I have visited Atlanta Georgia both summer and winter now and feel like I can safely say I’ve experienced both the chilly winds of their winter and the overwhelming heat of winter and still enjoyed myself immensely both times.

If you are planning a trip to Georgia with kids, rest assured there are plenty of things for families to do.

Atlanta with Kids

Here are my top recommendations for a weekend or more in Atlanta, GA.

STAY: Hilton Garden Inn

Both times I have been to Atlanta I’ve stayed in this hotel. It has a shuttle service from the airport, clean and comfortable rooms, indoor (heated) and outdoor pools, valet parking, and best of all it is walking distance to most places you would want to go. For instance, the aquarium is two blocks away.

Our kids loved the view from the windows of the city and the aquarium. They were also amused by the huge aquarium themed photos in the hallways. That and the ample opportunities to ride the elevator because who doesn’t love that.

Top 4 Things to do in Atlanta with Kids

1. Atlanta Botanical Gardens

This beautiful, botanical garden is one of my favorite spots in Atlanta. The entire garden is beautiful, but they have an especially thoughtful and interactive children’s garden that for us made the Atlanta Botanical Garden stand out as a welcoming space for young children. Such a lovely spot to spend a day exploring plant life, being inspired, and working on the skill of observation.

Some things not to miss:

• Walk through the treetops on the Kendeda Canopy Walk and get an aerial view of Storza Woods.
• Children’s Garden – for families, this is the best part. The Children’s garden is a thoughtful combination of educational and interactive. There are themed gardens – my favorite was the storybook area. There is also a Sunflower Fountain where you can splash on a hot day.
• View the rest of the map to pick out at least one more spot to enjoy. I liked the Japanese Garden.

Pack:

• A camera. You will want to take pictures.
• Paper and drawing materials. Pick a plant or flower and take a drawing break.
• Walking shoes and weather appropriate clothing.
• Sunscreen

We loved these gorgeous gardens. You can walk through the treetops, admire the beautiful flowers, and wander the paths. One of the best parts is the fun, interactive children garden area.

If you have time after the garden, the park it sit on the top of is also an incredible space. Our kids loved playing at the playground and we loved sitting on a bench after all that walking.

2. Centenniel Olympic Park

If you are looking for a spot to get out your wiggles this is a fun park. It is conveniently located in between the Aquarium and the Children’s Museum.

Good things to know:

• There are two playgrounds. One is handicap accessible. They have interesting play equipment for different ages.
• Both are within the larger Centennial Park which is fun to wander and connects some of the major spots like the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coke Museum. 
• Decent shade cover for hot summer days but you still want to be prepared for heat.
• The Fountain of Rings is across the street to have some splashing fun on hot days.

3. Georgia Aquarium

Promise me you will not go to Georgia without visiting this aquarium. Unless you have a fear of aquatic animals, this is a must.

This is a stunning aquarium. Although we loved the large animals of Sea World – San Diego and have enjoyed other aquariums, this is the most impressive aquarium we have visited thus far. It is pricey, but in my opinion it is entirely worth the cost.

The most impressive portion is the exhibit entitled Ocean Voyager. It is a 6.3 million gallon exhibit. It is teeming with fish, four manta rays, and four whale sharks. The views are stunning and unlike anything in any other aquarium. Mezmermizing. My kids were huge fans of the manta rays and the giant whale sharks.

Our second favorite parts was the Tropical Diver portion which is teeming with fish in every shape and color. We spent a long time in front of the biggest tank spotting fish and learning their names on the interactive computers. Advertised as the largest living reef exhibits of any aquarium in the world, this is almost as impressive as the Ocean Voyager exhibit.

Beyond that, it depends on your favorite animals.

We visited the Coldwater Quest for the penguins and beluga whales. We enjoyed the otters and turtles in the River Scout area.

Throughout the aquarium there are interactive things for kids, including cards you can borrow to help you label some of the sea life, and little nooks for them to crawl through and into. The entire aquarium is well constructed and fascinating. Every inch is worth visiting in my opinion.

The aquarium is big, but portioned off into sections.

With younger children:

• Pick one or two areas to explore so that you do not feel the need to hurry them through.
• Start with what you most want to see to especially avoid the need that you must rush along to get to something.
• Follow their lead
• Make sure to account for breaks needed for sleeping or eating. There is a cafe on the premise but it is a little pricey.

4. World of Coke

A visit to the World of Coke involves a quick tour and then opportunities to explore various exhibits. If you are a coke lover, this will be more interesting than if you are not.

Hands down the best part is the opportunity to try different coke products from around the world. This was definitely the highlight for our kids.

We thought the World of Coke was fun but I do not recommend it for toddlers or young preschoolers. If you’re traveling with really little ones I would go to the Children’s Museum down the block instead.

Close by Spots to Eat

Aside from the Botanical Garden, these attractions are all located in downtown within walking distance of each other.

There are a variety of spots within walking distance of the major spots in downtown. We ate breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn each morning where they have a buffet style breakfast and kids eat free. The aquarium and botanical garden also have cafes. The aquarium is a bit over priced and the food is not exceptional, but I would plan to eat at the botanical garden. It was a delightful spread of shockingly healthy and yummy food.

Here are a couple of other spots we have tried and enjoyed.

1. Max’s Coal Oven Pizza
Open for lunch and dinner this is a yummy spot for pizza and pasta. The wait staff is friendly, children are welcome, and they were able to accomodate our Dairy allergy needs. Plus I love their yummy food.

2. Johnny Rockets
This is a fun spot for families and is located just a block from the aquarium. Good food and yummy malts, but the fun atmosphere makes it all taste even better. My son was able to find food to eat even with his dairy allergy (but not the malts).

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