FIRST TIME IN ATLANTA WITH KIDS
ATLANTA WITH KIDS, GEORGIA TRAVEL GUIDE
My husband had to travel to Atlanta for work, so of course we decided to tag along. Here’s my travel guide on things oto do on your first time in Atlanta with kids!
We visited Atlanta in November 2023; our boys were almost 4 and 8 months old. The weather was mixed, two sunny days and two with torrential rain!
Before going I’d read mixed reviews on Atlanta. In full honesty, there is sadly a big problem with homelessness there. This is a similar case in a lot of American cities. I had a couple of days there on my own with the boys while my husband was working and I did experience quite a few men shouting comments to or about me. I also felt uncomfortable getting my phone out to check Google Maps a few times. Like anywhere, you should be aware of your surroundings and don’t walk around alone at night!
Saying that we found plenty to do in Atlanta and enjoyed our time there! A lot of the activities in Atlanta were quite expensive. Below I’ll share the ones we chose to do and also list some other options, so you can choose your favourites.
I’ve also published a guide on FREE THINGS TO DO IN ATLANTA WITH KIDS. Click here to read it!
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THINGS TO DO IN DOWNTOWN ATLANTA WITH KIDS
If you plan to visit lots of these places, it may be worth purchasing the Atlanta City Pass for discounted entry!
CENTENNIAL OLYMPIC PARK
This is a 22-acre beautiful park and it looked even more lovely with all the autumnal leaves. We spent the best part of a day here enjoying the sunshine.
There is a small playground but it looked like a newer one is under construction! There are lots of fountains in the park and the boys enjoyed splashing in them. We also had a picnic lunch. You’ll also find the Visitors Centre here. I called in and the lady working there was so friendly and helpful!
WORLD OF COCA-COLA
This is just across the road from the playground in Centennial Olympic Park. As we’re not Coca-Cola drinkers, we decided not to go in but there were lots of decorations in the green area outside that the boys enjoyed. (These are probably seasonal).
You can also find public toilets in the green area between The World of Coca-Cola and The Georgia Aquarium.
BOOK TICKETS FOR WORLD OF COCA-COLA HERE
THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM
This was our first time visiting an Aquarium. The Georgia Aquarium is the biggest in the USA and is run as a non-profit organization.
I was put off visiting as tickets are quite expensive. $53 each for ages 2+. Although you might be able to get a discount by booking in advance. However, we had a day where it rained THE WHOLE DAY! As the aquarium is huge, we were in there from around 10-4 so we got our money’s worth and the whole family enjoyed it.
The dolphin and seal shows are included in the ticket price however you do need to book a ticket. You can do this via the QR code outside the shows.
TOP TIP: some seats in the dolphin show are marked as splash zone. They didnt tell us untill the show was about to start that you’d get soaked. I would advise avoiding these seats with kids, or at least make sure you have spare clothes for them. We were all drenched.
BOOK TICKETS FOR THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM HERE
SKYVIEW ATLANTA
Atlanta’s Ferris wheel. This is another fun thing you could do in Atlanta with kids. Tickets are $17 each adult and $12 for kids. We decided against it as I’m not convinced the view would be worth this cost.
BOOK TICKETS FOR SKYVIEW ATLANTA HERE
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF ATLANTA
The boys love The Children’s Museum in Manhattan but I have to say, the Atlanta one is so much better! Tickets are $19.95 each (under 12 months are free).
In New York, you have to check your stroller into the cloakroom (for free) but in Atlanta, you could take it in with you. This was perfect for me as Jaxon was napping when we arrived.
We had so much fun here, I’d highly reccomend visiting here! There is so much learning through play here and it’s the perfect option for a rainy day!
BOOK CHILDRENS MUSEUM TICKETS HERE
ATLANTA ZOO
We didn’t visit here but I know this will be a popular choice for kids visiting Atlanta!
If you plan to visit lots of these places, it may be worth purchasing the Atlanta City Pass for discounted entry!
THINGS TO DO IN SWEET AUBURN ATLANTA
MUNICIPAL MARKET
An indoor food market is a great place to stop for food or a snack. We all know kids need many snacks throughout the day! We’d already eaten so we just got some fruit for later!
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. NATIONAL HISTORIC PARK
Honestly, this was more a stop for Daddy than for the boys. But we like to do something for everyone when we travel! First, we headed to the playground behind the museum. This was a good way for Freddie to burn some energy before heading into the museum. Luckily it was nap time for Jaxon. The museum is free to enter and has lots of interesting information.
I gently explained to Freddie how people weren’t always kind to everyone and how it’s important to treat everybody fairly.
BIGGERSTAFF BREWING COMPANY
UPDATE: THIS PLACE HAS NOW SADLY CLOSED
I don’t often recommend restaurants but the brunch we had here was amazing! It’s a game cafe so had lots of great options for keeping the kids entertained. We stayed here a while while we waited for a rain shower to pass!
Address: 537 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312, United States
THINGS TO DO IN CABBAGETOWN ATLANTA
KROG STREET TUNNEL
While hunting for a tiny door (see below), we came across Krog Street Tunnel. A tunnel covered in graffiti and street art. Someone had left a spray can there so we let Freddie have a little turn!
Just through the tunnel is a street (Wylie St SE) that is lined with beautifully pained murals. This is also fun for little kids to look at and pick out their favourite.
TJIMGS TO DO IN MIDTOWN ATLANTA
Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden – this was one place I really wanted to visit but didn’t get to. Unfortunately, the rain was just too heavy and we had to abandon. It does look beautiful though.
THINGS TO DO ACROSS ATLANTA WITH KIDS
ATLANTA TINY DOORS
There are 22 ‘Tiny Doors’ hidden across Atlanta. Freddie absolutely loved hunting for them! We didn’t see them all but found quite a few. I would suggest you use the map to see where they are because they are hard to spot. I’ve linked the map HERE.
TIP: you can see 3 at the Visitors Centre in Centennial Olympic Park, remember to look up!
RIDE THE STREET CAR
For any kids that love vehicles, this is a fun activity. It’s also an easy and affordable way to get around Atlanta. Adult tickets are only $1 a ride (or $3 for a day pass) and kids under 46 inches ride free. For tickets, you can buy them from the ticket machine which requires getting a Breeze Card. Or, if you have the right money, you can pay onboard.
More information can be found on the website linked HERE.
WALK THE BELTLINE
The BeltLine is a huge 22-mile loop that is great for walking or cycling around Atlanta. Obviously, 22 miles is a long way but you can pick a section to walk. We planned to start near the Krog Street Tunnel and end at Piedmont Park.
Unfortunately, the weather had other plans. Being soaking wet with two little kids is just no fun so we had to abandon and head back to our hotel.
See the map and plan your route HERE.
WE ALSO HAVE GUIDES ON:
– DALLAS – NASHVILLE – NEW ORLEANS – NEW YORK – CHARLESTON –
Writing this post has made me realize just how many fun things there are to do in Atlanta with kids! I hope we have inspired you and you enjoy your visit!
