This vibrant city is filled with all sorts of stimulating stuff to see and do - and families are very well catered to indeed! Check out these top examples and you´ll see what we mean:
Still a work in progress, this 22-mile corridor of walking and biking trails developed around disused rail lines crosses and connects various neighbourhoods, and lets visitors experience an dynamic array of shops, bars, eateries, parks, and cultural opportunities including museums and public art.
Marking its 45th year in Midtown Atlanta, the center covers the ancient art of puppetry with exhibits covering various eras and parts of the world. But its main focus is puppets in contemporary pop culture, and especially the Muppets, including the world´s largest collection of Jim Henson artifacts. In addition to Kermit, Miss Piggy, their crew, and the Sesame Street gang, you´ll also see items like Madame, from the act of ventriloquist comedian Wayland Flowers as well as puppets from The Lion King and The Dark Crystal. Plenty of shows and interactive fun!
Located next to downtown´s Centennial Olympic Park and aimed especially at kids younger than ten, this 20-year-old museum of more than 16,000 square feet provides fun, hands-on learning in four zones, with a lively staff of actors and educators on hand to bring learning to life. Explore the layers of Earth and enter a magical woodland, make gigantic sandcastles, attend mini-musicals and story hours, and unleash your inner artist.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History
In a word - dinosaurs! This museum east of Midtown is packed with them, including an Argentinosaurus, at 123 feet long the biggest dino ever discovered. There´s plenty else to keep the kids enthralled, too, such as ¨A Walk Through Time in Georgia¨; a 900-gallon saltwater aquarium; kids´ discovery rooms; NatureQuest, with all sorts of engaging activities plus live-animal habitats; and a giant screen theater with cool fare about blue whales, the Serengeti, the U.S. wilderness, and more.
Also downtown, it has more than 10,000 animals of more than 500 species (more than any other aquarium!) housed in 60 habitats and some 11 million gallons of water. Key exbibits include ¨Aquanaut Adventure,¨ ¨Cold Water Quest,¨ ¨Ocean Voyager,¨ ¨River Scout,¨ ¨Tropical Diver,¨ and of course the very popular ¨SHARKS! Predators of the Deep.¨ And of course everyone loves the dolphin shows!
LEGO Discovery Center
Opened in the Buckhead district just this past spring as the first of several such centers around the USA, it´s billed as ¨the ultimate indoor LEGO playground,¨ including both oversize LEGO attractions and miniature cityscapes of local landmarks; play and build areas (including building workshops); rides; a rollicking4D movie; a café; of course a shop, and more.
Adam Jones
Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park
Not necessarily what you´d nromally think of as a ¨family¨ attraction, but if you care about teaching your kids about history, civil rights and social justice, it´s an important one. Part of the U.S. National Parks system, the site includes MLK's birth home; Ebenezer Baptist Church where he preached; and the King Center, established by his widow Coretta Scott King. Both moving and educational!
In a part of town called the Old Fourth Ward and one of the key sites along the BeltLine, an old Sears store was turned into a complex featuring shops, a food hall, and this rooftop with retro carnival-style games, other amusements (including an 18-hole mini-golf course), food, and drinks - plus some pretty sweeping views out over the city.
Warren LeMay
It seems that big fancy Ferris wheels are a must-have for any city with pretentions to greatness, and Atlanta´s 20-story version is certainly an experience. Its 42 gondolas - air conditioned in warm weather and heated in cold - provide a great view out over downtown, and it´s especially impressive. And for $40 extra you can opt for the ¨VIP¨ gondola, with a glass floor, ¨Ferrari-style¨ seats, and a longer ride time (with the regular ones it´s just seven to 12 minutes!); you also get to skip the line).
World of Coca-Cola
There´s something for everyone at this entertaining center devoted to Atlanta´s flagship brand as well as one of the world´s best known.A bit of science, a bit of pop culture, a bit of fun - and a lot of bubbles!
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Comments
And with maybe a couple of exceptions, all these are fascinating for grown-ups as well as kids!