Not to lose time and purposelessly wander around the city the best idea is to follow a guide or at least know the places of interest. To save your time and share the best spots let us share the itinerary for a weekend in Atlanta. 

Day 1

Breakfast at Flying Biscuit

A day should Start with a substantial breakfast. There is nothing like Southern, which is known for great taste and delicious flavors. One of the most famous places for breakfast is the Flying Biscuit, that is famous for its freshly baked biscuits and other southern classics. Flying Biscuit that is ranked as one of Atlanta’s best places for breakfast has a couple of locations. The best choice will be the one near Piedmont Park. So that you can take a walk around the park.

Address: 1001 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta
Hours: 7 am – 10 pm
Price range: $11-$30

Piedmont Park

Piedmont Park in Atlanta by Mike [CC BY 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]

Address: 1320 Monroe Drive, Atlanta
Hours: sunrise-sunset

CNN

Interested in what is going on behind the other side of the TV screen, how broadcasters work and tv shows created? Go to CNN Center for a tour around CNN studios. A guided tour gives a glimpse of the newsrooms and studios of several of CNN’s news channels. Visit the World Headquarters of CNN and get a closer look at the world of news.

Address: 190 Marietta Street, NW, Atlanta
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm. Tours start every 20 minutes.
Tickets: $12+. 

Tickets start at $12. Also, there is an option to buy CityPASS Atlanta that gives access to other popular and worth visiting Atlanta’s attractions: World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta OR Center for Civil and Human Rights and Fernbank Museum of Natural History OR College Football Hall of Fame and save up to 40% and. It is a great deal, especially when following the itinerary because CityPass covers the most popular attractions.

Twin Smokers BBQ Lunch

Never skip lunch when an excellent BBQ place is around the corner. Twin Smokers BBQ which is situated within walking distance from CNN headquarters and right near the next stop on the itinerary. 

Address: 300 Marietta St NW, Atlanta
Hours: 11:30 am – 9 pm
Price range: $11-$30

The World of Coca-Cola

Maybe one of the tastiest museums in the world, the World of Coca-Cola is all about showing the history of The Coca-Cola Company, and there is an option to taste hundreds of Coca-Cola drinks from all across the globe in one place. The museum is all about telling the story of Coca-Cola with hundreds of artifacts, its own bottling process, and fun expositions. Stay here for a whole day to sample all of the drinks or head toward the next Atlanta attraction.

Address: 121 Baker St NW, Atlanta
Hours: Mn-Fr 9 am – 6 pm, Sat 9 am – 7 pm, Sun 10 am – 6 pm
Tickets: $17+. Or purchase CityPass Atlanta if to visit along with the other attractions.

Georgia Aquarium

One of the world’s largest aquariums, the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia is a must-see place. It has hundreds of thousands of different animals and represents numerous species. Download Georgia Aquarium Mobile App to navigate around the aquarium and to plan the time to visit different shows such as dolphin show for example. Most people spend in the aquarium 3-4 hours to view the exhibits and enjoy a show or two. If time permits, spend here as much as you wish because it is a unique and breathtaking experience. 

Address: 225 Baker St NW, Atlanta
Hours: Sun-Mn 9 am – 9 pm, Sat 8 am – 9 pm
Tickets: $26,95+. Or choose CityPass Atlanta to visit together with other attractions.

Dinner at South City Kitchen Midtown

Excellent service, friendly atmosphere, and tasty food is a perfect match for dinner. While on a trip in Atlanta try as many places with Southern food as you can to have an authentic experience.

Address: 1144 Crescent Ave NE, Atlanta
Hours: Mn-Thu 11 am – 3:30 pm and 5 pm – 10 pm
Fr 11 am – 3:30 pm and 5 pm – 10:30 pm
Sat 10 am – 3:30 pm and 5 pm – 10:30 pm
Sun 10 am – 3:30 pm and 5 pm – 10 pm
Price range: $11-$30

Day 2

Breakfast at Atlanta Breakfast Club

This place has everything we wish to have for breakfast and even more. French toasts, pancakes, eggs, you name it, and everything is mouthwatering.

Address: 249 Ivan Allen Jr Blvd, Atlanta
Hours: 6:30 am – 3 pm
Price range: $11-$30

Margaret Mitchell House

What is Atlanta without Gone with the wind story? Visit a small apartment where Margaret Mitchell wrote the legendary novel Gone with the wind. She was working as a journalist for a local paper and decided to create a story about South, heritage with an epic plot and charismatic main character.

Address: 979 Crescent Ave NE, Atlanta
Hours: Mn-Sat 10 am – 5:30 pm, Sun 12 pm – 5:30 pm
Tickets: $5,5+

Swan House and Atlanta Historic Center

Swan House in Atlanta by Daniel Di Palma [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

Address:130 West Paces Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am – 5:30 pm, Sun 12 pm – 5:30 pm
Bring tickets from Margaret Mitchell House to have a discount.

Lunch at Seven Lamps

Seven Lamps is a modern place with classic Southern food that has a daily-changing menu, seasonal ingredients, and hand-made pasta. 

Address: 3400 Around Lenox Rd, Atlanta
Hours: Mon-Thu 11 am – 3:30 pm and 5 pm – 10 pm
Fr 11 am – 3:30 pm and 5 pm – 11 pm
Sat 12 am – 3 pm and 5 pm – 11 pm
Sun 12 am – 3 pm and 5 pm – 9 pm
Price range: $11-$30

Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site

A big part of Georgia history is connected with the name of Martin Luther King, Jr. Explore the neighborhood where he was born, worked as a pastor and where he rests in peace. Walk around the Sweet Auburn Historic District that is the part of Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site and Preservation District, to see the heritage and the history of Atlanta’s most vibrant areas. 

Martin Luther King Jr Birthplace
Address: 501 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm.

Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Martin Luther King Jr worked
Address: 101 Jackson St NE, Atlanta

Ponce City Market

The Ponce City Market was ranked by Travel + Leisure as one of the World’s Coolest New Tourist Attractions. Ponce City Market is a marketplace with Food Hall, tons of cute shops and promenade street. Diverse cuisine options at the Central Food Hall will satisfy even the pickiest foodies.

Address: 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am – 9 pm, Sun 12 pm – 6 pm
Price range: $11-$30

Dinner at Mary Mac’s

There’s a reason Mary Mac’s has been open for 70+ years! Their comfort food is so good that in March of 2011 The Georgia House of Representatives created Resolution 477, in which Mary Mac’s was officially declared to be Atlanta’s Dining Room. Here you can dine on fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, collard greens, cinnamon rolls, and so much more. 

Address: 224 Ponce De Leon Ave NE | Atlanta, GA 30308

Hours: Open Every Day 11am-9pm

Price Range: $12 – $18

Atlanta Botanical Garden Holiday Lights

If you are visiting during the holidays, I highly recommend visiting the Atlanta Botanical Garden Holiday Lights after dinner. They are beautiful and the perfect way to end the day. 

For sure, Atlanta is a city that is worth visiting, especially for families with kids due to all it has to offer. Stay for a weekend or spend a couple of days here to enjoy all of Atlanta attractions and Southern hospitality.

Guest Author: Maria Potehina is a travel expert, outdoor enthusiast, and blogger over at Call It Adventure.

Looking for more on Atlanta?

• Children’s Museum of Atlanta
• Stone Mountain Park – Georgia

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Almost every single one of our favorite activities as a family is something outdoors. I refuse to let allergies slow us down. Like many people, all of us experience seasonal allergies, especially my daughter Eden and I. We both take Claritin for relief from seasonal allergies, so when we want an outdoor adventure we are ready!

How to Float a River with Kids

One of our favorite outdoor activities to do as a family is float the river. It’s relaxing and fun. We typically float for half a day so somewhere between 3 – 5 hours. If you’ve never floated a river, it can be a little intimidating even though there’s no skill needed. There are a few designated areas that I call out below where you can float.

There are some things you need to know before you float. For example, what to wear and how to chill your drinks.  Use your judgment and make sure conditions are safe before heading out.

What to wear while floating the river:

• Clothes and shoes that can get wet like your swimsuit
• Shoes that stay on your feet, like river sandals, aqua socks, or even tennis shoes you don’t mind getting wet. Do not wear flip flops.
• Sunglasses
• If you wear glasses, straps to keep them secure are a good idea.
• Hat
• Wearable Drybag

We have a pouch just like this to keep our stuff dry and it works well. I keep a cell phone in there and my keys. 

Other Items to Bring

• Raft or tubes: In Texas, tubes are ideal, because it’s so hot and the water is warm. In Oregon and Idaho, rafts are better because the water is so cold.
• Life jackets: Laws vary by state, but everyone should always have a life jacket. Never take a child into a river without a life jacket.
• Paddles: You may not need them, but on the off chance you do, you will be happy to have them with you.
• Sunscreen
• Snacks: Pack snacks with minimal packaging.
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Water: It’s important that everyone stays well hydrated while out in the sun.
• Mesh laundry bag: I use a mesh laundry bag and fill it with drinks and tie it to our raft. Typically the water is so cold it will keep the drinks super cold.
• Waterproof camera: Nowadays there are lots of waterproof cameras on the market.

What else to bring, but leave in the car until the end:

• A change of dry clothes
• Towel
• Pump: To air up your raft and tubes before you begin your float.

What Not to Bring

• Glass bottles or containers
• Styrofoam coolers or cups

Where to Float a River with Kids

Florida:

Fort White offers the most popular place to float in Florida at Ichetcucknee Springs State Park and is open May – September.

• Visitors bringing tubes into the park:  Enter park at the north park entrance located at 8294 SW Elim Church Road.
• Drivers will leave tubes and passengers at the tube drop off location in the upper parking lot area.
• Drivers will proceed to the South main entrance parking area located at 12087 SW U.S. Highway 27.
• Drivers will purchase a shuttle bracelet for transportation to North main entrance tube drop off from the general store. (The driver can also purchase tram bracelets for everyone in their party)
• Visitors renting tubes from within the park will need to enter the park at South main entrance instead, located at 12087 SW U.S. Highway 27.

Between Jacksonville and Tallahassee is Madison Blue Spring State Park, where you can float on weekends from May to September.

In Apopka, you can float Rock Springs Run in Kelly Park. Bring your own, or rent tubes for $5 – $7 from private outfitters located just outside the park. The float trip is short, it only takes about 25 minutes.  When you are done, it is a 5-minute walk on a paved sidewalk back to the start. The deepest part is about 5 feet and is much shallower in many places.

In High Springs you can do a short float down the Santa Fe River at Ginnie Springs. Put in at Devil’s Spring and float for an hour. You will exit at Twin Spring and walk back to where you parked. It takes around 15 minutes to walk back on the tubing trail. There are free air stations located in the park.

In Holt in the Florida panhandle is Blackwater River State Park. Blackwater River offers a four-mile stretch of water that will take you 3-5 hours to float.

Spring Creek in Marianna near Tallahassee offers a four-hour tubing experience.  Start at Merrit’s Mill Pond where Spring Creek opens up to the Chipola River.

Georgia:

Near Atlanta, in Roswell, you can float the Chattahoochee River. You will only want to float here if it is over 80 degrees outside because the water is cold.

In Blue Ridge, the Toccoa River offers smooth rides through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Idaho:

In Boise, you can float the Boise River.  (Some people even surf it, but we just float!) You can park your car at Ann Morrison Park and catch a bus. For a few dollars, the bus will take you up the river and drop you off at Barber Park. Last time we paid $2 per adult and they didn’t charge me for the kids. At the drop off point, there’s air available and you can inflate your raft or tube. You can also rent a raft or tube where they drop you off. I recommend using a raft because this river is extremely cold. It takes about two hours to float back down to the park. There are two small drops so you will have to hang on to your kids a few times.

Oregon:

There are several rivers that you can float in Oregon, but we tend to stick to the same one. We float the Sandy River near Troutdale, Oregon. Start at Dabny State Park and pull out at Lewis and Clark state park. You do have to pay to leave your car in both of the parks. The last time we went it was $5 and they took credit cards.

Texas:

For the most part, there are shuttles available along popular Texas rivers. In Texas, the only legal access points are where bridges cross a navigable river. Keep this in mind if you’re doing it yourself and not using a shuttle service. The tube rental/shuttle companies are fairly cheap and make the whole thing super easy.

In San Antonio, you can float the Comal or Guadalupe River. Near San Antonio in Bandera is also the Medina River that can be floated

In San Marcos, you can float the San Marcos River.

In Austin, you can float the Barton Creek Greenbelt. There are no shuttles or tube rental outfits here.

In the Dallas/Fort Worth area, you can float the Trinity River.

Virginia:

Most people float the South Fork of the Shenandoah River in Shenandoah Valley. Virginia has a no drinking in public law, so leave the booze at home.

Washington:

Yakima River Canyon is a popular place to float near Yakima, Washington. – Start at Umtanum for a three-hour float to Roza. Leave one car at Roza, this is where you will pull out of the river. It will likely cost $5 per car to park.

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Atlanta Botanical Garden Holiday Lights

I was looking for something to do while I was in Atlanta briefly last week and I came across this place online and I’m so glad I did. From November 15 – January 3 they open from 5 – 10 p.m. for a special evening out.

Initially, I was really put off by the price, especially when we had to pay $10 for parking. Without knowing what to expect I wasn’t thrilled about spending over $55 bucks before walking inside. My doubts were quickly dismissed because as soon as you walk into the place you can tell it’s gonna be awesome.

The Orchestral Orbs light up to Christmas Music and change colors.

This unicorn was so fabulous. It’s near the fire pits. There were 3 fire pits set up. At the concession stand, they sell s’mores kits along with hot drinks. I enjoyed a hot chocolate with a shot of Kahlua peppermint mocha for $8.

CONTACT INFO

404-876-5859
1345 Piedmont Avenue NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30309

Admission & Tickets

Stone Mountain

Georgia Aquarium

Atlanta’s Children’s Museum

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While on our Atlanta, Georgia family vacation, we went to the Georgia Aquarium.  I must say that after hearing about the aquarium from so many people I was a little disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, I thought it was a great aquarium.  But after all the build up there was nothing overly special or unique about it. With that said the beluga whales were gone for renovation and it was incredibly overpriced. (They will not give you a military discount at the door. Instead to get the military price, you must buy tickets on a nearby military base.) We would not go back based on the price.

Georgia Aquarium

Experience Marine Life Like Never Before

One of the reasons why the Georgia Aquarium is such a unique experience is that it allows visitors to get up close and personal with some of the most majestic creatures in nature. From sea turtles to stingrays and dolphins to sharks, visitors can observe these amazing animals in their natural habitats. This allows families to learn about each creature in a hands-on way that will stay with them forever.

Fun for All Ages

The Georgia Aquarium isn’t just about watching fish swim around; there are plenty of activities for people of all ages. From touching starfish and sea anemones in the touch tanks, to playing games like Fish Hunt or Fish Feeding Frenzy on giant video screens, there are plenty of ways for kids (and adults!) to have fun while learning about marine life. There is even an indoor playground called Ocean Voyager Exploration Station where children can explore themed rooms filled with interactive exhibits and activities!

My kids love the touch pools. They got to touch stingrays, starfish, and a bunch of other stuff.

Georgia Aquarium is located at 225 Baker Street, across the street from the north end of Centennial Olympic Park.

There is no outside food, beverage or gum permitted inside the Aquarium. Also, guns, knives, lighters and matches are not permitted inside. Pets are not allowed. Only guide dogs for the blind, service dogs for people with disabilities and working dogs in training are permitted inside the Aquarium.

The Georgia Aquarium provides an unforgettable experience that will delight parents and children alike. Whether you are looking for an educational field trip or simply want to spend a day exploring underwater life, the Georgia Aquarium has something special waiting for you! So put on your bathing suit (or dive gear!) and come join us at the aquarium—it promises to be a swimmin’ good time!

Read Next:

Stone Mountain Park

21 Things to do in Savannah

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Stone Mountain Park at Christmas

While in Atlanta, Georgia on our mini family vacation, we drove out to Stone Mountain. It was twenty minutes outside of Atlanta. Overall, our family had a wonderful experience at Stone Mountain and all of us highly recommend it.

Meet Santa Claus

We went during an awesome time because they had already started having the annual event, Stone Mountain Christmas. We knew we would be at Stone Mountain until late in the day in order to meet Santa, so we did not head out until the afternoon, around 2 pm. Out of all the places we have been to meet Santa this was by far the best! My kids really believed they had met Santa.

There is a full-blown welcome parade when Santa arrives in the park. We got to watch the parade and then get in line to meet him and Mrs. Claus.

Cable Car

The first thing we did was ride the cable car up to the top of Stone mountain. This didn’t take very long at all, but they sure cram people into the car. If you are claustrophobic it might be an issue. Once up there you can enjoy a great view. We could see all of Atlanta.

Playland inside a Barn

Next, we went to the Barn. Our kids loved it. It is a four-story barn with a challenge game in it. The kids collect ‘fruit’ that are different colored balls. Then they had to carry the fruits through the different levels and complete various challenges for points.

Other activities included: miniature golf, 4d Polar Express movie, fireworks, a light show, a train ride that stops and has a religious show in the middle, eateries, and shopping.

Stone Mountain Park is a great place to take your kids at Christmas. The park offers a variety of activities, from hiking and picnicking to scenic railway rides and laser shows. And, of course, there are the Christmas lights! If you’re looking for a fun family outing this holiday season, be sure to check out Stone Mountain Park.

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I thought the children’s museum was great. I believe it is for children 8 and younger and you have to pay for anyone 2 years old and up. We got a military discount for all of us which made it $9 something each. We were there for less than three hours which was plenty of time for us.

Children’s Museum of Atlanta

This is an area where kids can work together to move blocks around.

The Children’s Museum of Atlanta is a great place to take your kids. They have many interactive exhibits that will keep your children entertained and engaged. If you’re looking for a fun, educational place to take your kids, the Children’s Museum of Atlanta is the perfect place. Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy your next visit to the museum!

Read Next:

2 Day Atlanta Itinerary for Families

Atlanta Botanical Garden Holiday Lights

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