25 Things to do in Atlanta, Georgia with Kids
You may have already read my post 15 Things to do in Atlanta, Georgia with Kids. Atlanta keeps growing and evolving so I decided to write a new post. We love driving over to Atlanta for a fun day trip or weekend. There are so many fun, family-friendly activities there!
1. Georgia Aquarium
Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the world. It is also the only aquarium in North America to have whale sharks, and they can be seen here in the Ocean Voyager area.
We love to visit the Cold Water Quest gallery to see Beluga Whales, African Penguins, Japanese Spider Crabs, and Giant Pacific Octopuses. One of our favorite spots is in the Ocean Voyager area.
The Aquarium also has a fantastic and educational line-up of shows. They have a sea lion show and a dolphin show and both run throughout the day. The aquarium is currently under renovation and will have a HUGE shark area sometime in 2020.
Visiting the Georgia Aquarium is one of my favorite things to do in Atlanta, Georgia with my kids. See more information and photos from our trip to the Georgia Aquarium HERE.
Georgia Aquarium // 225 Baker Street NW – Atlanta, GA 30313 // 404.581.4000
2. Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Fernbank Museum of Natural History has several award-winning permanent exhibitions as well as fantastic traveling exhibits. You can see more information about Fernbank and check out their awesome website HERE.
It is a great place for kids to learn about dinosaurs, see and learn about live animals, and have a hands-on science experience. There is also WILDWOODS and Fernbank Forest. It is a great place for kids to get outside and explore. There are 75 acres of outdoor nature adventures for the whole family. WILDWOODS is like a huge outdoor playground. Fernbank Forest is a great place to walk and hike and see birds, butterflies, and other wildlife.
Prices and Operating Hours can be seen HERE.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History // 767 Clifton Road NE – Atlanta, GA 30307 // 404.929.6300
3. Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Atlanta features a panda, elephants, tigers, giraffes, a zebra, and lions. There are also, apes, monkeys, and meerkats as well as a reptile house. There are lots of shady areas to keep cool and several options for finding food. The zoo also has a carousel and a train for the kids to ride.
The Zoo Atlanta // 800 Cherokee Avenue, SE – Atlanta, GA 30315 // 404.624.WILD
4. World of Coca-Cola Museum
You and your kiddos will love visiting the Polar Bear, and the Coca-Cola Vault, and tasting all of the varieties of flavors of Coke products. There are several soda dispensers where you can taste test more than 100 sodas from all around the world. The museum also has a very impressive museum gift shop.
Visiting the Coke Museum is one of my favorite things to do in Atlanta, Georgia with my kids. See more information and pictures from our visit to the World of Coca-Cola Museum HERE.
World of Coca-Cola // 121 Baker Street NW Atlanta, GA 30313 // 1.800.767.COKE
WEBSITE for World of Coca-Cola
5. Tiny Towne
Located in Norcross (just a few minutes north of Atlanta), this place is set up more like a school, but the kids had so much fun while they were learning. They took a driving class, took a test, and drove their very own smart car.
There was also an arcade and a train that the kids could ride. We enjoyed our visit here. It’s one of my favorite things to do in Atlanta, Georgia with my kids. See more photos and info from our visit to Tiny Towne HERE.
Tiny Towne Norcross // 2055 Beaver Ruin Road – Norcross, GA 30071 // 470.545.7227
6. Skyview Atlanta Ferris Wheel
The Skyview is a great way to capture some amazing views of Atlanta, especially on a clear day. It offers a gorgeous view of the city skyline that is equally beautiful at night. The cabins are spacious and climate-controlled.
The Skyview Atlanta // 168 Luckie Street NW – Atlanta, GA // 678.949.9023
7. Atlanta Botanical Gardens and/or Callaway Gardens
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
The Atlanta Botanical Garden has a Children’s Garden which has a treehouse area with bridges, climbing nets, and a slide.
WEBSITE for Atlanta Botanical Garden
Atlanta Botanical Gardens // 1345 Piedmont Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30309 // 404.876.5859
Callaway Gardens
Kids love visiting Callaway Gardens, especially when they get to see the 1000+ butterflies at the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center.
More things to do at Callaway Gardens:
- Butterfly Center
- Treetop Adventure Ziplining
- Birds of Prey Show
- Gardens
- Fantasy of Lights
- Hiking & Biking Trails
- Tennis
- Beach and Water Sports
- Hot Air Balloon Festival
- Symphony on the Sand
- Fishing
See all the activities HERE.
Callaway Gardens // 17800 US Hwy 27 – Pine Mountain, GA 31822 // 1.800.852.3210
8. The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
The Southern Museum is a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate. It is a great place to learn about the railroads of the Civil War, and see Civil War Artifacts. The museum has a great train-themed play area for children, and there are also train tables that the kids will love.
Hours :
Monday — Saturday
9:30 AM — 5:00 PM
Sunday, 11:00 AM — 6:00 PM
The Southern Museum // 2829 Cherokee Street – Kennesaw, GA 30144 // 770.427.2117
WEBSITE for The Southern Museum
9. Stone Mountain Park
Stone Mountain State Park is less than 20 miles away from downtown Atlanta. The whole family will enjoy The Summit Skyride which is a Swiss cable car that travels to the top of the largest piece of exposed granite in the U.S.A and to the Stone Mountain Museum.
This park also offers various shows and festivals throughout the year.
Stone Mountain provides a lot of fun winter activities like snow tubing and the Snow Zone play area. Read more about Winter Activities HERE.
Stone Mountain State Park // 1000 Robert E. Lee Blvd – Stone Mountain, GA 30083 // 1.800.401.2407
WEBSITE for Stone Mountain State Park
10. Chik-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame
Located in downtown Atlanta, the College Football Hall of Fame opened in 2014 and is the perfect activity for college football fans.
Things to do here:
- Interactive Activities
- Videos
- The Quad – A HUGE Wall of team helmets (choose your favorite and watch it light up).
- Create a Game Day Broadcast (with you as a broadcaster)
- Specialty Exhibit – a rotating exhibit featuring historical memorabilia and artifacts
- Build a Champion – Interact with legends and test your own football skills
- Gallery of Inducted Players and Coaches
- Kick a field goal at the Chick-fil-A Skill Zone
Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame // 250 Marietta St., N.W – Atlanta, GA 30313 // 404.880.4800
11. Movie & TV Tours
Many movies and TV shows are filmed (or partly filmed) in Atlanta, Georgia. There are some tours that provide a behind-the-scenes look at some favorite movies.
- Atlanta Movie Tours – Offers several tours, one 3 hour tour features scenes from The Hunger Games, Jumanji, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, Ride Along, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Macgyver, the set from The Fast and the Furious funeral, and racing scenes, and the African Market from Captain America: Civil War
- Mystic Falls Tour & Museum
- CNN Atlanta Studio Tour
- Gone With The Wind Tour
- Super Hero Tour – A three-hour tour featuring scenes from
Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Avengers: Infinity War. You will also see where Spider-Man stops the Avengers from robbing the bank in Spider-man: Homecoming.
12. Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Imagine It! The Children’s Museum of Atlanta is located in downtown Atlanta near the World of Coca-Cola and Centennial Park. My kids loved the water section, the painting, and the Moon Sand Tables.
Every second Tuesday of the month the museum is FREE between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. ( 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. in June & July ). You can read more about this and other prices/offers HERE.
Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 10:00 – 4:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday 10:00 – 5:00 PM
Closed Wednesdays
Imagine It! Children’s Museum // 275 Centennial Olympic Park Drive NW – Atlanta, GA 30313 // 404.659.5437
WEBSITE for Imagine It! Children’s Museum
13. LEGOLAND Discovery Center
LEGOLAND Discovery Center is a LEGO Themed museum with rides and a 4-D Movie.
There is also a pirate-themed, hands-on play area called Pirate Adventure Island. There are lots of places to jump and slides to go down in this area.
The kiddos will love the variety of LEGO tables where they can build as many things as they would like. Or, they can visit the LEGOLAND Master Builder Acadamy and work up a special masterpiece with a LEGOLAND Master Builder.
There is also a Café inside the center for lunch, dinner, or a snack.
I recommend allowing at least 2-4 hours to enjoy the center with your family.
LEGOLAND is open:
- Monday-Friday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Saturday: 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.
- Sunday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Ticket Info
Parking is FREE unless you choose to use the valet.
LEGOLAND Discovery Museum // 3500 Peachtree Road, Suite G-1, Atlanta, GA 30326 // 404.848.9252
14. Tellus Science Museum
Tellus Science Museum had several permanent galleries and special traveling exhibits. There is an area for fossil digging and gem panning (You can even print out your Fossil Hunting License and bring it with you to the museum. There is also a solar house and mineral gallery.
The museum also has an Observatory and Planetarium. It is a great place to keep the kiddos entertained! Learn more about the museum at their website HERE.
Hours:
Hours: Every day 10 AM – 5 PM
Closed Major Holidays.
Read More about admission prices HERE.
Tellus Science Museum // 100 Tellus Drive – Cartersville, GA 30120 // 770.606.5700
16. Centennial Park
Centennial Olympic Park is a 22-acre park that opened in 1996 when the city hosted the Olympics.
The Georgia Aquarium, The Skyview Atlanta, Imagine It! Children’s Museum, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the World of Coca-Cola are all located within walking distance of each other if you want to plan to visit a few of these sites in one day. They are also very close to the Centennial Olympic Park.
The kids will love the playgrounds and the Fountain of Rings Splash Pad when the weather is warm enough. This park also hosts concerts during the year, walks and runs, and fireworks show on Independence Day.
Centennial Olympic Park // 285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW,
Atlanta, GA 30313 // 404.223.4000
17. Fernbank Science Center
Fernbank Science Center is a smaller museum, but it had several exhibits and many interactive science activities. My kiddos were intrigued by all there was to see and do there!
We spent about an hour at the science center and took our time enjoying all the stations and exhibits. Visiting this science center and the planetarium would be a great way to spend a few hours!
Kids will love the hands-on exhibits and planetarium shows. Parents will love that it’s educational and FREE! Parking is also FREE! Planetarium shows are extra unless you are an ASTC Member.
Highlights from The Fernbank Science Center:
- Live Animals – Bees, Snakes, Frogs, Turtles, Spiders
- Apollo 6 Command Module
- Moon Rocks and Local Meteorites
- A Working Zeiss Mark V Planetarium Projector
- Observatory with the largest telescope in Southeastern US
*There is another museum located nearby. It is The Fernbank Museum of Natural History. It is a completely different museum and they are not affiliated with one another.
Fernbank Science Center & Planetarium // 156 Heaton Park Drive – Atlanta, Georgia 30307 // 678.874.7102
18. Six Flags Over Georgia
Six Flags Over Georgia is a huge amusement park and there are lots of family rides and an area just for kids with rides. My kids love riding the train and driving their own car at Hanson Cars and the Looney Tunes play area is one of their favorite parts of the park.
There are also several water rides and even a little water park called Hurricane Harbor for those hot summer days.
See All the rides at Six Flags HERE!
Six Flags Over Georgia // 275 Riverside Parkway, SW, Austell, Georgia 30168 // 770.739.3400
19. White Water
Between all the water rides, splash pads, a lazy river, and a wave pool, you and the kiddos will have a lot of fun!
WEBSITE for Six Flags Whitewater Atlanta
Six Flags Whitewater // 250 Cobb Parkway North, Marietta, GA 30062 // 770.948.9290
20. Take a Day Trip
Above photo via
You can read this post 11 Great Day Trips from Atlanta, Georgia. These Day Trips can easily be made in one day since the drive is about 2 hours one way. These trips include:
- Blue Ridge Mountains
- McDonough, Georgia
- Madison, Georgia
- Brasstown Bald
- Lake Lanier
- Amicalola Falls State Park
- Helen, Georgia
- Toccoa Falls
- Providence Canyon State Park
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
21. Fox Theatre
This theatre is a great place to see concerts, comedians, musicals, and touring Broadway Shows. See all upcoming events HERE.
Fox Theatre also offers an hour-long guided tour. Read more information about the tour HERE
Fox Theatre // 660 Peachtree Street NE – Atlanta, Georgia 30308
22. Watch an Atlanta Falcons Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Above Photo by Christopher Alvarenga
If you have pro football fans in your family, you might want to consider seeing a Falcons game at Mercedes Benz Stadium. See more about the Atlanta Falcons game schedule and tickets HERE.
They also offer stadium tours every day. Specialty tours are also available- Engineering/Architecture Tours, Technology Tours, and Educational/STEAM Tours. You can read more about them HERE.
23. Center for Civil & Human Rights
The Center for Civil and Human Rights provides an educational and enlightening look into the American Civil Rights Movement and today’s Global Human Rights Movements.
Teachers and Parents can print out Educator’s Guides based on their child/student’s age and grade. Print your guide HERE.
Center for Civil & Human Rights // 100 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard – Atlanta, GA 30313 //
24. Watch an Atlanta Braves baseball game at Sun Trust Park
In addition to Atlanta Braves baseball games, Sun Trust Park offers kids’ activities and tours. Click HERE to see all the activities, tours, and game day tickets.
The park is very family-friendly. They offer a kid’s zone (with a rock climbing wall, zipline, and carnival games), family restrooms, and gluten-free food options. See all of the family-friendly amenities HERE.
Sun Trust Park // 755 Battery Avenue Southeast – Atlanta, GA 30339 //
25. Foodie Crawl
Atlanta, Georgia has a diverse and lively food scene. These restaurants offer Southern classics, Asian Fusion, tapas, farm-to-table options, and authentic Mexican food.
Whether you’re dressed to the nines and looking to celebrate or you just want a comforting dinner on a random Wednesday evening – you will find something in Atlanta that satisfies you.
See my other posts on great restaurants in Atlanta, Georgia:
- 17 Great Places to Eat & Drink in Atlanta, Georgia
- 15 {MORE} Great Places to Eat & Drink in Atlanta, Georgia
Have you been to Atlanta, Georgia lately? What’s your favorite thing to do there?
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About The Author
KristyB
Wife. Mom. Graphic Designer. Photographer. Professional Nap Taker. Part-time Traveler (with kids in tow, of course!)
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Just an update, the American Girl store in Georgia is closed permanently. :0(
Oh no! Thanks for letting me know! I will make the update!
I don’t know if they still do it, but they used to have set times where, if you are PEDI Scuba certified, you could dive in the main tank! My wife did that about 5 or 6 years ago. Awesome experience!
That is a comprehensive list of things children can do in Georgia! However, since I do not have any, I did manage to pick something that I’d like to do (the child in me at least haha) and Six Flags over Georgia would be my key pick! Maybe I will also make it to the zoo, although I am not a fan of animals in captivity. The skyride in Stone Mountain Park looks pretty awesome, I do not mind going 20 miles out for that. Also, the botanical gardens look like a fun place to explore!
It sounds like you would love Atlanta, Medha!
Atlanta is a totally underrated city to visit and travel to! I’ve only been once but was amazed at what the city had to offer!
We love Atlanta, Eli! There is so much to do and the city is always growing and changing.
I’ve never been here, but I definitely want to go in the future 🙂 thanks for a comprehensive guide and lots of information x
I highly recommend this big city be on your travel bucket list.
Looks like a great place to visit. I’ll definitely go here one day with my family.
You and your family will have a great time, Karin!
Wow, there are so many places to visit in Atlanta. You have provided a good list of places to explore with kids. Even I want to explore places like ATLANTA BOTANICAL GARDENS, FOX THEATRE and COCA-COLA MUSEUM. It seems so interesting. Loved reading about it
Those are all great choices, Parnashree!
Nice reading your Atlanta travel guide. I would love to be there and enjoy the warmth of this lovely place.
It’s a great city to visit! There is so much to do!
Great ideas! The paleontology museums and aquariums are ultimate fun!I would always vote for that – educational for kids, fun and relaxing for parents!
I agree, Lyosha! I love it when you you can find something that is educational and fun at the same time!
Georgia is beautiful actually. I had been there on a vacation once. It has indeed many good place for kids to enjoy
You’re so right! Georgia is gorgeous!
I haven’t been to Georgia yet, but I loved the detailed information you have given about the activities you can do there with kids. I do not know about kids, but I bet I will enjoy many activities from here that you have listed. I can spend the whole day in the Botanical Gardens. Thanks for the share.
Yes, the Botanical Gardens is a great choice!
When my kid grow up I would love to take him here, such a beautiful place. I would love for our family to experience these scenic places.
You and your kiddos will love Atlanta, Jen! I think it is a very family-friendly city.
It looks like the harder decision will be what not to do, since there are clearly so many interesting things to do in Atlanta! I would love to see the Coca Cola museum as it’s such an American icon and the ferris wheel looks insane! And the natural history museum looks fascinating!
I know, right! The Coca-Cola Museum, Centennial Park, Georgia Aquarium, Civic Rights Museum, College football Hall of Fame, and Ferris Wheel are all within walking distance of each other. We stayed at the HIlton next to the Aquarium and we could just walk to a few places each day.
Wow, there are so many things to do in Atlanta with kids. I love that the city has so many awesome parks for kids like the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and Centennial Park. All the museums like the science and natural history are a great way to kids to learn while having fun. Of course baseball is a great American pastime for the whole family. Kids and families will have a blast in Atlanta, Georgia with this list!
Yes! You could spend weeks in Atlanta and not do everything! There is definitely plenty of activities to entertain the whole family!
I have heard so much about Atlanta but have yet to still visit. So many cool and interesting things to do. I am over due a return trip to the USA. I need to add this city to the list of places to visit in the USA.
You would love it! I mostly write about things to do with kids, but there are about a bajillion things for adults to do. Many of my grown-up friends love to drive to Atlanta for the restaurants, shows, festivals, etc.
I’ve never been to Atlanta when in the US, and I’d love to do these activities even without kids! I love that kids can drive their own smart car at that track, it gets them started young lol! But for me, a day trip outside the city would be a must too; Georgia looks like a beautiful state.
Yes, Georgia is gorgeous! We loved Tiny Towne, Lisa! You can never start too young teaching kids driving safety.
My kids are grown up but I must still be a kid at heart because I’d love to visit most of the places in your article. I had no idea there was a Coca Cola museum but it looks really cool. What really caught my eye in your article was that photo of the Mammorth in the Botanical Gardens. My kids used to love that kind of thing when they were younger and visiting a large garden area gave them a bit of space to work off some energy.
There’s definitely plenty for kids and grown-ups in Atlanta, Angela!