10 Best Family Things to Do in Atlanta

Across the road from Centennial Olympic Park, this Ferris wheel takes you on a ride of around 4 turns, with its peak some 20 stories high. Take in breathtaking panoramas over the park with its concert stage, the Fountain of Rings, and the skyline of Downtown Atlanta in view. There are 42 air-conditioned gondolas, with 5-seater VIP gondolas featuring leather seats and see-through floors for added thrills. Regular tickets are from $13 for adults and $9 for kids under 12.

Be amazed at the graceful motions of oceanic giants such as whale sharks and manta rays or be amused by the antics of sea otters and African penguins. As one the world’s largest aquariums, Georgia Aquarium has plenty to see and do. Families can have a fun and educational day out here, filled with amazing sea life encounters. Besides seeing its real-life specimens, you can enjoy a stereoscopic 3D short film that takes you on a deep ocean dive to see underwater wonders.

Looking for a thrilling day out in Atlanta? Six Flags Over Georgia is an amusement park that’s filled with over a dozen different rollercoasters. They also offer splashing rides in the onsite waterpark. Younger kids aren’t left out of the fun, with milder rides such as mini truck and train rides they can enjoy. Some coasters are comic-themed, such as the Superman: Ultimate Flight, which takes you on a series of high-speed ascents, as though “leaping tall buildings in a single bound” – 11.5-storey buildings to be exact.

Zoo Atlanta is among America’s oldest. It has over 1,000 animals from over 200 world species, promising something for even the youngest animal lovers. The highlight of Zoo Atlanta is its pandas, of which it arguably has more than any other zoo in the States. You’ll see many gorillas, very well camouflaged Sumatran tigers in their realistic habitat, and lions in African savannah enclosures. Younger kids can enjoy ziplining or playing in the zoo’s splash pad (remember to bring a towel!).

Most kids will love the thrills of simply walking under and around enormous dinosaur displays. Fernbank Museum of Natural History is home to the rare restored remains of Argentinosaurus, which is known to be among the biggest titanosaurs to have ever roamed the Earth. You can walk under it and other Cretaceous displays in Fernbank’s Great Hall. Check out the NatureQuest tree clubhouse, where toddlers can explore hundreds of interactive nature and science activities. The IMAX theatre showcases immersive documentaries in 4K and 3D.

The one and only World of Coca-Cola is a fun place to learn about the birthplace and history of the world-renowned soft drink. Inside, you’ll find exhibits and memorabilia that hark back through the brand’s history, with iterations of its bright red logos and different bottle forms. In their “tasting room”, we advise you to take only small sips to avoid a sugar rush – there are over a hundred different flavours of Coke from around the world to try! Tickets are around $18.

Beyond its rare plants and flower collections, Atlanta Botanical Garden offers families an inspiring day out with its combination of natural and manmade artistry. Fountains in the park cradle brightly coloured blown-glass masterpieces. Kids will love the enchanted garden features, such as the Earth Goddess, which is beautifully composed of sculptures formed and grown from flowering plants, looking like something out of a fairy tale. They can also have plenty of fun in a dedicated children’s garden, with its bird’s nest-like treehouse.

Built for the Summer Olympics in 1996, Centennial Olympic Park now serves as a giant playground for families in Downtown Atlanta. The park itself has dedicated play spaces with padded surfaces, spinning seats and monkey bars. The main highlight for all ages at the park is its Fountain of Rings, where the little ones can safely splash about to their hearts’ content, with its colourfully illuminated waterjets dancing beautifully in sync to The Beatles, Sinatra, and John Williams’ symphonies.

Just across the road from World of Coca-Cola, you can take the kids for various hands-on learning experiences at this children’s museum. The Children’s Museum of Atlanta offers art lessons, science experiments and exhibits, and great options for creative playing. The museum celebrates special holidays and occasions from different cultures across the globe, so it can be a great place for the kids to learn about the world. Various fun workshops are held throughout the day, including cooking classes and craft-making.

This longstanding puppet museum and workshop is a great place for fans of Jim Henson and all kinds of practical effects that are usually used in movies. Some of the exhibits pay great homage to some of Henson’s work, ranging from Kermit the Frog to props, puppets and costumes that appeared in his cult-classic masterpieces, The Labyrinth and Dark Crystal. Exhibits also include a Global Collection Gallery, which showcases the various puppetry histories and traditions from countries around the world.