
Age 1 and up: $14.95
Parking: Parking is available in the American Cancer Society Center Deck, the Georgia Aquarium Deck, the World of Coca-Cola Deck, and various public lots.
13. The CNN Studio Tour –
In 1980 the first 24 hour news channel was launched, and the world was changed forever. Visit the home of the Cable News Network almost 40 years later to experience a social studies lesson like no other. On your CNN Studio Tour, you will see how a live broadcast is produced, get an in-depth look at how a news organization operates, and learn much more about how CNN became the new organization it is today. There are several different tour options and times, including tours where you watch a live broadcast! Check the website for different ticket prices and the times.
Fun Tip: Want to end up on TV? Keep an eye out for camera operators in the general CNN Studio area. Sometimes the network needs a quick soundbite from real people and will find whoever is on the sidewalk for a quick quote or shout out around a holiday. (Seriously! My kids and I ended up on HLN Morning Express with Robin Meade several years ago while we were playing in the Fountain of Rings!)
Basics –
Address: 1 CNN Center, Atlanta, GA 30303
Tickets:
$12 – $47 depending on tour choice and age.
Parking: CNN Center Parking Deck: $10 per day per vehicle (excluding events)
14. Center for Puppetry Arts –
A location that inspires imagination, education, and building a stronger community? We’ve found it! Visit the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta’s City Center for shows, tours, and more! You’ll find puppetry performances, Create-A-Puppet workshops for children ages four and up, and a museum showing the history and highlights of the art of puppetry. The museum houses a large collection of Jim Henson’s puppets, and a Global Collection of puppetry traditions from around the world organized by continent. From pom-poms to puppy puppets, the Center for Puppetry Arts is a fun place for your family to enjoy.
Educational Tip: The Center’s website has a collection of educational resources, including educational guides to most shows. Find the information at this link.
Basics –
Address: 1404 Spring St. NW at 18th Atlanta, GA 30309-2820 USA
Tickets:
There is a wide range of ticket prices, depending on what your family would like to do at the Center. Please visit this link for the show schedule and ticket pricing.
Parking:
There is limited free parking available off of 18th Street on-site. There are also several parking garages nearby. Visit this link for more parking info.
15. Fernbank Museum of Natural History –
As the home to some of the world’s largest dinosaurs, Atlanta’s biggest movie screen, and many more exhibits, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History is a sight to behold! Stand in the rotunda and experience the enormity of the dinosaur’s actual size, visit the seashell gallery from around the world, or explore the urban Piedmont forest all in one location. The museum is committed to inspiring life-long learning of history through high quality exhibits and experiences for your family to enjoy. If you’re looking for educational experiences in the Atlanta area, the Fernbank must go on your “To Do” list!
Family Fun Tip: There’s always something new at the Fernbank! Check the website for special and traveling exhibits. Also, the top floor has a fantastic nature exploration center for children 10 and under. Plan your visit with plenty of time to explore the nature area!
Basics –
Address: 767 Clifton Road NE Atlanta, GA 30307
Tickets:
Simple General Admission –
Adults: $18
Kids 3 – 12: $16
Seniors 65+: $17
There are other options available that have several additions(including Imax movies.) and price points. Visit the ticketing page for more info.
(Check out the member pricing at the door. With our group and the guest passes that come with a membership, it was less expensive to buy a year membership than pay for daily tickets.)
Parking:
Free on-site
16. LEGOLAND Discovery Center –
Do you have a child that loves LEGO®s, building, or creating? Then the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center is the place for your family to spend the day. Your kiddo can get a behind-the-scenes look at the manufacturing of LEGO®s, build and experiment with earthquake tables, build and test LEGO® racecars on the track, visit the Master Builder Academy, and much more!
Learning Fun Tip: The LEGOLAND® Discovery Center website has several ideas for your family to extend and incorporate LEGO®s into your learning. Visit the site for more info.
Basics –
Address: 3500 Peachtree Rd. NE Atlanta, GA 30326
Tickets:
$12.50 – $27.95 – Prices vary and discounts are available at times. Check the website for more info.
Parking:
Parking is free, unless you choose to valet
17. Zoo Atlanta –
Lions, tigers, and Panda Bears, oh my! Zoo Atlanta is the home of hundreds of animals to inspire a love of the natural world in your children. Gaze upon Sun Bears as they laze in the sun, come face-to-face with Lowland Gorillas, and then throw on the bathing suits to run through the spray grounds when you’re ready to cool off! A visit to Zoo Atlanta is sure to delight every member of your family.
Science Tip: The Zoo Atlanta website has profiles on every animal species in the park. You can easily incorporate several animals into your studies before you visit the zoo!
Basics –
Address: 800 Cherokee Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30315
Tickets:
Adults 12+: $25.99
Kids 3 – 11: $17.99
Seniors 65+ and Students with ID: $21.99
Military: Free
These ticket prices are at the gate prices. Lower prices can be found online. Check out the membership prices as well. It may be more financially beneficial to join as a member than to pay gate prices.
Parking:
Parking is free at adjoining parking lots on either side of the zoo. Parking on the entrance side fills quickly, but there is another lot on the other side of the zoo that is generally easy to park in.
18. Consolidated Gold Mine –
When the summer days heat up in Center City Atlanta, head an hour and a half north to the Georgia mountains and the historic gold mining city of Dahlonega for a cool underground tour and some panning for gold. Your family can take a 40 minute underground tour of a real gold mine and hear the stories of miners of the past as they struggled to uncover gold in the deep quartz veins under Georgia’s mountains. After the tour, you can try your hand at the art of panning for gold, or you can use the water flumes to find gems from Emeralds to Sapphires. A day at the gold mine is sure to delight your family.
Family Fun Tip: Dahlonega is a historic mountain town and now the home of the University of North Georgia. Plan to spend the day in the area and consider visiting Brasstown Bald (Georgia’s highest point) Amicalola Falls, or Helen, GA(A Bavarian styled town with shopping and attractions) while you’re in the area.
Basics –
Address: 185 Consolidated Gold Mine Road, Dahlonega, GA 30533
Tickets:
Adults: $16
Kids 4 – 14: $11
Gemstone mining prices vary.
Note: The mine is not handicap or stroller accessible.
Parking:
Free on-site.
Some other great Atlanta locations to visit:
*Please note, this post is up to date as of April 2017. Prices and information are subject to change at any time. Please leave a comment if you notice an error in information. Thanks!
More educational travel posts from TCHSL:
10+ Quality Books for Kids About Georgia Take a journey through the state of Georgia with this list of high quality children’s books covering everything from the Atlantic coastline to Zoo Atlanta!
100 U.S. Historic Sites to See While Homeschooling A list and links to 100 Historic places your family can visit while homeschooling in the United States.
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