Planning a trip with kids can be challenging as these little ones want unlimited entertainment and adventure. It sometimes takes work to choose the right vacay-place, especially if you’re with your family. Kids always enjoy new and thrilling activities, so taking them to such spots is necessary, if you’re already spending a huge amount on vacation this year, why not choose the right destination?
Well, we have the ultimate family place for you and your kids that will leave you in awe. The captivating city of Atlanta in Georgia is that dream destination! This place offers a wide variety of activities for kids that you might not find anywhere in the world. It is the hub of indoor and outdoor activities for your kids, from adventurous outdoor things such as hiking, climbing, or having a picnic at the world’s best parks to the incredible variety of indoor activities, including learning history at the High Museum of Art or the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.
Kids who love to experience new things and explore new places should be given an opportunity to enjoy the Atlanta Beltline and explore the greatest trail. We recommend you provide them with a tour of the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre. If they love animals or fish, get them on board to visit the Georgia Aquarium or the Atlanta Zoo.
This blog post is all about discovering the most fun things in Atlanta, so immediately run around the places below if you have already planned a family vacation to the city.
Top 15 Family Fun Things to Do in Atlanta
There is so much to do in this enlightening city of Georgia. Even if you are a local visiting during their holidays or a first-time visitor, this city will have something in store for every one of you. It is a complete guide for you to plan a fantastic holiday for your kids and family that is fun and adventurous. We have compiled a list of 15 great places for your trip to Atlanta. So, fasten up your seatbelts, scroll through these amazing spots, and learn about Atlanta’s different activities.
Zoo Atlanta
Who doesn’t like animals? Anyway, the kids love them! So, what better place could be than to take your kids to the Atlanta Zoo?
Zoo Atlanta is probably the best zoo in the world, with so much variety of animals. There are more than 1000 animals with over 200 species of them. There are giant pandas, giraffes, monkeys, zebras, and whatnot. Apart from animals, the zoo offers so many activities for your family. The younger kids can now experience the rope trail ride with the Treetop Tykes Trail. You can also make this visit to the zoo an educational trip by going to the Biofact Exploration, where an educator will tell all the interesting facts about the animals. You can also enjoy the Gorilla Training Session at the zoo or encounter goats at the Goat Painting Experience. Just when you enter the zoo, there is a booth that says “Magic Memories Photos,” where you can take a picture with your family and keep it as a memory.
While the kids are off exploring everything about the animals, the mums and dads can chill at the Sweetwater Beer Garden and enjoy the local drinks, or you can grab a bite with your wife or kids at the Ooz Grilled Cheese Truck. They offer great cheese sandwiches along with mouthwatering crispy tater tots.
What I think is it’d be unfair to visit the great city of Georgia with your family and skip going to the Zoo Atlanta.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center
Boost your children’s creativity level by taking them to the LEGOLAND Discovery Center. This Lego paradise will unleash the inner architect of your kids. It is an ideal spot for all ages. No matter if you are a teen, an adult, or just a toddler, you can spend countless hours here without even noticing.
The fun activities that are offered in this beautiful world of brick include a magnificent 4D cinema, a mini land of Lego, and a Pirate Adventure Land. You can even enjoy the most fun rides, including the family-sized chariot, or build your own Lego with a companion. LEGO Master Builder Academy offers the perfect opportunity for children to enhance their creativity by learning to make anything with the professional team of this academy. Children can even have the thrilling experience of racing with LEGO Racers: Build & Test.
It’s going to be an excellent place, especially if your children are between 3 and 10, as the center has numerous attractive and creative activities.
Atlanta Beltline
One of the most iconic features of the city is the Atlanta Beltline. It loops through the city and connects the different neighborhoods. Families and tourists can spend their whole day exploring art, nature, and other outdoor attractions. It is a multi-use trail, and you can enjoy taking a stroll through to enjoy the peace and calm. You can even go for a romantic walk with your wife, hand in hand, to enjoy the beautiful scenes along the trail. Children can ride bicycles or even skate on the trail.
This vibrant city offers the greatest street art on the Beltline’s way that people usually admire. Along the Beltline’s Westside Trail is the largest park in the city, Westside Park. It provides beautiful landscapes and playgrounds where children can play for hours, or you can even plan a picnic at this beautiful place. Ponce City Market is a must-visit place while you are on the city’s beltline, where you can enjoy food and attend events such as art exhibitions or fitness classes.
You’ll never regret spending an entire way at Atlanta Beltline, as there’s much to explore. We consider it one of the best ways to spend quality time with your family while having glasses of wine to cheer up.
World of Coca-Cola
Everyone loves Coca-Cola, the famous and most valued soft drink. But aren’t you curious about the fascinating history of this drink?
Kids are naturally inquisitive about everything, and God has put this sense of exploring different things in youngsters, especially the things they love and admire. Take your wife and children to this world of Coca-Cola to let them discover its history. It provides a one-of-a-kind experience to anyone visiting it. Embark on the journey of this world-class place where you can see the fully functional bottling line of the famous glass bottles of Coca-Cola. You and your family can get closer to unveiling the secret recipe of this favorite drink.
Another exciting part is that the authority there allows you to take samples and test the Coke flavors from all over the world. Again, it’d be a huge loss if you miss exploring this little world when visiting Atlanta with your family.
Georgia Aquarium
The Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the United States and the third largest in the world, with over 500 species of sea animals in almost 11 million gallons of fresh and saltwater. The aquarium is the ideal place for adults and children alike. The greatest variety of sea creatures, including beluga whales, sharks, penguins, sea otters, and much more, are residing here. So if you’re fond of marine life and would love to interact with several sea species, Georgia Aquarium is the go-to place.
You can enjoy swimming with these unique sea creatures and also watch them play around you. Embark upon the Journey with Gentle Giants swim encounter that allows swimming with the sharks and manta rays. Georgia Aquarium is a refreshing place for all ages, and it should be on your list while visiting Atlanta with your loved ones.
Did you know the aquarium authority allows you to spend a night at the GA aquarium to get insights into sea life? Yes, with Sleep under the Sea, families and friends visiting the place can completely comprehend how the aquarium works. So, this fun stop for families is a great chance, especially for kids, to explore the underwater beauty.
High Museum of Art
Why not make this family vacation an opportunity to discover the inner artist in you and your kids? Visiting the High Museum of Art with your kids is a great way to develop an interest in art and culture in your children. There is no age limit to inspire and enjoy art, and while visiting this exceptional art museum with your family, time will fly by, and you will not even notice.
There are plenty of exciting activities that are offered at the museum. These include Toddler Thursdays, where special fun activities are arranged only for preschoolers. There are also art classes for children of all ages. Like-minded teens can get together on Teen Night and explore their inner artists.
No matter if you’ve visited different museums around the globe, this High Museum of Art has all the unique artworks and fascinating photography frames to leave you surprised. If your family is among those getting excited to see a variety of art, don’t snatch their chance of exploring.
Atlanta Botanical Garden
If you are looking for picturesque sights of greenery and breathtaking views of flowers and plants, Atlanta Botanical Garden is your go-to place for this family holiday.
It is a 30 acres oasis in Midtown that exhibits greenhouses and other fun activities for all ages, especially for children. Kids can enjoy playing in the Children’s Garden or learn all the fun facts about the plants at the Soggy Bottom. While the kids are off to playing, you can enjoy the exhibition of folklore-inspired sculptures with your better half. Another romantic and peaceful activity for you and your wife is the stroll through the Canopy Walk. It is a relaxing experience to walk under the trees while holding hands with the love of your life. Don’t miss the Orchid Center if your wife or kids are into flowers. They have a wide variety of orchids, including pink, white, purple, red, and many more.
Enjoy a fine dine-in at the Garden’s new Atlanta restaurant. They offer a menu full of garden-inspired cuisine. There is also a Quick Café where you can get sandwiches, soups, and salads. While visiting this gorgeous city, don’t forget to add the Botanical Garden to that list, as it is undoubtedly a wonderful place to be with family.
Center for Puppetry Arts
Puppets might be one of the greatest weaknesses of kids. Visit the Center for Puppetry Arts with your kids to give them hands-on experience with the puppet world.
Explore the Jim Henson collection and meet famous puppets such as Kermit, Bert and Ernie, and Miss Piggy. Make your trip memorable by watching the best puppet shows and learning the history of puppetry. The puppet shows here show a variety of puppets, including shadow puppets, rod-style puppets, hand puppets, and many more. These shows also include different workshops where children can make their puppets and take them home with them. This fun-filled place in Atlanta will not be missed on your family holiday.
Head to this fun-filled place with your family and kids. Find that spark of creativity in them and expose them to a world of entertainment. This place is not just for the kids, but parents can enjoy seeing their favorite childhood characters from Sesame Street, Elmo, and Oscar the Grouch. So, don’t miss the opportunity of visiting this fun and entertaining place while you are in the city.
Sloomoo Institute Atlanta
Children love slime, so what could be a better place for them than the Sloomoo Institute of Atlanta? It could be their dream come true to be present at a place full of slime and where they can experience the fun colors and wide variety of scents and textures of slime. It is a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience for the kids to design their slime at the DIY bars and play with kinetic sand.
Experience the ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) encounters throughout your visit, and you can find multiple stations where you can play, stretch, and squish slime. Enjoy a variety of spots where you can take Instagram-worthy photos with your family. The institute even allows you to host birthday parties or other events and offers a variety of packages at affordable prices.
Make this trip to Atlanta memorable with your family by visiting this slime world. Not only the kids but even the adults also enjoy this fun and exciting place, where playing with the slime is so relaxing. So, what are you waiting for? Grab the enhanced admission tickets that offer the magical moment of slime pouring down on you.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
It is just like New York City’s Museum of Natural History. Still, the only difference is that the Fernbank Museum of Natural History provides an outdoor learning experience for your children. Turn your kids into explorers by exploring the paths of Fernbank Forest. The museum has exhibitions and learning opportunities about science, dinosaurs, and nature in an interactive environment.
Watch a movie with your family at the Giant Screen Theatre, or walk in the Wild Woods. This place is ideal for admiring and enjoying nature. Meet the world’s largest dinosaurs; Argentinosaurus and Giganotosaurus, here. Nature Quest provides an innovative experience for the children where they explore different ecosystems and animal habitats.
Attend the Fernbank after Dark every second Friday of each month to have more outdoor explorations along with live music and food. All these fun activities make the Fernbank Museum of Natural History a must-visit place for your next trip to Atlanta with your loved ones. So don’t miss it!
Illuminarium
Take flight through space or walk amongst the wildlife by visiting this state-of-the-art exhibit. Illuminarium provides an immersive experience to your family through its modern features such as laser projected images, changing virtual backdrops, 360-degree lounge, 4K interactive projection, and in-floor vibrations. All these realistic sensations will take you on a journey to space you have only imagined. Kids can step into the world of Alice in Wonderland and experience Alice’s adventures with a realistic approach.
After dark, you can experience the nightlife of Atlanta at a bar, and you can imagine sipping wine at the Parisian flower garden or having a toast at the night markets of Tokyo. This place can take you anywhere you want with an exceptional sensory experience. This family-friendly place has a contemporary café with delicious food options that means you can be anywhere you want along with your favorite food. So, grab a drink and a snack and gear up for this life-changing experience you can have at the Illumination. It is something not to be missed.
Centennial Olympic Park
This park is considered the heartbeat of the city, located in the center and surrounded by the city’s most popular attractions, such as Georgia Aquarium, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and World of Coca-Cola. There are plenty of things to enjoy at the Centennial Olympic Park. Enjoy the fountain ring shows where the water reached 25 feet high. Children of all ages can enjoy this fountain. The best thing about this great fountain show is that it is totally free!
This park hosted the 1996 Olympics games, and since then, it has hosted several events and festivals, including the Shaky Knees Music Festival and Sweetwater420 Festival. Cherish the marvelous display of fireworks at the 4th of July Celebration at the park.
Take your family to the SkyView Atlanta Ferris wheel that towers above the whole city and gives a breathtaking view of the Atlanta Skyline. If you are into music, you must attend one of the many concerts at this vibrant park. There are picture-worthy spots at the park, and most tourists take a picture in front of the Olympic Rings sculpture.
This park is like a cultural heritage of the city, and it shouldn’t be missed during your stay in Atlanta. Make sure you visit this park with your family to have the best views of Atlanta.
Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame
If your kids are sports fans, take advantage of this place during your trip to Atlanta. Just when you enter this football-themed museum, you can feel the energy and spirit of the game. While walking through the building, you will see the stats and photos of your favorite football players, and we’re sure, the enthusiastic kids are going to love it!
They offer a personalized tour for your family, full of interactive and fun experiences. It might not be ideal for toddlers, but teens into sports would want to take advantage of this opportunity of visiting the football world. The best thing about this football hall is that it features a 45-yard indoor football field where you can play with your kids. There is also a panoramic theater that displays a film bringing out your inner sportsman spirit. The Hall is the home of college football and shows all the great players and coaches who made this game so special.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to visit the best football-inspired place. Take your children and enjoy a great day playing at the football ground with them and making so many memories.
Buford Highway
What better way to start your vacation than with a road trip over the Buford Highway? It is a cultural melting pot that attracts all the tourists. There are plenty of activities and attractions along this highway. Try the yummiest snacks and best candy in the world at the Buford Highway Farmers Market. Kids will surely love to grab a snack here on a road trip. There are options for many international cuisines here, such as Chinese in Atlanta Chinatown. Take your wife for some retail therapy at the Plaza Fiesta. While you are busy making your wife happy with a shopping spree, your kids can enjoy the arcade there.
Among the most famous places on the Buford Highway is Sweet Hut Bakery & Café, which offers the best Bubble tea and slices of bread. The restaurant also provides Malaysian food and some Korean dishes as well. Driving along the Buford Highway, you come across so many food places with a variety of cuisines; you can see Bangladeshi restaurants, Cambodian cuisine, Pho Dai Loi #2 – a Vietnamese restaurant, and much more.
No matter where you come from, you will find something according to your taste here on the Buford Highway. Take your family on a fun-filled drive on this famous highway in Atlanta and make your trip unforgettable.
Starlight Drive-In
Give the ultimate cinematic experience to your loved ones by taking them to the Starlight Drive-In. Take a trip down memory lane, when you used to watch movies on the big screen while in your car. The snack bar here adds more fun to this nostalgic location. You can enjoy snacks while watching your favorite movie. Bring lawn chairs if you prefer to sit outside your cars and enjoy the movie under the sky full of stars. You can also count on this romantic place for a date night with your wife or girlfriend – sounds cool?
There are four screens at the Starlight Drive-In, and each shows double features at night. That means there are a variety of movies for you to choose from. They even allow you to bring your own food as long as you don’t cook on the premises. Isn’t that great? So, what are you waiting for? Grab your kids, pack some pillows and blankets, and have a nostalgic and comfy night at the Starlight Drive-In.
Final Takeaway
When searching for the best destinations to spend vacation time with your family, Atlanta stands among the best countries. It has many places with fun activities to take your family and have a memorable trip as discussed in detail above. There is something for all age groups – be it taking your toddlers to the museum for fun arts and crafts activities to taking your teenagers for a learning experience at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Make your next trip the most memorable with your family and enjoy it to the fullest. So, what are you waiting for? Start planning and pack your bags then. Happy Vacationing!
Cristina Silva has graduated from New York University and has written for the Associated Press, the Tampa Bay Times, Salon, and NPR. She has reported from Mexico, Honduras, Cuba, Germany, Italy, and Bahrain, as well as from across the United States.